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I have seen the Stinger on the street a few times but got to sit out in at a display in the mall. It really looks great on the outside, but I'm still not a fan of the rear. Interior felt a bit cheap but it was spacious inside.
^ I agree on concerns about the level of quality of service between Kia .vs. Acura. In my situation, I'm also comparing Tesla service (20 mile drive to service center) to a 8 mile drive for Kia or Acura. I have heard the Tesla service is pretty good but really don't wish to experience this good service very frequently or at all if that was possible.
If I get as lucky with the next car as my 12 year old TL, I would only be seeing that dealer 4 times in 12 years of ownership and could stomach a less than stellar experience. Based on looking at Consumer Reports trouble surveys, it looks like Acura has gone down in the reliability metrics while Kia seems to be improving. I'm confident that the 2018 TLX will be less troublesome than the 2015 though and likely a first model year Stinger.
What I don't want to do is own a car where I have to get unplanned service every couple months for stupid stuff. I actually prefer not to see the dealer and save my time. I do my own fluid and brake pad replacements and that has been all it's been for the TL except for one stereo issue and a couple of recall items for the TL along with a new key fob reprogramming (when I upgraded my key to the switchblade 5 years ago). My next expected visit might be for a timing belt replacement if I go with a dealer instead of other mechanic. I actually like the boring not getting to know my dealer experience.
I'm shopping for a new car and the Stinger is a lot of bang for the money. For about $4,000 more than the TLX A-Spec the Stinger has more features and it's a whole lot faster.
I really want to get back into an Acura but the TLX just doesn't seem to stack well against the competition.
Yeah you would have to wait until the 2G TLX to get something worthwhile... even then, I'd still wait to the MMC. Those are always the best years to go with, as they generally have most bugs worked out and you get all the newest gizmos- and we all know Honda likes to drop a ton of stuff in at the MMC, every time.
The stinger wins in terms of value. It's just the way things are, that luxury cars will almost always lose in terms of value.
I'm not sure the TLX and Stinger share the same customer base though. If you are getting a Stinger, chances are, you are looking for a car with RWD dynamics and strong acceleration for the price. On the other hand, if you are looking at the TLX, you are probably more interested in a smooth, comfortable ride with pretty much the best in class NVH. In particular, the 70mph cruise sound level for the Stinger is 71dBA, whereas the TLX V6 is at 67dBA. That's a huge difference.
If you want a luxury cruiser that is fun to drive, you go with the TLX. If you want a faster RWD car, you get the Stinger.
What will get my interest is when the put the Stinger power package into a Genesis coupe. Car is doing well on the 3 series boards but for me its just to big with two doors to many. Their stated marketing target is the 4 series Grand Coupe 5 door. Think it matches up pretty well.
Right now they are not competitive on financing but if you go outside their system to your credit union or bank it should workout for most.
Last edited by BEAR-AvHistory; 01-07-2018 at 10:38 AM.
In particular, the 70mph cruise sound level for the Stinger is 71dBA, whereas the TLX V6 is at 67dBA. That's a huge difference.
you are only citing the dBA of the TLX at its speedometer indicated speed of 70 mph. when actually traveling 70 mph according to the VBOX, the sound level for the TLX is also measured at 71, therefore no difference
I'm not sure why people who want a sporty ride, want it to be dead silent too. After diving the new Accord sport 2.0T, I was disappointed how quiet it is. NVH is part of a sporty car experience.
I'm not sure why people who want a sporty ride, want it to be dead silent too. After diving the new Accord sport 2.0T, I was disappointed how quiet it is. NVH is part of a sporty car experience.
Depends how upscale the car is. If I buy a Subaru BRZ, I just want the thing to be fun as hell and limit rattles for the first year or so. As you move upscale, the only noise people seem to tolerate is engine noise, which I kind of understand.
Depends how upscale the car is. If I buy a Subaru BRZ, I just want the thing to be fun as hell and limit rattles for the first year or so. As you move upscale, the only noise people seem to tolerate is engine noise, which I kind of understand.
It just kills the experience. I guess I'm old fashioned. None of these new cars even remotely appeal to me anymore. It's as if we suffered so badly in decades past from NVH. I must admit, my 1999 Civic SiR was brutal on the highway. Revving at 3500rpm, the engine was loud as fuck and the wind noise was deafening at speed
But shiiiiiet... going to the extents we are going to these days is simply overkill. Acoustic windshields that are guaranteed to crack when chipped, jam packing cars with sound deadening, foam, acoustic goop, Noice cancelling stereos, quieter wheels even... like fuck me. My 3G TL is considered a noise factory in comparison to new cars... yet I think it's perfect. I LIKE hearing the engine as opposed to it being muffled as much as possible. I like getting a bit of feedback back in terms of NVH from my car. It lets me know what is happening all around me. When issues occur, I want to hear them as loud as possible, etc.
It's as if we are these extremely soft beings that need a cloud like ride and anything less is simply for the poor and completely unacceptable
It just kills the experience. I guess I'm old fashioned. None of these new cars even remotely appeal to me anymore. It's as if we suffered so badly in decades past from NVH. I must admit, my 1999 Civic SiR was brutal on the highway. Revving at 3500rpm, the engine was loud as fuck and the wind noise was deafening at speed
But shiiiiiet... going to the extents we are going to these days is simply overkill. Acoustic windshields that are guaranteed to crack when chipped, jam packing cars with sound deadening, foam, acoustic goop, Noice cancelling stereos, quieter wheels even... like fuck me. My 3G TL is considered a noise factory in comparison to new cars... yet I think it's perfect. I LIKE hearing the engine as opposed to it being muffled as much as possible. I like getting a bit of feedback back in terms of NVH from my car. It lets me know what is happening all around me. When issues occur, I want to hear them as loud as possible, etc.
It's as if we are these extremely soft beings that need a cloud like ride and anything less is simply for the poor and completely unacceptable
Cars have gotten so quiet that they now have to pump in sound (most of the time artificial). Even if they changed the exhaust, odds are you won't hear it too much or not as designed. Road noise vibration is one thing, engine blissfulness is another. A shame really.
It just kills the experience. I guess I'm old fashioned. None of these new cars even remotely appeal to me anymore. It's as if we suffered so badly in decades past from NVH. I must admit, my 1999 Civic SiR was brutal on the highway. Revving at 3500rpm, the engine was loud as fuck and the wind noise was deafening at speed
But shiiiiiet... going to the extents we are going to these days is simply overkill. Acoustic windshields that are guaranteed to crack when chipped, jam packing cars with sound deadening, foam, acoustic goop, Noice cancelling stereos, quieter wheels even... like fuck me. My 3G TL is considered a noise factory in comparison to new cars... yet I think it's perfect. I LIKE hearing the engine as opposed to it being muffled as much as possible. I like getting a bit of feedback back in terms of NVH from my car. It lets me know what is happening all around me. When issues occur, I want to hear them as loud as possible, etc.
It's as if we are these extremely soft beings that need a cloud like ride and anything less is simply for the poor and completely unacceptable
Should you ever roll through Carolina I would be more then happy to destroy you hearing within a 1/2 hour.
Hmm, soon as I test drove my 2018 TLX I got a big grin on my face, the peaceful quiet felt almost therapeutic for my somewhat hectic busy life these days with cell phones always distracting, kids to take care of, etc. etc. I'm used to having cars that were OK, but not quiet on the road. That was the compromise I accepted for wanting a decent quality car at a low price.
Soon as I tried the Acura after having been test driving Hondas earlier in the day I was like "I want this".
But, I can hear my V6 engine JUST FINE when I rev it. If I really wanted more engine noisesounds I'd modify my exhaust - then I'd still be able to have nice quiet highway drives, around town, whatever, but soon as I lay that throttle down the engine roar would spring to life to accent the feeling of speed. I understand how it can be fun - one time my old Camry had a big hole rusted in the exhaust :P
you are only citing the dBA of the TLX at its speedometer indicated speed of 70 mph. when actually traveling 70 mph according to the VBOX, the sound level for the TLX is also measured at 71, therefore no difference
Sorry I don't quite understood what you meant. Did you mean you used your Vbox to measure the speed and use another sensor to measure the decibel level?
Sorry I don't quite understood what you meant. Did you mean you used your Vbox to measure the speed and use another sensor to measure the decibel level?
Ah gotcha. I'd imagine Car and Driver knows what they are doing with sound testing?
This is pass-by noise testing (the amount of exterior noise a car generates as it drives by an object/person). This has more to do with tires, pavement, and engine, not as much on interior.
Vehicle noise that makes its way into the passenger compartment can greatly affect a car's character. To measure it, we use a hand-held Brüel & Kjær Type 2236 sound-level meter. First, we use the VBOX to determine the speedometer reading that corresponds to a true 70 mph. Then we position the microphone close to the driver's right ear and measure the sound at idle, at full throttle, and when cruising at 70 mph. Sound level is measured in decibels with the A-weighting scale (dBA), and we average the sound level in two directions to minimize the effect of wind. And as you'd expect, the higher the number, the louder the noise
Its a sports sedan. Not made to get great fuel economy. What twin turbo car does? you're not going to get a crazy smooth and quiet ride. No one expects that out of any performance car, so why expect that from this? That's what this is. Kia's performance car. Made to wow and get attention. And it's nice. But it'll be a nice 3 year car. People will buy it. Be happy with it for those 3 years. Then trade it in. Unless you're a real fan of Kia and then you'll keep it. But I don't see it's resale value being good after the 3 years. The Hyundai Genesis is great. In both sedan and coupe form. But it's a good 3 year car. Horrible resale. Nice features and performance though. I get a car for performance and it's not a luxury sedan, I'm not expecting road noise to be down. I'm not expecting it to ride smooth either. It'll be a little stiff. It'll be a little road noise. Don't like road noise? Get a luxury sedan or luxury coupe(Lexus LC500 or Infiniti Q50S).
I'm sure not everyone looks at it like I do. I don't expect them to. But I look at fun factor and resale of any car I see new. And I don't see this holding it's value.
This is pass-by noise testing (the amount of exterior noise a car generates as it drives by an object/person). This has more to do with tires, pavement, and engine, not as much on interior.
Originally Posted by BEAR-AvHistory
C&D TEST
Vehicle noise that makes its way into the passenger compartment can greatly affect a car's character. To measure it, we use a hand-held Brüel & Kjær Type 2236 sound-level meter. First, we use the VBOX to determine the speedometer reading that corresponds to a true 70 mph. Then we position the microphone close to the driver's right ear and measure the sound at idle, at full throttle, and when cruising at 70 mph. Sound level is measured in decibels with the A-weighting scale (dBA), and we average the sound level in two directions to minimize the effect of wind. And as you'd expect, the higher the number, the louder the noise
Good info! So ya, the TLX interior at 70mph is indeed pretty darn quiet.
Good info! So ya, the TLX interior at 70mph is indeed pretty darn quiet.
Actually its about a good average if you accept the CD tests 66/67/68DB come up a lot on the test sheets. F-150 King Ranch pickup & Expedition are two @ 66 & coming in under the TLX @ 67. Some sport sedans looking to be +1 or 2 like my 440 over the TLX but the firmer suspension, summer tires & more open exhausts will account for that over the more similar to the TLX the 328 @ 66.
For anyone interested, I just watched the latest Motorweek yesterday and they reviewed the Stinger. They seem to love it. I had no idea this thing was getting 0-60 times in the mid 4's (the GT, the 2.0 does it in the mid 6's, I think). They do mention the acceleration is smooth for those that love that (no abrupt/pounding shifts). They do mention Audi styling cues and BMW M influence in the suspension tuning (the latter thanks to a former BMW VP/chief engineer running their performance division now). There are aspects of the interior I really like, but others like the NAV area, that I'm not a huge fan of. All-in-all, it looks like a steal if it holds up. See links below :
For anyone interested, I just watched the latest Motorweek yesterday and they reviewed the Stinger. They seem to love it. I had no idea this thing was getting 0-60 times in the mid 4's (the GT, the 2.0 does it in the mid 6's, I think). They do mention the acceleration is smooth for those that love that (no abrupt/pounding shifts). They do mention Audi styling cues and BMW M influence in the suspension tuning (the latter thanks to a former BMW VP/chief engineer running their performance division now). There are aspects of the interior I really like, but others like the NAV area, that I'm not a huge fan of. All-in-all, it looks like a steal if it holds up. See links below :
I saw it this morning too. They were not a fan of the bolted on hood scoops and side thingey. Looks like a good first step in Kia moving into the performance segment. Maybe the upcoming 2019 G70 is closer to the luxury version of the Stinger.
I saw it this morning too. They were not a fan of the bolted on hood scoops and side thingey. Looks like a good first step in Kia moving into the performance segment. Maybe the upcoming 2019 G70 is closer to the luxury version of the Stinger.
Agree. Be interesting to see what the Genesis coupe version turns out to be. If it has M performance at a non M price it will do well in the marketplace.
Though this thread was interesting its about the Stinger at the BMW site. A lot of the guys think it will be a player & also think the Genesis G80 will cause BMW problems.
I was at Montreal Auto Show tonight and the Stinger was by far the biggest disappointment after all this hype. Horrible interior and as now seen in person, this ugly design will age badly, no doubt. It will be forgotten quickly, Cadenza-style. But its COUSIN the Genesis G70 has a solid case. It looks much better in person. Even the interior works, all win (and I am not a G80/G90 fan).
Too bad for the usual TLX haters, but the car defended itself very well and was popular on the floor.
The second biggest disappointment was the Accord 2018. Meh.
If there was a car that I would have bought tonight as a replacement for my TLX (as I don't buy twice the same gen), it would have been the Regal GS 3.6. Until I remembered and observed that there are no paddle shifts (I use them all the time, mind you) or even buttons like most all el cheapo GMs do!!!! What a retard oversight.
I mean it's a Kia . The problem isn't that the TLX isn't better, the problem is the TLX lacks a performance variant to actually compete and the Stinger is better to drive the TLX.
I mean it's a Kia . The problem isn't that the TLX isn't better, the problem is the TLX lacks a performance variant to actually compete and the Stinger is better to drive the TLX.
And it is in your 2.0Toy Jetta that you know this? lol.
The TLX was not designed as a performance design, but a 'Costco' design. You have been greatly misleaded. Are you one of those people? Looks like.
And it is in your 2.0Toy Jetta that you know this? lol.
The TLX was not designed as a performance design, but a 'Costco' design. You have been greatly misleaded. Are you one of those people? Looks like.
How does it feel to use sport+ and manual mode everyday with your fantastic car because all other modes are shit? Give me break, you don't know good cars ... Please tell me why my 2.0Toy beats your busted ass transmission in any mode using less fuel and with 2 cylinders less. Alex on Autos confirmed it, 5.8 vs 5.4 seconds (TLX vs A5 SB, which is the same shit to me).
Piss off with your Jetta comments, TLX was based on a dollar store design or else they wouldn't have cut on everything and make it what it is, a disappointment to the Accord...
Last edited by pyrodan007; 01-22-2018 at 08:54 PM.
Anyway, I had the opportunity to drive a Stinger over the weekend. The car is actually a blast to drive. But, I drive an Accord so anything is more of an enjoyment. The interior I actually like as well. I noticed a lot of people looking at the car while I was driving it.
In its defense, the Stinger seems to go well beyond the average Kia and is worthy of inclusion in the segment discussion.
its quite conceivable that offerings such as this and the G70 are what’s finally pushing Acura to return to the game. I love my TLX and MDX but it’s only it’s value proposition (and being a Honda product) that’s keeping the brand even remotely relevant at this time. If I could get a 330i and an X5 for the same deal, I may have gone with the Bimmer instead.
ive no intention of considering the Stinger GT/G70 (I prefer the Q50 RS400 at this performance level.) but I’m very thankful that Kia/Hyundai created these two models and stirred things up.
Its the automotive press you need to speak to. Big European Car magazine ran a 3 way comparo with the Stinger, BMW & Audi. The Stinger Nurburgring press introduction created a lot of interest in the car. Its big on the BMW fourm & not getting pounded. Right now in these multi sports sedan tests by the magazines its sitting in the seat the TL used to own as the value leader in the class.
Only ACURA can shut down the chatter by having the 3.0 DOHC engined G2 TLX live up to the potential the engine should give the car. Its their best shot at being a player in the past 10 years. Nice to see they got the memo.
01-03-2018, 01:58 PM
. The problem isn't that the TLX isn't better, the problem is the TLX lacks a performance variant to actually compete and the Stinger is better to drive the TLX.
