Love my Stinger GT2 but have concerns about the car when on twisty back mountin roads

[CaliSting]

Anyone else feel like Stinger GT2 RWD tends to get a little too unsettled when driving quickly on very twisty mountain roads? To me seems like suspension is just a little too soft, tires are a little too narrow and steering sometimes isn?t completely linear. Car seems to sort of lose tracking and drift off line in turns especially on power. Wandering feeling. I?m adapting a different drive style of short burst of power in straights and then deaccelerate all the way through turns and then accelerate smoothly very late in turn exit.

I also have driven a Porsche Panamera on same twisty roads and panamera felt much more direct and handled better. But didn't like panamera dynamics on smooth roads . It felt dead and it had a hard time putting down power to rear wheels compared to Stinger.

Hate to say it but my 2015 Dodge Durango R/T feels better and more direct when pushed hard on same roads. But then it has 265 width front tire and firmer suspension on a German designed chassis. I can toss Durango into a turn and it just feels more like a sports car than a 5000 lb suv. Stinger doesn?t have the same reassuring feel. It feels a bit disconnected.


Seems like Stinger does well with smooth long turns but when it gets into faster transitions it tends to get a bit unsettled and wander off line. Curious if wider wheels tires will help? Wish Kia had a motorsportqs division that made a stiffer Damper and spring combo for us who don?t mind lightly firmer ride. But I will say car puts power down very well for RWD with so much power just as it is ....so maybe soft suspension that allows weight transfer to back end is a good thing? Also soaks up bumps like no other car I have driven. Handling just gets a bit quirky when closer to limit.

 

[sinrule]

I've read a lot of reviews about the GT before purchase, the handling of the Stinger was one of the main negative points addressed by the articles. Seems all the things you've mentioned are inherent to the factory tuning.

Seems like the car was designed for Superior highway driving and power delivery, much looked large German sport sedans. Reminds me a lot of the A6 with Sport suspension.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

 

[CaliSting]

There is a difference in softer but controlled and unpredictable however. Haven?t ever had a GT car that wanders like this one. It?s not terrible but certainly takes away from experience on twisty roads

Guess I missed reviews where they mentioned that. And test drive on straight roads really didn?t reveal true handling chacteritics.

Agree it?s a wonderful cruiser with decent straight line power. Just falls a little short of GT expectations I had with current suspension and steering. Still not enough to sway me away from the car. Too much to like. And I have Porsche?s to do real driving.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Kazz]

I know Randy Pobst drove it for Motor Trend. I don't recall him saying anything like what I'm reading in the OP, though. May have to dig that back up again...

 

[sinrule]

I came from a 2009 A5 and this is definitely a departure from that car. The A5 exhibited better corner handling, but the Stinger definitely outclasses it in every other GT category.

I haven't had much opportunity to take it on the Twisties yet. Kind of lacking in that in my area...

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

 

[ATXStinger]

Our friend [MENTION=148]Steve O[/MENTION] needs to see this thread.

 

[Steve O]

I love you guys. I'm finally vindicated. The compression damping is too soft. The recoil damping is way too soft. I won't get into the tuning details of the different shock speed ranges that need to be tweaked. But in the twitchiness is the loss of road contact due to insufficient shock damping.

PERIOD.

Swapping the springs to Eibach's is a great first move. I did it after living with the stock springs for six weeks and it was a no brainer Nicer ride, better handling. Immediately noticable. Like, as you pull out of the dealer parking lot.

The higher rate stiff section of the springs reduce vertical motion which is too much for the car in stock tune. Any car. I plan to add shocks too when they become available from Eibach or Bilstein or Koni. They will recognize the market need and fill it soon.

Again, I don't hold anything against KIA. They did their best and in so many other areas nailed it!..

My car is already at 13K. I figure in 4 or 5 years I'll be getting another one I love the design and size and interior so much, wanting a super high performance hybrid with full leather interior. That baby better have a sport setting that buttons the car down at all speeds. In the meantime, youse guys will be the first to know when I fix my set up with some adjustables from an aftermarket brand.

Stay tuned. Pun intended!

 

[RandallK]

My springs arrive tomorrow and get installed on Thursday barring any major issues found by the dealership on Tuesday. I am looking forward to a big leap forward with handeling. Next is sway bars.

 

[DBurd]

Steering into a curve while doing 120, and accelerating= HOLY Sh#t...yes there is an issue. I?ve been discussing with the dealer wether the warranty would be voided if I change the springs.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[CaliSting]

I love you guys. I'm finally vindicated. The compression damping is too soft. The recoil damping is way too soft. I won't get into the tuning details of the different shock speed ranges that need to be tweaked. But in the twitchiness is the loss of road contact due to insufficient shock damping.

PERIOD.

Swapping the springs to Eibach's is a great first move. I did it after living with the stock springs for six weeks and it was a no brainer Nicer ride, better handling. Immediately noticable. Like, as you pull out of the dealer parking lot.

The higher rate stiff section of the springs reduce vertical motion which is too much for the car in stock tune. Any car. I plan to add shocks too when they become available from Eibach or Bilstein or Koni. They will recognize the market need and fill it soon.

Again, I don't hold anything against KIA. They did their best and in so many other areas nailed it!..

My car is already at 13K. I figure in 4 or 5 years I'll be getting another one I love the design and size and interior so much, wanting a super high performance hybrid with full leather interior. That baby better have a sport setting that buttons the car down at all speeds. In the meantime, youse guys will be the first to know when I fix my set up with some adjustables from an aftermarket brand.

Stay tuned. Pun intended!

Yeah it?s a tough call in marketing car to so many people. Make it too stiff and you lose lots of people in this segment. Just wish they had gone with a shock that had wider range of dampening so sport would tie things down a little better. And think I would have gone with inch wider wheels all around with 245 up front and 275 rear. I was worried that putting stiffer spring under car would make it pogo a bit. Wonder who will make an adaptive damper geared for enthusiast first? I?d bet blistein. They came out with some nice upgrades for Porsche?s with adaptive dampers.

 

[DodgetoKia]

Steering into a curve while doing 120, and accelerating= HOLY Sh#t...yes there is an issue. I've been discussing with the dealer wether the warranty would be voided if I change the springs.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

My dealer sells and install Eibach springs which they'll cover under warranty.

 

[SocalStinga]

I didn't realize what all the complaints were about until after my 600 mile break in. Now that I've started to slowly push the car and learn it's limits, I know what people are saying about the soft damping. Great for humming along around town, but throwing into the twists doesn't inspire confidence. It's not bad in a corner or twist, but if there is a slight bump or undulation in that turn, it gets squirrly. I'm coming off a full coilover system in my G37 so I haven't gotten used to this stinger yet. I'm going to do what steveO did with the eibachs and hope that eibach/bilstein/koni come out with a shock assembly.

I do enjoy the smooth and comfortable ride, however. But, even if I don't track the car or go twisty as much as I'd like, a car with this much power needs to have predictable and solid suspension.

 

[dvinell]

Spring and damper settings are different here in the UK.
So far, I would say that it is a good match to our roads.

Too stiff, and you end up bouncing off into the trees ...

 

[CaliSting]

Spring and damper settings are different here in the UK.
So far, I would say that it is a good match to our roads.

Too stiff, and you end up bouncing off into the trees ...

Curious what info is available that indicates UK model springs and dampers are different? Curious what part numbers are for these different springs and dampers?

Northern California mountain roads are not too unsimilar to uk roads. But have to say my softly sprung Porsche is much firmer and soaks up bumps almost as nicely as Stinger

 

[Steve O]

Best ride handling compromise is soft springs stiff dampers. That's why adaptable dampers CAN work so well. I'm waiting for a software patch from KIA. They'll have to hear the feedback that is pretty resoundingly "TOO SOFT".

 

[Genesis]

The softness is mostly on the 2.0 not on the GT series...And people don't forget is not a super sports car is a comfortable sporty awesome GRAN TURISMO car that will allow you to cruise smoothly and powerfully and eat mile after a mile.

 

[thefultonhow]

The softness is mostly on the 2.0 not on the GT series...And people don't forget is not a super sports car is a comfortable sporty awesome GRAN TURISMO car that will allow you to cruise smoothly and powerfully and eat mile after a mile.

No, my GT2 is definitely too soft. I agree that the rear is underdamped. Oddly, the front seems to be fine. The problem is most apparent after dark on the beginning of the spur expressway I take to get home. It's a long sweeper that I can take comfortably at 70 mph or more (rated speed is 45 or 50 depending on which direction you're coming from), but there are breaks from concrete to asphalt to expansion joints around bridges. My Legacy GTs had a skittish front over the expansion joints, my WRX was way too stiff, my Chevy SS was great. On the Stinger the headlight cutoff is all over the place as the pavement changes. I would love a software update, but will go aftermarket if I need to.

 

[Steve O]

Time for a Call Out. Enough of these 'GT' excuses. A GT is supposed to be performance with comfort. The GT's suspension delivers performance at 140km/hr plus. So the suspension is adapting to speed. I just want it to adapt appropriately at 100 km/hr and 80 km/hr. Stop making excuses for a too soft set up, or an adaptive progression toward stiffness that starts at a point that is too soft. Even worse, a softer rear than front so the chassis comes up and cycles one and a half times in the back and once in the front.
Let me go on... There is no excuse for any car losing it's line in a corner because of expansion joints or tar strips. NOT ACCEPTABLE. KIA needs to get this fixed. Again, a GT is performance with comfort! Not comfort with performance.
PS: I love my Stinger GT with Eibach's and I am forgiving of these oversights as an early adopter. But feedback to the factory has to be honest and challenging to evolve the car to its full potential. Now let me get started on the transmission.... ...

 

[Genesis]

Grand tourer characteristics:
The terms "grand tourer", "grand turismo", "grande routi?re", and "GT" are among the most misused terms in motoring.The grand touring designation generally "means motoring at speed, in style, safety, and comfort." "Purists define "gran turismo" as the enjoyment, excitement and comfort of open-road touring."

"the ideal is of a car with the ability to cross a continent at speed and in comfort yet provide driving thrills when demanded" and it should exhibit the following:

1. The engines "should be able to cope with cruising comfortably at the upper limits on all continental roads without drawbacks or loss of usable power."
2. "Ideally, the GT car should have been devised by its progenitors as a Grand Tourer, with all associated considerations in mind."
3. "It should be able to transport at least two in comfort with their luggage and have room to spare ? probably in the form of a two plus two (2+2) seating arrangement."
4. The design, both "inside and out, should be geared toward complete control by the driver."
5. Its "chassis and suspension provide suitable handling and roadholding on all routes" during travels.
Grand tourers emphasize comfort and handling over straight-out high performance or ascetic, spartan accommodations. In comparison, sports cars (also a "much abused and confused term") are typically more "crude" compared to "sophisticated Grand Touring machinery."

Historically, most GTs have been front-engined with rear-wheel drive, which creates more space for the cabin than mid-mounted engine layouts. Softer suspensions, greater storage, and more luxurious appointments add to their driving appeal.

Therefore KIA has delivered!

I rest my case...

 

[thefultonhow]

3. "It should be able to transport at least two in comfort with their luggage and have room to spare ? probably in the form of a two plus two (2+2) seating arrangement."
4. The design, both "inside and out, should be geared toward complete control by the driver."
5. Its "chassis and suspension provide suitable handling and roadholding on all routes" during travels.
Grand tourers emphasize comfort and handling over straight-out high performance or ascetic, spartan accommodations. In comparison, sports cars (also a "much abused and confused term") are typically more "crude" compared to "sophisticated Grand Touring machinery."

Historically, most GTs have been front-engined with rear-wheel drive, which creates more space for the cabin than mid-mounted engine layouts.

Your quote is comparing "GTs" to mid-engined exotic sports cars. So yes, they would have a softer ride than, say, a Ferrari F40. It also specifically says that GTs should be able to seat 2, or 2+2. So a Corvette is a grand tourer, as is a Ferrari 456, a Porsche 928, and most Aston Martins. Please note also that your definition says GTs should "provide suitable handling and roadholding on all routes." An underdamped, bouncy rear does not provide either of those.

Seems like you're trying to selectively apply the definition so that only the criteria you want to emphasize apply, thus making the Stinger meet the definition as produced. Let's be real, this kind of suspension design issue would not fly at Porsche or Ferrari, or even BMW or Audi.

I like the car, and it's a bargain given its level of performance and refinement is similar to cars costing $10-20k more, but I think we should all be able to acknowledge when a car has strengths AND weaknesses.