The only thing i regret is that it wasn't Acura that built the car. I loved the dealership experience with Acura and you dont get that at KIA, but comparing the cars directly everything about the Stinger feels like at least a step ahead. The Stinger is much more of a drivers car and really made me realise how heavy the TL felt.

 

They really nailed the design and dimensions of the car, it looks even better in person. It also gets a ton of attention on the road which is funny considering its a KIA.

 

I'm so jealous of you dude! That Stinger GT is one of the best looking "normal" cars there is in my personal opinion. The fact that its also much more than just a pretty face is what really makes it such a great car. It has a fantastic 3.3t engine, RWD, a really nice looking and feeling interior, plenty of space, and a hatchback (while retaining that awesome sedan styling)! Not to mention the fact that Hyundai/Kia makes some of the most reliable cars there are, backed up by one of the best warranties in the business. I'm over 200k miles on my Genesis sedan 3.8 and the only issue I've had in 6+ years and all that mileage has been a bad O2 sensor (knocks on wood)!

 

WOW that color is AWESOME!!! Have any legitimate tuners managed to crack the ECU yet? I really feel like this thing could produce 450hp+ easily with the twin turbo setup.

 

Nice stinger!!!

 

 

I really liked the Stinger from the couple 2.0T teat drives I did. Just wasn't meant to be at the time.

 

Always do teat drives in pairs. Always.

 

I like the looks of the Stinger GT, as well.

Still pinching myself that I'm even looking at Hyundais. I've said this before, but when I was college-age in the late 80's, Hyundais were mostly known as POSs. The most famous Hyundai was Rodney King's, which was (falsely--it couldn't go that fast) claimed to go 120 mph in a police chase. Now, they are eating at the "grown up" table with Honda/Acura and Toyota/Lexus.

 

90s and early 2000s. It's been a long time but past 5 years they've really stepped up their game. Competition is good for everyone. Spurs innovation and sales/price wars!

 

My 2007 Sportage was a champ! My current 2011 Optima can hang, hate the EPS, but it's a solid car... Still drives excellently with 171K miles...

 

I'd say its been more like the last 10 years. Hyundai really earned their spot at the big boy table back in 2009 with the introduction of the Genesis sedan and coupe. The sedan in particular was a clear shot across the bow of the the establishment luxury car makers and ended up being (IMO) their truly first "Great" car. It might have been a bit bland and certainly took styling cues from MB among others, but the car itself really addressed a lot of the concerns that Honda/Acura fans had been screaming about for years. It was RWD, offered a V8 option with more than 5 gears, and was superbly built with high quality parts and features (such as real leather stitched into the dash, a rear sunshade, adaptive front lighting, etc).

Hyundai was sick of their image in the early 2000's and decided to launch their own luxury brand called "Genesis", with the eventual Genesis sedan/coupe we got being the first cars that would carry the name plate. At the last minute they decided to ditch those plans (though Genesis of course eventually launched as a new brand in 2015 anyway) and released the Genesis as a Hyundai (followed shortly by the intended Genesis Motors' flagship sedan, the Equus). I really think that Hyundai put a TON of effort, design, and development into that original Genesis because it was going to be an important car for them in terms of erasing that bad image, and as a result the current "Hyundai" we have today was born (not to mention all of the European talent they snatched away from established brands at the time).

I'll admit, I may be a bit biased as I own a 2009 Genesis sedan and it has honestly been the best car I've ever owned. When I look at something like the Stinger, G70, or G80 nowadays I can see a through-line directly to my original Genesis, just in the way they have developed and engineered all of their cars ever since. Blah, blah, blah, now I'm just fanboying!

 

I agree, I'd say Hyundai really pulled their shit together about 10 years ago not 5. IMO their first solid effort was with the introduction of the 2007 Santa Fe. We owned 2 in the past of that gen model and put 220k on both models without a hiccup. In looking for something used to drive around as I putz around in my last couple years of uni, I looked at things like the Rav4 and CRV and I honestly can't understand why anyone would have taken one of those over a Santa Fe back in 07. It just drives better, looks better, has more features, and the powertrain is buttery smooth. I'm seriously considering getting a used one again because I remember how good ours were.

The 2009 Genesis Sedan is a SOLID car, the V8 paired with a ZF 6AT is a beast. Not to mention like you said real leather on the dash, cooled seat...etc. It really elevated the brand IMO. I was very close to buying one of those gen genesis sedans but the RWD is a no-go for me.

 

Same here

 

Y'all don't have the 09 anymore?

 

 

I almost pulled the trigger on an A-Spec TLX but the issue I took with that car is that it was all show and no go. It has good highway power but I spend most of my time in the city so I love the low-end torque the Stinger gives me, 376 ft/lbs right from 1,300 rpm which the SOHC V6 that Acura uses could only dream of. I'd definitely reccomend at least a test drive of the G70, the drivetrain alone might surprise you.

 

Gone 2 years ago man.

 

Really? What do y'all have now? I saw your avitar old had the RDX, Santa Fe and a Jeep...


Go hunt down a Santa Fe, but remember, you didn't like the body roll... I'm only saying this so that when you drive one, you don't convince yourself of two things... First, would be, oh crap, hate it... Or you say, I can deal with it, then to regret it the next week...


I've done this before...


If you didn't need space, options would open a lot more... Guessing a V6 Rav4 would be too small? I hear the steering feels decent according to Sofyan at Redline Reviews... I don't mind the 2013 V6 Sport W/O the tire!


How 'bout that Ody?

 

 

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@rdx10

 

@rdx10

 

I didn't realize that Hyundai FINALLY started their own luxury brand called "Genesis" until a few weeks ago. Man, I have been out of it. Obviously they should have done this from the beginning, but this is a good step forward. Also note that "genesis.com" has been registered for the brand. I wonder who owned that domain a few years ago because they must have got PAID. LOL

 

 

Let me reply to this on my XC90 thread, don't want to derail this thread!

 

Good call, felt bad for posting here anyway!



Back to the Genny!

 

Still love my 2013 RSpec. Don't drive it much but it's sure fun when I open her up.

 

I just can't bring myself to buy a Korean Car.I think the G70 is baddass...would I buy one? No.

 

I felt the same way, I rented a Kia Rio years ago and it was a tin can on wheels. I told myself I would never EVER own anything KIA. That is until I saw the Stinger, online I thought it seemed like a really cool package, a fast, sleek, practical fastback with competitve pricing, but in the back of my mind I'm saying "yeah it's all those things...for a KIA".

When I drove past a dealer and saw one on display I couldn't believe what I was looking at. I figured once I got in one I'd change my mind but the test drive was equally as impressive and the interior didn't feel like the cheap crap I was expecting, it was made up of a ton of different mostly premium feeling or soft touch materials. It also felt incredibly engaging to drive in a time where that's becoming more and more difficult to find with all the stupid self-driving tech everyone is pushing.

Don't count them out until you've actually test driven one, I have a blast driving this car everyday, it's like an event for me, and no real regrets to speak on as of yet. I've never personally driven the G70 but if it's just an improvement over the Stinger it has got to be a great car. I'm sure I'll get my ass handed to me on resale value but from my reserach that's also the case with BMW, Mercedes and Audi too.

 

 

^ because 50k is a lot of $$ spending on a KIA... Kia has officially entered a different segment from what they typically offer (Accord, Altima, CR-V competitors)

They are going head to head with BMW, Audi and Mercedes... and brand perception, dealer experience, and all the things that come with purchasing a luxury brand all come into play.

Value buys dont work in that segment as proven by Acura over and over again. I think It will take another gen or 2 for people in that segment to really take KIA seriously, given that KIA will continue to offer products like Stinger (not like Acura, offered 2/3G TL-S and followed by 4G TL).
It will take some time, people's perception will not change over night, especially if you are asking them to spend 50k on a KIA... not 20k.

This almost has nothing to do with the product itself anymore.

 

I just checked the last 6 month sales # for Stinger.. highest was 1500 a month and currently at 1100 a month...

It is still not there yet even though the car itself is definitely a good car. I think even our "exclusive" TLX is outselling it.

https://www.kiamedia.com/us/en/sales

 

It's out selling the RLX though. That's gotta be worth something.

Not many will buy a Kia over a BMW. But it appears people are starting to buy Kia over Acura.

As always, car perceptions die hard. Korean cars are reliable AF (more so than Honda or Acura), they have better styling, hey don't have turbo issues, hey pack a ton of features... And people still won't buy them because of the little circle on the hood and trunk.

But don't fret. Honda and Toyota used to be treated like that too, back in 70s. Now look where they are.

 

IMO, RL/RLX has been sales have been weak for over 10 years now. I don't think it's Kia/Hyundai out selling Acura as much as it's that the Hyundai Genesis and Kia cars have been more popular through their drastic reintroduction back around 2011, just after the RLX fell off of the face of earth... Now I do still see lot's of 2012-14 TL's and TLX's, and such...

 

Absolutely.
Kia and Hyundai have improved so much over the past 10 years and the fact we are even talking about them in the same sentence with Acura and BMW is the proof of that.

Talking is 1 thing, but actually going to the dealer and spend your hard earned $50k on a KIA is another. As the sale numbers shown, some have and most still wont.

 

Yes it is worth something. You and I both know how much that is worth

 

I would take a G70 over a TLX, easily. Even with the 2.0Toy

 

I probably would too... actually i would take a accord 2.0T over the V6 TLX with 9ZF.

 

Out of all of these cars, the only one I'd take would be a 2.0 Accord Touring... As much as I love them, all...


But I'll stick to my old stuff...