KIA - Would you buy one?

[MercuryT]

Interesting this thread bumped.

Maybe a car club of some sort (or pure coincidence) but saw an i30n (Hyundai I know) and 2 Stingers and a few other SUVs in same Carpark on my daily lunch drive.

I know the i30n is fast etc but nup. I simply couldn't buy it. I'm sure would flog mine in most ways but the look is not my style.

The Stinger in black (lowered too) though.....surprisingly tough but then I'm biased to black cars.

Now to bloody get around to drive one which I keep putting off (sorry BlueOval!)

[Honest Gaza]

Originally Posted by MercuryT

I know the i30n is fast etc but nup. I simply couldn't buy it. I'm sure would flog mine in most ways but the look is not my style.

Not my cup of tea either.

[danzvtil]

I’ve had my sportage for exactly 1 month and covered 4000 kays. This thing is extremely capable and comfortable. I took it for a blast down gorge rd (the same road I used to take my rio SLS and MX5 down)the other night and bugger me the local suspension tune is lovely, it’s like a hot hatch hidden in an SUV body.

[anobserver]

Which model sportage is that?

Our work car is a fwd base model sportage, and its kind of ...uninspiring.

It does the job but theres no joy involced. We are doing another 300k round trip in it again tomorrow, so lots of time for discussing its pros and cons.

[fiestaz]

Originally Posted by danzvtil

I’ve had my sportage for exactly 1 month and covered 4000 kays. This thing is extremely capable and comfortable. I took it for a blast down gorge rd (the same road I used to take my rio SLS and MX5 down)the other night and bugger me the local suspension tune is lovely, it’s like a hot hatch hidden in an SUV body.

A sportage is nothing like a hot hatch. Great car absolutely, hot hatch, no.

[blueoval]

It has to be the GT Line. Its the only one I would consider driving to be honest.

[danzvtil]

Originally Posted by blueoval

It has to be the GT Line. Its the only one I would consider driving to be honest.

The GT Line looks amazing, but mine is the base model. The 2lt petrol has been caned in reviews, but I find it more than ample, it’s quiet under revs, the main noise is road.
The lane keep works great, the emergency brake warning works great, only the auto wipers can be a bit slow to react to changes in rain fall. Auto high beam is good 90% of the time.
But mine is just an opinion, if you don’t like kias, don’t buy one.

[blueoval]

Originally Posted by danzvtil

The GT Line looks amazing, but mine is the base model. The 2lt petrol has been caned in reviews, but I find it more than ample, it’s quiet under revs, the main noise is road.
The lane keep works great, the emergency brake warning works great, only the auto wipers can be a bit slow to react to changes in rain fall. Auto high beam is good 90% of the time.
But mine is just an opinion, if you don’t like kias, don’t buy one.

Hey man, as long as you're happy then it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. But my mum has a GT Line and I think its a well understated car. She bought it ex demo and traded her Hyundai IX35 for it. It was like chalk and cheese.

Quite a lot of power and torque from the TD. The only thing Im not a huge fan of is the brake feel. It just feels like you have to stomp the brake hard to get it to work. Not sure if thats normal or not.

Handling wise though, its quite impressive for the size of car.

[danzvtil]

Originally Posted by blueoval

Hey man, as long as you're happy then it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. But my mum has a GT Line and I think its a well understated car. She bought it ex demo and traded her Hyundai IX35 for it. It was like chalk and cheese.

Quite a lot of power and torque from the TD. The only thing Im not a huge fan of is the brake feel. It just feels like you have to stomp the brake hard to get it to work. Not sure if thats normal or not.

Handling wise though, its quite impressive for the size of car.

Sorry mate, I just read back my quoted comments, my last sentence wasn’t aimed at you

[MercuryT]

Originally Posted by danzvtil

Sorry mate, I just read back my quoted comments, my last sentence wasn’t aimed at you

Shav likes Kia's mate. As do I.

I probably won't buy one, as Stinger still too much for me but definitely on used car radar when 25 or so......

[DJR-351]

it must be way to early for me or way to cryptic?????

[Whitey-AMG]

Who would have thought discussions on KIA would ignite such passion !!

[blueoval]

I dont think it hurts to be a little more open minded in terms of brands seeing as some of the questionable brands of years ago are matching it with what todays market has to offer.

I think I mentioned in an earlier post though that I would consider a Stinger. As for a Sportage, I can get past the googly eyed look it has at the front for its styling. Sort of reminds me of a Nissan Juke and I really really dislike those cars.

[Franco Cozzo]

Id have a top spec Kia Carnival in black - they look gangsta as.

I saw one with wheels and was slammed the other day - what a beast!

It's like the Chrysler 300 SRT for people who don't understand prophylactic use

[Vekgib]

I don't mind the look of the Stinger. I reckon I could go one of those

[Ben73]

Originally Posted by MercuryT

Deadset true and worse.

I met my friends Sat night and their daughter (14) refuses her Dad to drop her off at school in their newish Astra.

Also near new VW Tiguan only and even then says she is made fun of by her friends (it's a private Hobart school)

I tried to suggest how lucky she was in having new cars compared to so many other children......I might have been talking to the wall. Didn't understand.

Yes she comes across as a spoilt brat I agree but that is reality in certain places.

Badge is everything to many buyers.

What I find interesting is the badge snobs usually have the cheapest variety of whatever model they have. Bmw 320, Merc C200 and so on.

Give me a Stinger over any base model Euro that's somewhat close to the same price.

[MercuryT]

Originally Posted by Ben73

What I find interesting is the badge snobs usually have the cheapest variety of whatever model they have. Bmw 320, Merc C200 and so on.

Give me a Stinger over any base model Euro that's somewhat close to the same price.

Very interesting as spot on.

Absolute crap models but as long as the badge is there.....

Totally agree on Stinger at price range.

[MercuryT]

Ben73 people with legit money have no reason to be a badge snob.

It's the clowns who can't afford a real one so buy the base model junk purely for the badge.

[Express]

My next door neighbour picked up his brand new bright red Stinger GT last Thursday and he already has two Benz's in his driveway, an E Class sedan and a new E Class Coupe.

I don't know exactly what variants the two Benz's are other than they are not much more than entry level models, I've looked at them but never found them to be interesting enough to get involved with the details but I think they actually look good.

I walked around and around and around that new Stinger and I can't say I like it.

I see many individual points about it that appeal to me but bring them together as a collective and it looks like a 'try hard' and just doesn't work for me.

I can understand others might like it but not me.



.

[blueoval]

Im not sure where the designers of the Stinger got their inspiration from, but there is a bit of Aston Martin in the shape of the car, especially the rear. Perhaps because some other more prestigious brand has already created their form of luxury car, the Stinger could be seen as a cheap knock off?

[Whitey-AMG]

Originally Posted by Ben73

What I find interesting is the badge snobs usually have the cheapest variety of whatever model they have. Bmw 320, Merc C200 and so on.

Give me a Stinger over any base model Euro that's somewhat close to the same price.

It’s the same with all marques. Plenty of people buy the entry level models because they can’t afford the model with all the fruit. There are plenty of badge thieves from all makes. M badges on non M cars. AMG badges on non AMG..... FPV badges on non FPV cars etc.... I’m waiting for the “N” badges to start appearing on standard i30 variants..

I think someone that wants a C200 Merc isn’t the buyer that would ever look at a KIA stinger anyway. Stinger is a performance car aimed primarily at the FPV / HSV gap. It didn’t work out, no shame as it was a good effort. It will likely disappear from our shores and is perhaps a missed opportunity for some. In the meantime that gap is well and truly filled as I see stacks of SS commodores and turbo FG falcons around the traps still. Stinger was just a square peg looking for a round hole. No matter how hard they try with it, it just won’t fit in here.

[blueoval]

Originally Posted by Whitey-AMG

It’s the same with all marques. Plenty of people buy the entry level models because they can’t afford the model with all the fruit. There are plenty of badge thieves from all makes. M badges on non M cars. AMG badges on non AMG..... FPV badges on non FPV cars etc.... I’m waiting for the “N” badges to start appearing on standard i30 variants..

I think someone that wants a C200 Merc isn’t the buyer that would ever look at a KIA stinger anyway. Stinger is a performance car aimed primarily at the FPV / HSV gap. It didn’t work out, no shame as it was a good effort. It will likely disappear from our shores and is perhaps a missed opportunity for some. In the meantime that gap is well and truly filled as I see stacks of SS commodores and turbo FG falcons around the traps still. Stinger was just a square peg looking for a round hole. No matter how hard they try with it, it just won’t fit in here.

I reckon it will end up becoming a car for collectors about 30yrs from now. Those who want something different that could compete on a track but not overtly flashy.

[Whitey-AMG]

Originally Posted by blueoval

I reckon it will end up becoming a car for collectors about 30yrs from now. Those who want something different that could compete on a track but not overtly flashy.

In 30 years time anything with a petrol engine will be collectible...

[blueoval]

Originally Posted by Whitey-AMG

In 30 years time anything with a petrol engine will be collectible...

Thats true

I think we'll have EV's sneaking up from us from behind by then.

[danzvtil]

Originally Posted by Express

My next door neighbour picked up his brand new bright red Stinger GT last Thursday and he already has two Benz's in his driveway, an E Class sedan and a new E Class Coupe.

I don't know exactly what variants the two Benz's are other than they are not much more than entry level models, I've looked at them but never found them to be interesting enough to get involved with the details but I think they actually look good.

I walked around and around and around that new Stinger and I can't say I like it.

I see many individual points about it that appeal to me but bring them together as a collective and it looks like a 'try hard' and just doesn't work for me.

I can understand others might like it but not me.



.

Your neighbour is probably blown away by the stingers performance and features, to get similar in a Benz costs double the Kia.

[MercuryT]

Originally Posted by Vekgib

I don't mind the look of the Stinger. I reckon I could go one of those

Will be a deadset bargain in a year or two.

(arguably already is)

[MercuryT]

Originally Posted by Whitey-AMG

It’s the same with all marques. Plenty of people buy the entry level models because they can’t afford the model with all the fruit. There are plenty of badge thieves from all makes. M badges on non M cars. AMG badges on non AMG..... FPV badges on non FPV cars etc.... I’m waiting for the “N” badges to start appearing on standard i30 variants..

I think someone that wants a C200 Merc isn’t the buyer that would ever look at a KIA stinger anyway. Stinger is a performance car aimed primarily at the FPV / HSV gap. It didn’t work out, no shame as it was a good effort. It will likely disappear from our shores and is perhaps a missed opportunity for some. In the meantime that gap is well and truly filled as I see stacks of SS commodores and turbo FG falcons around the traps still. Stinger was just a square peg looking for a round hole. No matter how hard they try with it, it just won’t fit in here.

That's correct in various ways.

But equally It's opinion. Although I'd acknowledge their obvious quality and strengths. I'm sure your AMG is wicked and respect it massively. But I'd buy something else. (not that I can!)

Does that my opinion right? Of course not. Same as the bloke buying a basic Merc who doesn't know a thing about cars.

Good on him, if he's happy who cares. Equally, it doesn't actually mean it was the better choice, rather better for individual tastes and preferences.

[Express]

Originally Posted by danzvtil

Your neighbour is probably blown away by the stingers performance and features, to get similar in a Benz costs double the Kia.

You're a 100 percent correct, the Coupe is a new E300 and would more than match the Stinger for content but be double the on road price and the sedan is an 2010 E300 with far less kit than the Stinger but looks good and would be a great cruiser on a trip, particularly if you have back seat passengers.

Neither Benz's would match the the Stinger for performance.

[Express]

Originally Posted by MercuryT

That's correct in various ways.

But equally It's opinion. Although I'd acknowledge their obvious quality and strengths. I'm sure your AMG is wicked and respect it massively. But I'd buy something else. (not that I can!)

Does that my opinion right? Of course not. Same as the bloke buying a basic Merc who doesn't know a thing about cars.

Good on him, if he's happy who cares. Equally, it doesn't actually mean it was the better choice, rather better for individual tastes and preferences.

I have no problem with the reason why people buy or choose the cars they do and that includes if they buy them just for the badge alone.

Car enthusiasts, the people who frequent these types of Forums are notorious for buying cars without using logic, I fall into that category, I see many cars that make better sense when it comes down to value for money but value for money isn't in my DNA, I buy cars I can afford that I want to own.

[Express]

Originally Posted by Whitey-AMG

It’s the same with all marques. Plenty of people buy the entry level models because they can’t afford the model with all the fruit. There are plenty of badge thieves from all makes. M badges on non M cars. AMG badges on non AMG..... FPV badges on non FPV cars etc.... I’m waiting for the “N” badges to start appearing on standard i30 variants..

I think someone that wants a C200 Merc isn’t the buyer that would ever look at a KIA stinger anyway. Stinger is a performance car aimed primarily at the FPV / HSV gap. It didn’t work out, no shame as it was a good effort. It will likely disappear from our shores and is perhaps a missed opportunity for some. In the meantime that gap is well and truly filled as I see stacks of SS commodores and turbo FG falcons around the traps still. Stinger was just a square peg looking for a round hole. No matter how hard they try with it, it just won’t fit in here.

Out of interest, what model AMG do you own, is it your daily or just your I wanna have fun car?