2.0 Kia Stinger vs Kia Optima

[Waynerm002]

Yep, it's me! You are welcome! It is a great car and man I really like the 3.3T, if I could get in one now I probably would for the emotional aspect of it but i'm still in the lease on the Volvo and the hybrid. That has slowed me down and have me looking at things coming in the future, so we will see if I'm in the Stinger club in the coming months.

KIA will keep moving forward, they have the talent in the design and engineering department. For folks that have not looked at KIA in the last 10+ years, they expect it to be the same company that came to the US. They are shocked when they see and drive this sedan. I am still amazed how much better my 2017 Optima Hybrid drives than any before it. It is like a German sedan. I drive the snot out of it! Even more now that I have driven the GT, I get the itch to go fast more often. LOL!

 

[MarkyMark]

@Kaumaxx said "The 2.0t Stingers are RWD hatchback Optimas. Plain and simple."

We all have our own opinions, that's for sure. So I'll stay away from the emotional responce to that claim and stick with some facts to refute it.

Technically, the Stinger is built on an entirely all-new G70 chassis, designed solely for the Genisis and Kia brands. It does not share the Optima platform whatsoever. Thus, the claim it's just a RWD Optima hatchback, other than opinion, is not based on the reality the Stinger is factually not.

The 2.0L engines are of the same lineage, but the transmission and the way the engine is tuned to work with the drivetrain is entirely different than an Optima. It's flat-out faster.

Rightly so, the Stinger is RWD, and is a hatchback. How that equates to a FWD non-hatchback Optima factually? I have no idea. This claim in and of itself makes them entirely different vehicles from handling to practicality to design.

Lastly, I've driven the Optima and the Stinger 2.0L and 3.3L GT. The Stinger is a vastly differently behaving machine over the Optima. The Optima is designed to draw in familes and those on tighter budgets - mid-size family sedan buyers. The Stinger is a different drive, handels much more like a true sports car, and performs as such. On paper and experience both - the Optima and Stinger are vastly different vehicles.

It has a tail, four legs and both are decently big and fast. The Cougar is basically the same as my large dog, save for fur type and looks... Uh, no...

 

[westcoastGT]

@Kamauxx, GREAT question. I'm on the fense, have test driven both 2.0L and GT versions. Clearly, the 2.0L is a much peppier machine than any mainstream 4-door sedan, and sports great looks.

Once I drove the GT I was sold. Wow... Thus, maybe the way the car looks is actually an issue for the 2.0L version? That is, an Accord, Camry, Optima, and soon, 2018 Mazda6, all have 250hp-range engine options. No, they don't handle the same as the 2.0L stinger, but some are pretty decent... But that look – The Stingr look! It looks like an absolute world-beater of a machine, but the performance reality is that the 2.0L isn't really what it looks like. It's almost TOO flashy for what it is...

My fear for Kia is the base model becomes a "pretender." Could consumers think to thmselves "This is an amazing looking car, and really peppy, but I'll get a lot of looks, and it really isn't a supercar or something... I'm just pretending it is... I might as well get a new powerful Accord, that won't get me all the stares, has great gas mileage, great resale, and it costs less."

Maybe that is not what people quasi-unconsciously sift through, but I think many will.

Not sure what else Kia could have done with the base model, but it needed to be priced above the Optima, but much lower than the GT. Hmmm...

I agree with most of what youre saying except the look of the 2L being too "flashy" I think they did a tasteful job of maintaining the platform look of the Stinger and left of all the Bling that id's the GT . I think they knew there would be a segment of the market that saw real value in the 2L . If we look at the German benchmarks its been my experience and observation that the vast majoity of Audi , BMW and Benz buyer purchase the lower tier of the segment 3/4 series , C class , A4 etc . Then the modding starts ............ they delete badges id'ing engine size , do the wheels/tires , body adds , tuning etc etc and built a truly personal car that they are really proud of .My sense is Kia are making the 2L as a solid well engineered fun to drive base line Stinger that people will and should be proud to own ,additionally its a sleeping giant that can be modded to be a dream car , I like it . ( all IMHO )

 

[Kamauxx]

@Kaumaxx said "The 2.0t Stingers are RWD hatchback Optimas. Plain and simple."

We all have our own opinions, that's for sure. So I'll stay away from the emotional responce to that claim and stick with some facts to refute it.

Technically, the Stinger is built on an entirely all-new G70 chassis, designed solely for the Genisis and Kia brands. It does not share the Optima platform whatsoever. Thus, the claim it's just a RWD Optima hatchback, other than opinion, is not based on the reality the Stinger is factually not.

The 2.0L engines are of the same lineage, but the transmission and the way the engine is tuned to work with the drivetrain is entirely different than an Optima. It's flat-out faster.

Rightly so, the Stinger is RWD, and is a hatchback. How that equates to a FWD non-hatchback Optima factually? I have no idea. This claim in and of itself makes them entirely different vehicles from handling to practicality to design.

Lastly, I've driven the Optima and the Stinger 2.0L and 3.3L GT. The Stinger is a vastly differently behaving machine over the Optima. The Optima is designed to draw in familes and those on tighter budgets - mid-size family sedan buyers. The Stinger is a different drive, handels much more like a true sports car, and performs as such. On paper and experience both - the Optima and Stinger are vastly different vehicles.

It has a tail, four legs and both are decently big and fast. The Cougar is basically the same as my large dog, save for fur type and looks... Uh, no...

Now read the rest of the thread where I've explained--more than once--how they are similar and more importantly how that may prove to be a problem for Kia.

 

[Rufus]

Ok,

The cars are the same size. They have the same engine making the same power. An Optima SXL can be bought for $31k. A base 2 Stinger for $33k. The Optima at $31k is fully loaded with an absurd amount of features/tech for the price. The Stinger at $33k isn't.

With the two cars sitting side-by-side in a show room you can bet they will be cross shopped. Sure, enthusiasts may go into the dealership knowing they want the rwd car that's been tuned for performance but the other 95% of Kia's market are going to look at what each have to offer and how much money it's going to cost.

Agreed. I am still referring to the driving experience vs the Optima--I assumed that's what you meant by saying the 2.0 Stinger is just a rwd Optima with a hatchback. We drove both while car shopping. Completely different animal. And yes, I did let my emotions get the better of me--apologies on that. That said, I don't believe anyone on these threads who already has a Stinger bought one out of cold, calculating logic. Everyone here seems to be an enthusiast to some extent or another, which means we are all enthusiastic about it!

 

[westcoastGT]

Now read the rest of the thread where I've explained--more than once--how they are similar and more importantly how that may prove to be a problem for Kia.

I think we will just have to wait and see on this , there certainly seems to be a good portion of GT owners here that have stepped up from Optimas. I dont think Kia see's this as a problem at all, the Cadenza didnt have the allure and was a sales "challenge " , now Optima owners who aspire to a more sporty luxurious car within the Kia family have a car to move to and are ! Kia lost some buyers to German , and Japan as the franchise desired more lux/performance , now theyre keeping them and bring new buyers from the Germ/Jap brands .................I just dont see this as a problem for Kia . Additionally the worlds auto press are so impressed with the Stinger and singing it's praise it's bringing new found credibility to the brand and getting people into showrooms that would never ever have shopped Kia before . With the promise of Bierman sprinkling more of his magic across the line up I think Kia has never been happier .......................my $.02 .

 

[MarkyMark]

I agree with most of what youre saying except the look of the 2L being too "flashy" I think they did a tasteful job of maintaining the platform look of the Stinger and left of all the Bling that id's the GT . I think they knew there would be a segment of the market that saw real value in the 2L . If we look at the German benchmarks its been my experience and observation that the vast majoity of Audi , BMW and Benz buyer purchase the lower tier of the segment 3/4 series , C class , A4 etc . Then the modding starts ............ they delete badges id'ing engine size , do the wheels/tires , body adds , tuning etc etc and built a truly personal car that they are really proud of .My sense is Kia are making the 2L as a solid well engineered fun to drive base line Stinger that people will and should be proud to own ,additionally its a sleeping giant that can be modded to be a dream car , I like it . ( all IMHO )

@westcoastGT, I am actaully still a wee bit torn between the models due to pricing... But when I look at a 2.0L Premium vs a GT, it's only about $1,250 more for the GT. Just the Brembo's cover that difference and more! I won't go over the differences, we know them inside and out. I just see so much more value in the GT since I've driven both. Perhaps the last nail was gas mileage, but the more I look, the 2.0L is only squeaking out 1-2 miles more per gallon vs the GT overall... That's moot.

 

[westcoastGT]

@westcoastGT, I am actaully still a wee bit torn between the models due to pricing... But when I look at a 2.0L Premium vs a GT, it's only about $1,250 more for the GT. Just the Brembo's cover that difference and more! I won't go over the differences, we know them inside and out. I just see so much more value in the GT since I've driven both. Perhaps the last nail was gas mileage, but the more I look, the 2.0L is only squeaking out 1-2 miles more per gallon vs the GT overall... That's moot.

.............hahahah . Friend I think you just sold yourself a GT ! You wont be able to wipe the smile off your face ! during my daily drives I'm usually in ECO mode ( around town ) it provides a nice predictable ride and easy clean power , BUT when you hit an on ramp or are on a set off twisties , then Sport and 3.3TT is the game . I dont think you'll look back with the GT ( except to see the cars you passed ! )

 

[StingerGT68]

.............hahahah . Friend I think you just sold yourself a GT ! You wont be able to wipe the smile off your face ! during my daily drives I'm usually in ECO mode ( around town ) it provides a nice predictable ride and easy clean power , BUT when you hit an on ramp or are on a set off twisties , then Sport and 3.3TT is the game . I dont think you'll look back with the GT ( except to see the cars you passed ! )

Agreed...in Eco on the highway I get 24.5mpg. I'll take it.

 

[Rufus]

@westcoastGT, I am actaully still a wee bit torn between the models due to pricing... But when I look at a 2.0L Premium vs a GT, it's only about $1,250 more for the GT. Just the Brembo's cover that difference and more! I won't go over the differences, we know them inside and out. I just see so much more value in the GT since I've driven both. Perhaps the last nail was gas mileage, but the more I look, the 2.0L is only squeaking out 1-2 miles more per gallon vs the GT overall... That's moot.

If we were able to afford a premium, I'd probably make the jump to a base GT. Unfortunately, we are not. The $7k jump into the V6 was too expensive for us currently. The base GT doesn't have as much kit as the 2.0 premium, FWIW

 

[MarkyMark]

.............hahahah . Friend I think you just sold yourself a GT ! You wont be able to wipe the smile off your face ! during my daily drives I'm usually in ECO mode ( around town ) it provides a nice predictable ride and easy clean power , BUT when you hit an on ramp or are on a set off twisties , then Sport and 3.3TT is the game . I dont think you'll look back with the GT ( except to see the cars you passed ! )

I agree with you. Test drove the Premium and a GT, and it's GT for me now. Ack! I don't care about a sunroof (it only chews up more ceiling space and makes the car seem smaller), and a 14 speaker system vs 9 speaker set in the GT base? They both sound pretty good to me (road noise, etc... this is NOT the place for audiofile equipment - a car). I lean more towards performance and less on the creature comforts, but the GT package falls between a base 2.0L and a Premium 2.0L which is plenty for me.

 

[SEA Stinger]

This thread started on the topic of whether prices for the Stinger at starting to fall. It's now entirely on the topic of whether the Stinger 2.0 is too much like the Optima. Not sayin', just sayin'...

Nevertheless, a thread on similarities and differences across the 2.0, 3.3 and Optima is an interesting and relevant topic.

I have owned three Honda Accords, two Nissan Maximas and a 2012 Genesis 3.8 Premium. That gives me a fair amount of ownership experience with Asian sedans. I like the Optima and have given it a look a few times. The SXL is very nice.
Have also been attracted by BMW 3 series and Audi A5.

Before buying my 2.0 Premium AWD, I went through a pretty thorough evaluation process. Dropped the Germans pretty quickly due to issues around reliability, bang-for-buck and size (e.g., 3 series too small, 5 series too big). Thought about the Accord 2.0 Sport, which is a great value but is weird-looking to me and comes across as a dressed-up "appliance" car.

Similar issue with the Optima. It's KIA's family sedan, positioned to compete with Accords, Camry's, Mazda 6's, etc. It dresses up nicely and can be pretty sporty. Very good car, probably too often overlooked and under-appreciated relative to its competition. After owning my Genesis, I would have considered the Optima fine, but a step back.

However, as a consumer the Stinger struck me as an entirely different car. As several journalists have noted, it occupies a unique market niche. Similar performance to the Germans, but at lower cost and greater reliability. Similar reliability to the family sedans and much of the practicality, but without the sameness and boredom.

I really like that KIA designed the Stinger from scratch to be a no-excuses GT sport sedan, especially with the 3.3 motor. Even the GT trim offers fantastic performance. KIA was smart to offer the 3.3 in several trim levels with increasing luxury and tech features. AWD is another unique advantage. And the Stinger is simply gorgeous.

Now, regarding the Stinger 2.0. Is there overlap with the Optima? Yes, there are clear similarities, but clear differences too. Is there overlap with the 3.3? Yes, again there are clear similarities and clear differences. As a result, I believe the 2.0 has a meaningful place in the KIA lineup.

My initial inclination was to buy the GT2. Test drove it first, and absolutely loved it (still do). Was getting ready to buy the GT2, but then started mulling the 2.0 Premium AWD with the Drive Wise package. Was very happy with the 2.0's handling, which is actually quicker and lighter than the 3.3's. (Not so happy with the 2.0's tires, but that was fixable.) The 2.0's looks are not quite as sexy, but the car is still gorgeous. (I did replace the cheap-looking plastic chrome brake vent covers with the smoked-chrome ones from the 3.3.) Also, the 2.0 Premium AWD with Drive Wise was $10,000 cheaper than the GT2.

I'm certain I would have loved owning the GT2. However, I'm 98 percent as happy with my 2.0. The main thing I gave up was some performance. But the reality is I would not have actually used the GT2's full capabilities except in rare situations.

All of that said, I do think that KIA should seriously consider offering the 4-banger Stinger with the following:
1. GT configuration (exterior styling, HUD, Nappa, electronic shifter, etc.) in the U.S.
2. Increased 4-cyclinder engine performance (e.g., 2.4 L)

 

[Scotty@SherwoodKia]

This thread started on the topic of whether prices for the Stinger at starting to fall. It's now entirely on the topic of whether the Stinger 2.0 is too much like the Optima. Not sayin', just sayin'...

Nevertheless, a thread on similarities and differences across the 2.0, 3.3 and Optima is an interesting and relevant topic.

I have owned three Honda Accords, two Nissan Maximas and a 2012 Genesis 3.8 Premium. That gives me a fair amount of ownership experience with Asian sedans. I like the Optima and have given it a look a few times. The SXL is very nice.
Have also been attracted by BMW 3 series and Audi A5.

Before buying my 2.0 Premium AWD, I went through a pretty thorough evaluation process. Dropped the Germans pretty quickly due to issues around reliability, bang-for-buck and size (e.g., 3 series too small, 5 series too big). Thought about the Accord 2.0 Sport, which is a great value but is weird-looking to me and comes across as a dressed-up "appliance" car.

Similar issue with the Optima. It's KIA's family sedan, positioned to compete with Accords, Camry's, Mazda 6's, etc. It dresses up nicely and can be pretty sporty. Very good car, probably too often overlooked and under-appreciated relative to its competition. After owning my Genesis, I would have considered the Optima fine, but a step back.

However, as a consumer the Stinger struck me as an entirely different car. As several journalists have noted, it occupies a unique market niche. Similar performance to the Germans, but at lower cost and greater reliability. Similar reliability to the family sedans and much of the practicality, but without the sameness and boredom.

I really like that KIA designed the Stinger from scratch to be a no-excuses GT sport sedan, especially with the 3.3 motor. Even the GT trim offers fantastic performance. KIA was smart to offer the 3.3 in several trim levels with increasing luxury and tech features. AWD is another unique advantage. And it's simply gorgeous.

Now, regarding the Stinger 2.0. Is there overlap with the Optima? Yes, there are clear similarities, and clear differences. Is there overlap with the 3.3? Yes, again there are clear similarity and clear differences. As a result, I believe the 2.0 has a meaningful place in the KIA lineup.

My initial inclination was to buy the GT2. Test drove it first, and absolutely loved it (still do). Was getting ready to buy the GT2, but then started mulling the 2.0 Premium AWD with the Drive Wise package. Was very happy with the 2.0's handling, which is actually quicker and lighter than the 3.3's. (Not so happy with the 2.0's tires, but that was fixable.) The 2.0's looks are not quite as sexy, but the car is still gorgeous. (I did replace the cheap-looking plastic chrome brake vent covers with the smoked-chrome ones from the 3.3.) Also, the 2.0 Premium AWD with Drive Wise was $10,000 cheaper than the GT2.

I'm certain I would have loved owning the GT2. But I'm 98 percent as happy with my 2.0. The main thing I gave up was some performance. But the reality is I would not have actually used the GT2's full capabilities except in rare situations.

All of that said, I do think that KIA should seriously consider offering the 4-banger Stinger with the following:
1. GT configuration (exterior styling, HUD, Nappa, electronic shifter, etc.) in the U.S.
2. Increased 4-cyclinder engine performance (e.g., 2.4 L)

Completley agree with points 1 and 2 . Just because you opt for the 2.0 doesnt mean one doesnt want features such as the nappa leather. and exterior look

 

[MarkyMark]

This thread started on the topic of whether prices for the Stinger at starting to fall. It's now entirely on the topic of whether the Stinger 2.0 is too much like the Optima. Not sayin', just sayin'...

Nevertheless, a thread on similarities and differences across the 2.0, 3.3 and Optima is an interesting and relevant topic.

I have owned three Honda Accords, two Nissan Maximas and a 2012 Genesis 3.8 Premium. That gives me a fair amount of ownership experience with Asian sedans. I like the Optima and have given it a look a few times. The SXL is very nice.
Have also been attracted by BMW 3 series and Audi A5.

Before buying my 2.0 Premium AWD, I went through a pretty thorough evaluation process. Dropped the Germans pretty quickly due to issues around reliability, bang-for-buck and size (e.g., 3 series too small, 5 series too big). Thought about the Accord 2.0 Sport, which is a great value but is weird-looking to me and comes across as a dressed-up "appliance" car.

Similar issue with the Optima. It's KIA's family sedan, positioned to compete with Accords, Camry's, Mazda 6's, etc. It dresses up nicely and can be pretty sporty. Very good car, probably too often overlooked and under-appreciated relative to its competition. After owning my Genesis, I would have considered the Optima fine, but a step back.

However, as a consumer the Stinger struck me as an entirely different car. As several journalists have noted, it occupies a unique market niche. Similar performance to the Germans, but at lower cost and greater reliability. Similar reliability to the family sedans and much of the practicality, but without the sameness and boredom.

I really like that KIA designed the Stinger from scratch to be a no-excuses GT sport sedan, especially with the 3.3 motor. Even the GT trim offers fantastic performance. KIA was smart to offer the 3.3 in several trim levels with increasing luxury and tech features. AWD is another unique advantage. And the Stinger is simply gorgeous.

Now, regarding the Stinger 2.0. Is there overlap with the Optima? Yes, there are clear similarities, and clear differences. Is there overlap with the 3.3? Yes, again there are clear similarity and clear differences. As a result, I believe the 2.0 has a meaningful place in the KIA lineup.

My initial inclination was to buy the GT2. Test drove it first, and absolutely loved it (still do). Was getting ready to buy the GT2, but then started mulling the 2.0 Premium AWD with the Drive Wise package. Was very happy with the 2.0's handling, which is actually quicker and lighter than the 3.3's. (Not so happy with the 2.0's tires, but that was fixable.) The 2.0's looks are not quite as sexy, but the car is still gorgeous. (I did replace the cheap-looking plastic chrome brake vent covers with the smoked-chrome ones from the 3.3.) Also, the 2.0 Premium AWD with Drive Wise was $10,000 cheaper than the GT2.

I'm certain I would have loved owning the GT2. But I'm 98 percent as happy with my 2.0. The main thing I gave up was some performance. But the reality is I would not have actually used the GT2's full capabilities except in rare situations.

All of that said, I do think that KIA should seriously consider offering the 4-banger Stinger with the following:
1. GT configuration (exterior styling, HUD, Nappa, electronic shifter, etc.) in the U.S.
2. Increased 4-cyclinder engine performance (e.g., 2.4 L)

Great insight from someone who went and purchased the 2.0L! Thank you.

 

[SEA Stinger]

Great insight from someone who went and purchased the 2.0L! Thank you.

You're welcome @MarkyMark. That's what the forum is for!

I'd also like to add that the question isn't which one car or configuration is better than all others. What matters more is which cars/configurations best meet different types of customers' needs and wants.

In other words, a GT2 will be the best choice for one person, a 2.0 Premium will be the best choice for another, and an Optima will be the best choice for another. Vive la difference!

 

[Rufus]

This thread started on the topic of whether prices for the Stinger at starting to fall. It's now entirely on the topic of whether the Stinger 2.0 is too much like the Optima. Not sayin', just sayin'...

Nevertheless, a thread on similarities and differences across the 2.0, 3.3 and Optima is an interesting and relevant topic.

I have owned three Honda Accords, two Nissan Maximas and a 2012 Genesis 3.8 Premium. That gives me a fair amount of ownership experience with Asian sedans. I like the Optima and have given it a look a few times. The SXL is very nice.
Have also been attracted by BMW 3 series and Audi A5.

Before buying my 2.0 Premium AWD, I went through a pretty thorough evaluation process. Dropped the Germans pretty quickly due to issues around reliability, bang-for-buck and size (e.g., 3 series too small, 5 series too big). Thought about the Accord 2.0 Sport, which is a great value but is weird-looking to me and comes across as a dressed-up "appliance" car.

Similar issue with the Optima. It's KIA's family sedan, positioned to compete with Accords, Camry's, Mazda 6's, etc. It dresses up nicely and can be pretty sporty. Very good car, probably too often overlooked and under-appreciated relative to its competition. After owning my Genesis, I would have considered the Optima fine, but a step back.

However, as a consumer the Stinger struck me as an entirely different car. As several journalists have noted, it occupies a unique market niche. Similar performance to the Germans, but at lower cost and greater reliability. Similar reliability to the family sedans and much of the practicality, but without the sameness and boredom.

I really like that KIA designed the Stinger from scratch to be a no-excuses GT sport sedan, especially with the 3.3 motor. Even the GT trim offers fantastic performance. KIA was smart to offer the 3.3 in several trim levels with increasing luxury and tech features. AWD is another unique advantage. And the Stinger is simply gorgeous.

Now, regarding the Stinger 2.0. Is there overlap with the Optima? Yes, there are clear similarities, but clear differences too. Is there overlap with the 3.3? Yes, again there are clear similarities and clear differences. As a result, I believe the 2.0 has a meaningful place in the KIA lineup.

My initial inclination was to buy the GT2. Test drove it first, and absolutely loved it (still do). Was getting ready to buy the GT2, but then started mulling the 2.0 Premium AWD with the Drive Wise package. Was very happy with the 2.0's handling, which is actually quicker and lighter than the 3.3's. (Not so happy with the 2.0's tires, but that was fixable.) The 2.0's looks are not quite as sexy, but the car is still gorgeous. (I did replace the cheap-looking plastic chrome brake vent covers with the smoked-chrome ones from the 3.3.) Also, the 2.0 Premium AWD with Drive Wise was $10,000 cheaper than the GT2.

I'm certain I would have loved owning the GT2. However, I'm 98 percent as happy with my 2.0. The main thing I gave up was some performance. But the reality is I would not have actually used the GT2's full capabilities except in rare situations.

All of that said, I do think that KIA should seriously consider offering the 4-banger Stinger with the following:
1. GT configuration (exterior styling, HUD, Nappa, electronic shifter, etc.) in the U.S.
2. Increased 4-cyclinder engine performance (e.g., 2.4 L)

Well said, @SEA Stinger! Much more cogent and articulate than my rant lol

 

[STNGRNV]

All of that said, I do think that KIA should seriously consider offering the 4-banger Stinger with the following:
1. GT configuration (exterior styling, HUD, Nappa, electronic shifter, etc.) in the U.S.
2. Increased 4-cyclinder engine performance (e.g., 2.4 L)

This. I'm looking at getting a Premium. The 4 banger is enough power for me, but I love the exterior styling. I think Kia hurt it's 2.0 sales because of it. I might consider a GT if it had the tech that the Premium did. The 2 things you outlined would make the 2.0 a no-brainer for the non-speed demon crowd. It's also a reason that I will not test drive a GT. I know the feel will make me want one, but I would need at least a GT1 to get the tech I want and I can't afford that right now.

To the original post, I hope this apparent disdain for the 2.0s...err I mean the Optima Sportback, will drive the prices down when I grab mine.

 

[Merkur720]

All of that said, I do think that KIA should seriously consider offering the 4-banger Stinger with the following:
1. GT configuration (exterior styling, HUD, Nappa, electronic shifter, etc.) in the U.S.
2. Increased 4-cyclinder engine performance (e.g., 2.4 L)

Agree! I would have done a 2.0 Premium if "GT-Line" was offered, like many of the "showroom cars" had. Sadly, ended up with the GT2 mainly for the seats. Wearing dress shirts/slacks everyday for work in Texas, I couldn't be without ventilated seats, coming from five years of it with my Optima Hybrid. But now that I'm used to a HUD....that'll be another one of those "must haves" next time too. DANG IT!

 

[SEA Stinger]

Agree! I would have done a 2.0 Premium if "GT-Line" was offered, like many of the "showroom cars" had. Sadly, ended up with the GT2 mainly for the seats. Wearing dress shirts/slacks everyday for work in Texas, I couldn't be without ventilated seats, coming from five years of it with my Optima Hybrid. But now that I'm used to a HUD....that'll be another one of those "must haves" next time too. DANG IT!

While KIA has done a great job of designing and developing the Stinger to fit the market, they are not doing as good a job marketing the Stinger. There has been an ongoing stream of idiotic decisions large and small, such as:
1. Showing 2.0's in GT-Line trim during the preview last fall - and then not offering it in the U.S.!
2. Previewing the Stinger in gorgeous Deep Chroma Blue - and then not offering it in the U.S.!
3. Offering big incentives for leases but not for purchases
4. Nonsensical tire choices, including putting summer tires on 18" wheels on AWD GTs, and putting crappy Bridgestone Potenza all-season tires on 2.0's
5. Leaving features off the U.S. Stinger that are available in other countries (e.g., wireless charging, 360 degree camera), and on the Optima in the U.S.
6. Rolling out the yellow Limited Edition in a way that enables dealers to tack massive markups on top of MSRP
7. Scatter-gun national advertising that lacks clear and consistent messaging
8. Missed opportunities to coordinate local, national and global advertising (e.g., there were KIA logos everywhere during the two-week broadcasts of the Australian Open tennis tournament, but I never saw a single KIA or Stinger commercial during the broadcasts!)

I am sure there are a bunch of other examples. Seems pretty clear that the KIA marketing department (at least in the U.S.) is not anywhere near as capable as the design, engineering and manufacturing groups. I really hope that KIA quickly realizes this and does something to fix it.

 

[Kia Stinger]

The way I see things is - if you want a car that's fun to drive, you buy the Stinger. If you want a car that you believe is fun to drive because you're not familiar with what a "fun to drive" car feels like - you're fine with the Optima.

The Optima SXL is the top of the line Optima. It's a great family car that caters mainly to luxury. It rides softer. It's quieter. It has some technology that is, in many cases, more "absolutely necessary" to a driver of a typical family car - than the Stinger.

I do feel the 2.0T Stinger should have the "GT" styling available as an option. I also feel the 2.0T Stinger should have been tuned for more power. We do hear there's going to be higher performance four cylinder options available shortly - but they may go to both the Stinger and Optima anyway. However, I think it would make sense to give the Stinger a little more power since the Stinger handles better and is safer to drive at high speed...