Looking at whether to purchase a Kia Stinger

[ht_addict]

Looking to purchase a new 2021 Stinger GT. I want to know if there are any inherent issues that i should be aware of. I currently have a Golf GTI mk 6 which has been great except for oil consumption issues. I understand this to be an inherent issue with VW built engines. Trying to avoid this with next purchase if possible. If it was not for oil consumption i would buy another Golf. Any good or bad experiences with the stinger woukd be appreciated so i know what i am getting into.

All cars have issues, its just a fact of life, thats what a warranty is for. Luckily KIA offers 1yr/20000km to iron them out. The car is a beauty. Well worth the price. Stock can be an issue, and so can dealers not wanting to budge on price. Don't pay sticker price, shop around. I got $10k off sticker thanks to Covid squashing sales. Maybe even look at a used with low KM. If keeping the car for the long haul is in the cards, look at an extended warranty. So much tech on this car, anything dies 5+ yrs out its going to cost. One other thing. Save up those pennies, as this car likes to be modded. A CAI, CatBack and Downpipes are a must.

 

[WRXtoStingerGT]

Thank you for the comment. I have test driven both a Stinger GT and Lexus IS. After Golf Gti there is no doubt they feel bigger and less agile cars as compared to GTI. That being said I am looking at more of a compromise in the ride so to that end the Stinger with the adaptive suspension provides a good option. I have had the Golf for 9 years which demonstrates I have been happy with the car as this would have to be the longest I have ever held a vehicle. I am now looking at the next 10 years into retirement so reliability and overall ownership costs are important considerations for me this time around. The low entry to the Stinger is a concern which I need to further consider.

Well said!

As I stated... a solid 90% of my decision was made by the solid factory warranty included with my vehicle purchase... made it easier to justify the car over the other more "higher end" German and Japanese brands indeed!

 

[Lord3Putt]

The Stinger will feel like a boat compared to your current car. I came from a 2014 wrx and it felt SO much bigger and more difficult to park than my Subbie... and the Subbie is pretty fat compared to the MK6 GTI...

Test drive both the RWD and AWD models but make sure to keep in mind the drivetrain and type of tire (summer vs all season). When I test drove the Stingers I test drove two that were AWD and one that was RWD. One AWD has summers and the other had all seasons while the RWD had summers. There are noticeable differences.

I was cross-shopping many different cars with the Stinger. I only picked the Kia over the CPO 2018 S4 because of the warranty and cost of ownership. If I could have been offered the same factory warranty from Kia to the Audi I would have stomached paying a bit of a premium for maintenance (even though I go to an independent third party mechanic for service).

I notice that a lot of people who "took it for a test drive and had to get it" are people who aren't really coming from a performance car background or aren't cross-shopping the Stinger with other "high bred" cars. Don't get me wrong, I adore the looks of the Stinger and it was in the top 3 most "fun" cars I test drove but that was not why I chose it. The warranty was the selling point along with the fact that I could save a ton of money on servicing the car.

Watch out for brake problems with the pads/rotors along with some hiccups with the engine and transmission. Some people are also reporting audio problems with their speakers. Another thing to watch out for, and this has nothing to do with the car itself, but is incompetent and lower IQ people working at Kia touching your car. Not all Kia dealerships are certified or allowed to work on Stingers and even the ones that are allowed to touch them seem to lack serious techs and mechanics that understand what to do. With that said though, unless it's for warranty or recalls, I never take my car for service at a any dealership regardless of the brand.

What's the high cost of ownership with the Audi?

 

[colnago1331]

What's the high cost of ownership with the Audi?

Well, for one thing the CPO warranty isn't nearly as long as the Kia 10Y/100K. And even if you compare an unwarrantied Audi to an unwarrantied Kia, the cost to repair an Audi is significantly more than the cost to repair a Kia. Parts are more expensive. Labor is more expensive. And because European manufacturers tend to jam as much stuff in to as little space as possible, the time to fix similar items usually takes longer Euro vs. Asian. Even basic maintenance at the Euro dealership is more expensive. It definitely adds up.

 

[Lord3Putt]

Well, for one thing the CPO warranty isn't nearly as long as the Kia 10Y/100K. And even if you compare an unwarrantied Audi to an unwarrantied Kia, the cost to repair an Audi is significantly more than the cost to repair a Kia. Parts are more expensive. Labor is more expensive. And because European manufacturers tend to jam as much stuff in to as little space as possible, the time to fix similar items usually takes longer Euro vs. Asian. Even basic maintenance at the Euro dealership is more expensive. It definitely adds up.

Yeah. Audi used to have a great CPO program until about 2-3yrs ago. Now it's just 1yr/unlimited miles. But they get a bad rap for maintenance costs. If you have a lower-tier vehicle (like the S4/S5) it's going to be pretty comparable to the Stinger to keep running. The oil changes on my Stinger are actually $5 more than I was paying for my B8.5.

Kia does have the 10yr/100k powertrain warranty, though. I'll never keep it that long, but a lot of people who buy these will. The only bad thing about it is you can't use it as a selling point if/when you decide to get rid of it.

 

[5tinger]

Thank you for the comment. I have test driven both a Stinger GT and Lexus IS. After Golf Gti there is no doubt they feel bigger and less agile cars as compared to GTI. That being said I am looking at more of a compromise in the ride so to that end the Stinger with the adaptive suspension provides a good option. I have had the Golf for 9 years which demonstrates I have been happy with the car as this would have to be the longest I have ever held a vehicle. I am now looking at the next 10 years into retirement so reliability and overall ownership costs are important considerations for me this time around. The low entry to the Stinger is a concern which I need to further consider.

How does the IS drive?
I've driven a previous generation 2012 IS350 and it felt fast for a naturally aspirated 3.5L V6. And the overall quality over the interior, build, insulation etc is far superior to Kia.

 

[WRXtoStingerGT]

What's the high cost of ownership with the Audi?

Parts are more expensive. Service costs more, whether at an independent shop or dealership. The 2018 Audi S4 already had miles on it while the 2020 Stinger GT-RWD did not. The warranty from Kia was significantly better than the CPO warranty from Audi. Cost of repairs, especially as the vehicles get older, will be much more expensive on a German car than a Korean car. The Audi also was averaging about 2MPG less (AWD and slightly heavier) than the Stinger; although that cost difference is minimal. The Audi would cost more to insure since I was also in the middle of renewing my insurance and was getting quotes/info from the vehicles I was cross-shopping. Body damage such as dings or scratches or more severe repairs would cost more on an Audi just because "it's an Audi" than they would on the Stinger.

How does the IS drive?
I've driven a previous generation 2012 IS350 and it felt fast for a naturally aspirated 3.5L V6. And the overall quality over the interior, build, insulation etc is far superior to Kia.

I test drove a CPO 2018 IS350F-RWD as one of the vehicles I was cross-shopping my Stinger with. You're correct that the overall interior quality and build quality is superior. The Lexus overall, both inside and out, felt like a much more solid and better put together car. My only issue with the Lexus was the strange touch-pad and touch-screen. It wasn't bad but I prefer physical dials and knobs and something I can fiddle with while still looking at the road when I am driving. Also, although the IS350F-RWD drove well and handled well, the Stinger GT-RWD was significantly faster and pulled much harder. They were also pretty similar in comfort and ride quality but with a slight edge to the Lexus. From a performance standpoint though there is zero comparison stock for stock. Also, and this rather subjective, but I find the Stinger's exterior better looking than the Lexus while also being (at least for now) far less common. Everyone and their mother drives a Lexus and the majority of people confuse a base model IS200 with an ISF or a base RC350 with an RCF. But... we have owned multiple Toyota products in the past... and my money is that the Lexus will be far more reliable overall than the Stinger BUT the Stinger has that warranty to help keep your piece of mind. Also, if you service the Lexus at the Toyota dealership (or in general use Toyota parts) it will save you a ton of money. I have a ton of friends with Toyota/Scion/Lexus cars and I was really close to choosing it. I have huge respect for the Lexus IS350 overall. The ISF was a dream car of mine when I was younger.

 

[rpoffen]

What's the high cost of ownership with the Audi?

A friend of mine used to work for an Audi dealer (he was a service writer), and he admitted that they are more to keep up. He used to get mondo commission from upselling services. Now, I suspect that part of that was the clientele, a lot of vehicles that came to his dealer for service were company lease vehicles, so money was no object.

 

[azumwalt]

I had an Audi A4 and the turbo blew at 30k miles. Luckily it was under warranty still.

 

[WRXtoStingerGT]

A friend of mine used to work for an Audi dealer (he was a service writer), and he admitted that they are more to keep up. He used to get mondo commission from upselling services. Now, I suspect that part of that was the clientele, a lot of vehicles that came to his dealer for service were company lease vehicles, so money was no object.

I mean most places upsell. Some more than others though.

I had an Audi A4 and the turbo blew at 30k miles. Luckily it was under warranty still.

A guy I knew who picked up a second hand out of warranty 2014 RS5 Coupe about two years ago realized just how expensive a failed transmission was out of warranty on those cars... granted it's an RS5 but still... we all told him to pick up a CPO S4 or even a brand new A4 but he didn't listen. Where he lives, works, and drives there is nowhere to use that power at all. Heck, I borrowed a 2017 V6 Accord Sedan from a buddy when I came to visit and couldn't find anywhere to even floor that car in the crazy traffic. I know he wanted to hear that amazing V8 (especially with a crazy straight-pipe build) but yeah... not worth it... Now a few weeks ago he says how his speedometer and tech cluster gauge is flickering after about ten minutes of driving... can't wait to hear what they quote him for that...

Don't get me wrong I completely understand a passion purchase but if he went with an RCF or ISF like we all suggested he would have been much happier... since those were cars he test drove but didn't want to drive a "plain everyday overhyped Toyota" lmfao!

 

[GenesisG70]

Thank you for the comment. I have test driven both a Stinger GT and Lexus IS. After Golf Gti there is no doubt they feel bigger and less agile cars as compared to GTI. That being said I am looking at more of a compromise in the ride so to that end the Stinger with the adaptive suspension provides a good option. I have had the Golf for 9 years which demonstrates I have been happy with the car as this would have to be the longest I have ever held a vehicle. I am now looking at the next 10 years into retirement so reliability and overall ownership costs are important considerations for me this time around. The low entry to the Stinger is a concern which I need to further consider.

Lexus IS is the bottom of Lexus cars driven mostly by young males between 20 and 30 underpowered not inspiring design the only thing going for the car is that has a semi luxury brand tag Lexus, in the other hand the Stinger is the Halo car of Kia, its stunning and sexy design and power makes it a superior car to a Lexus IS, also Kia's are very reliable this is not 1980 any more.

 

[WRXtoStingerGT]

Lexus IS is the bottom of Lexus cars driven mostly by young males between 20 and 30 underpowered not inspiring design the only thing going for the car is that has a semi luxury brand tag Lexus, in the other hand the Stinger is the Halo car of Kia, its stunning and sexy design and power makes it a superior car to a Lexus IS, also Kia's are very reliable this is not 1980 any more.

I agree that any "standard" IS is a joke from a performance standpoint but the ISF is completely in a different league; especially for that era.

You are correct that the Stinger is an extremely attractive vehicle and of course a Halo car. With that said though, if it's presented as the Halo car to bring the brand higher up, it should not have so many problems nor should the owners receive regular treatment/experiences as if they purchased some $15k MSRP Kia.

I don't doubt that Kia is reliable seeing as how they would not be having such a fantastic warranty from the factory, but with that said, I have had five warranty issues in less than half a year of ownership on a brand new car. That is a first to say the least. I think another big problem is that the majority of Kia dealerships are a noticeable step under the majority of Lexus (or other luxury brand) dealerships.

Also, it's not a "superior" car to the Lexus IS. Are we talking dollar per dollar used verses new? What is the point of the vehicle? I test drove both a CPO 2018 Lexus IS350F (rwd) and a CPO 2017 Lexus RC350F (rwd) along with a dozen other vehicles before choosing my Stinger. I found both the IS350 and the RC350 to be a more comfortable ride than my Stinger. They both were also more luxurious. But, I chose the Stinger because it pulled significantly harder and faster while remaining a more aggressive car to drive. I am sure if I was in my 40's and not 20's and wanted something more comfy then I would have chosen the Lexus over the Kia if I did not care for performance.

My final decision to purchase the Kia over all the other cars including a 340i and S4 was the superior warranty and the better looks.

 

[MerlintheMad]

With that said though, if it's presented as the Halo car to bring the brand higher up, it should not have so many problems nor should the owners receive regular treatment/experiences as if they purchased some $15k MSRP Kia.

First part, no, the model does not have "so many problems"; for a new car it is gratifyingly free of problems. Second part, yes, Kia needs to up their game in the dealership/service experience. The newer businesses are better than the older ones. The older ones need renovating or replacing entirely. That takes care of the window dressing part: but of far greater importance is the competency part. Kia must raise the bar on technical delivery in their service departments. And customer service/treatment, from dealerships and Kia Corp., need consistency: some experiences are satisfactory (like mine so far; easy, since I've required next to no attention aside from regular service appointments); but many (as we read here) are lacking, and some are inexcusably bad.

 

[Kris Kougl]

Looking to purchase a new 2021 Stinger GT. I want to know if there are any inherent issues that i should be aware of. I currently have a Golf GTI mk 6 which has been great except for oil consumption issues. I understand this to be an inherent issue with VW built engines. Trying to avoid this with next purchase if possible. If it was not for oil consumption i would buy another Golf. Any good or bad experiences with the stinger woukd be appreciated so i know what i am getting into.

Hello and welcome. So my previous car was an Audi S4 (for 5 years) and of course fit and finish was top notch and (not to sound like a badge snob here) going into a Kia I was concerned how much of a dropoff there would be there. I can say 1 year in its not been much. When I first got my GTS I noticed a squeak from the A pillar (something I think Motor Trend even noticed in their tester), but it must have been due to the fact it was a brand new car and it just needed to "settle in" because about 6 months later that noise disappeared. Only other negative was I had a recall for a wiring junction box (think that's the verbiage lol) but it caused no noticeable symptoms on my end and it was taken care of no prob by Kia. Those are literally the only 2 things I could knit pick my car on. I love my GTS and would pick it over my old S4 11 times out of 10.
It is like a "swiss army knife"....it does everything really, really well. Looks, power, comfort, functionality, and even cargo room is all great here. A few months back took mine on a 2000 mile roadtrip with 4 peoples luggage and the car was perfect and a true GT the whole trip. And as a bonus I had more compliments for my GTS in 1 week than I did in 5 years of owning an S4...which is always cool. Hope this helps and good luck with your search!

 

[Rm65]

Hello and welcome. So my previous car was an Audi S4 (for 5 years) and of course fit and finish was top notch and (not to sound like a badge snob here) going into a Kia I was concerned how much of a dropoff there would be there. I can say 1 year in its not been much. When I first got my GTS I noticed a squeak from the A pillar (something I think Motor Trend even noticed in their tester), but it must have been due to the fact it was a brand new car and it just needed to "settle in" because about 6 months later that noise disappeared. Only other negative was I had a recall for a wiring junction box (think that's the verbiage lol) but it caused no noticeable symptoms on my end and it was taken care of no prob by Kia. Those are literally the only 2 things I could knit pick my car on. I love my GTS and would pick it over my old S4 11 times out of 10.
It is like a "swiss army knife"....it does everything really, really well. Looks, power, comfort, functionality, and even cargo room is all great here. A few months back took mine on a 2000 mile roadtrip with 4 peoples luggage and the car was perfect and a true GT the whole trip. And as a bonus I had more compliments for my GTS in 1 week than I did in 5 years of owning an S4...which is always cool. Hope this helps and good luck with your search!

Thank you. Really does help. I am test driving some more European cars this weekend. Mercedes-Benz A250 and BMW 135i. I know they are not in same size category as the Stinger, but size is not the issue for me. The drive and ownership experience has to be there. I struck gold with the Golf Gti I have had for the last 9 years. I always look forward getting into it and going for a drive. As i have stated previously I am looking for the same experience for the next 9+ years.

 

[Fastdadnh]

Ironically I bought mine before I actually drove it or any Stinger for that matter. I didn’t even have to drive it to know I was going to love it. They had a car I wanted at the right price and so I signed the paperwork and drove it home. My only regret is that I didn’t get AWD. I didn’t figure that out until over a year after I bought it though.

Bought mine to without a test drive or even sitting in it

 

[MerlintheMad]

Bought mine to without a test drive or even sitting in it

Likewise, sight unseen. I test drove a GT2 Black on Friday, did more research over the weekend (had the Stinger promo book all winter, which finally led to that "fatal" test drive), and bought the Silky Silver on Monday: but it wasn't in their inventory: they had to trade one of their cars for the Silky Silver (my wife insisted on that color); and while I waited in the showroom for my car to be driven up from the other dealer (c. half an hour away), I looked over other Stingers and decided I really didn't want a red or grey interior, or any other interior but black; and yea, mine was black. Everything worked out that way. But I wouldn't recommend buying a brand new car the way I went about it. Sight unseen is just asking for trouble. But, this was one of those "meant to be" moments/feelings and I went with it. No regrets whatsoever; in fact quite the opposite: this car has literally changed my life in the last three years.

 

[monusa]

I notice that a lot of people who "took it for a test drive and had to get it" are people who aren't really coming from a performance car background or aren't cross-shopping the Stinger with other "high bred" cars

You are on to something there......when i test drove my "2.0T", i had been driving a 2010 Nissan Sentra (child support days) and trust me, even the 2.0 felt like a rocket. I didn't get to test drive the GT until after I got my tags because they had no GT's on the lot when i test drove mine.

With that said though, unless it's for warranty or recalls, I never take my car for service at a any dealership regardless of the brand.

Now to this..........I agree to a point......HOWEVER (as commented in other threads), my 2.0 had 25K miles on it when the engine went......Kia did give me a shiny new one UNDER WARRANTY!!!!! 85% of the reason Kia agreed to a "warranty replacement" is because I have "only" had my car serviced at the Kia dealer. Even the warranty-replacement work order "stated" the following........ "customer has had vehicle serviced at dealer every 3-5K miles as instructed, therefore, this claim is covered by warranty!!!!

They had "no argument" due to the fact that none of my service appointments, caught anything before-hand that could have prevented the ultimate damage.....so, I would prefer doing my oil changes, tire rotations, etc......but with 2Yrs of "free" oil changes (sure I paid for them somehow in the price of the car).....why do it myself???????????????? anything happens, they have to fix it.....

 

[WRXtoStingerGT]

First part, no, the model does not have "so many problems"; for a new car it is gratifyingly free of problems. Second part, yes, Kia needs to up their game in the dealership/service experience. The newer businesses are better than the older ones. The older ones need renovating or replacing entirely. That takes care of the window dressing part: but of far greater importance is the competency part. Kia must raise the bar on technical delivery in their service departments. And customer service/treatment, from dealerships and Kia Corp., need consistency: some experiences are satisfactory (like mine so far; easy, since I've required next to no attention aside from regular service appointments); but many (as we read here) are lacking, and some are inexcusably bad.

Completely agree with you.

First part, no, the model does not have "so many problems"; for a new car it is gratifyingly free of problems. Second part, yes, Kia needs to up their game in the dealership/service experience. The newer businesses are better than the older ones. The older ones need renovating or replacing entirely. That takes care of the window dressing part: but of far greater importance is the competency part. Kia must raise the bar on technical delivery in their service departments. And customer service/treatment, from dealerships and Kia Corp., need consistency: some experiences are satisfactory (like mine so far; easy, since I've required next to no attention aside from regular service appointments); but many (as we read here) are lacking, and some are inexcusably bad.

I do agree that having all service done to the vehicle at the dealership makes a warranty claim easier to pursue, but, if I am having a certified mechanic shop (not myself) perform the work while documenting and recording everything properly that is sufficient in my opinion. I don't do my own work, but, I do have a trusted and very skilled individual take a look and do the stuff himself.

For example if my engine blows up or my turbo fails or the transmission snaps they would have to prove that the service provided or something was done wrong to deny a warranty claim.

If I am missing something though I do want the forums to call me out and explain it to me. I have always had my vehicle worked on by a trusted mechanic; whether that is in New York or Florida.

 

[monusa]

If I am missing something though I do want the forums to call me out and explain it to me

You're good dude.....You are pretty solid with your posts so i have no reason to question your mindset amd even if i did, it's your mindset......... My post was basically stating what worked in my case but if you have trust in your own mechanic, then that is pretty good.......ACTUALLY, based upon some of the dealer horror stories, that is actually better than "pretty good".....LOL