I won't go into all the features and initial impressions as this can be found in this thread here. Instead this is more about my discoveries and impressions throughout my ownership.

I'll kick this off after 8 months in and 10,800km (6700 miles) with future posts on later updates.

PROS:
- Despite some minor build issues (further below), overall solid quality and feel remain though a tad less than the IS and RC F which were rock solid.
- Fuel economy "good", mixed city/hwy 21 mpg, which is about 1.5 mpg better than my last IS300 F Sport AWD.
- The handling remains excellent thanks to its sharp steering, nimble feel, and flat nearly-neutral cornering with minimal initial understeer.
- Played around with the launch control and very impressively strong launch - it snaps you back and you sense the AWD makes full use of that power.
- Smooth auto start/stop.
- Minimal brake dust despite the Brembos/performance pads.

- Excellent road trip "GT" car. The 1000 mile round-trip to Chicago and back with my wife and two teens solidifies how well-rounded this machine is. It hauled all our cargo, had plenty of passenger room, was near RX-level quiet and comfortable, and of course effortless in power.

• the seats are great both front and rear without any discomfort experienced by myself nor any of my family.
• the radar cruise and LKA work great and are are more responsive than in the Lexus system (RX, IS, NX, RC F) keeping the car better centered in the lane with quicker acceleration to maintain preset distance with the car ahead.
• the ride quality is taut but with a certain polish that gives it a comfortable ride especially on the hwy. Feels GS-like. The 114.4" wheelbase is a noticeable contributor to this.
• tracks very linearly with barely any steering adjustments (though I had LKA on all the time).
• 26 hwy mpg for the trip averaging around 75 mph!

CONS:
- Rear visibility continues to be difficult. I'm not very tall at 5'9 yet I have to crouch to see any cars in my rear view mirror.
- Rear suspension floats a bit on irregular road surfaces, more noticeable on corners. Never unsettled in this situation, but just not as buttoned down as you'd expect in a sports sedan (IS and A4 better planted at the rear).

- Three unscheduled visits to the dealer to address build/quality issues:

• Paddle shifter looseness/cheapness. (Dealer said it's normal. When I checked the Stinger in the showroom, it was actually worse than mine so I've accepted this for now).
• Door moves slightly vertically causing some squeaking around the B-pillar/door frame (dealer was unable to tighten the door/adjust the latch so I did it myself and squeaking is gone).
• Rear hatch rattle (TSB and two unsuccessful attempts by the dealer. I added a thicker washer to the hatch stoppers on both sides and rattle is gone for good).
• DRL LED strip burnt out. Dealer replaced entire driver's front light module under warranty ($2600 for the part only!).
• Uneven driver door panel gap. Dealer unable to fix. I improved it slightly when I adjusted the door latch above.

- Seeing pre-mature color wear on the driver's seat (lumbar area). Might be a fourth unscheduled visit coming...
- Radio volume has a mind of its own. It lowers and raises the volume by 10-20% for no apparent reason. Some other owners have reported this too. Might combine this with the fourth unscheduled visit...
- Buggy and slow Evo Remote app control. It's nice to start your car and control climate settings from your phone but it typically takes about 2+ mins from the time you launch the app to the time the car starts. Sometimes, the request fails and you have to re-initiate it.


OTHER POINTS:
- Car is dropped on H&R springs (1.2" f, 1.3" r) which improved cornering/body-roll but decreased ride comfort slightly. Car feels a tad bouncier, but never harsh and still comfortable. (Drive to Chicago was with the springs already on)
- Car is on new 2Crave no.34 wheels as my summer set. 20x8.5 f (235/35) and 20x10 r (275/30). Perfect fit, no rubbing, and love the look and stance.
- Have not brought it to the track. Car handles well, overall better than an IS F Sport AWD or A4 S-Line, but not in RC F territory which had a significantly more planted rear end with a true TVD (not brake induced like the Stinger's).
- I really like the 3.3TT V6's low end torque. There's barely any lag. It feels like how a V8 should feel down low. Effortless thrust on launch which especially comes alive in Sport mode. In comparison, the RC F's V8 below 3800 rpm feels under-powered, however, the opposite is true in the upper revs where the TT V6 is no match to the higher revving brute thrust of the Lexus V8. From a standing start in the city over short distances, I expect the Stinger will beat the RC F 4 out of 5 times, but in a rolling start with the RC F in gear above 3800 rpm over a longer stretch, my money is on the RC F.
- Car remains a head turner . Maserati is the most common brand people think the car is, then Porsche/Panamera. I don't pretend it is and I take pleasure in seeing people's reactions once I tell them it's a KIA . Heck, my neighbor who is somewhat of a car guy for weeks thought I replaced the RC F with a Maserati LOL. He thought I was pulling his leg it's a KIA. Of course, this speaks to the car's premium look thanks to the Thunder Gray (Panthera Metal) color, contrasting dark chrome mirrors/door vents, low long hood/RWD proportions, and fastback 5-door styling.






So 8 months in and I still own the car which for those who know me is starting to say quite a bit. I got bored of the A4 after 6 weeks, 12 months with my last IS, and in general two years ownership is a great car. Today, I have zero inkling to change the Stinger at all. Short of the minor build/quality issues, I really like this car and see many more ownership months ahead. Future updates to come...

 

 

That's something that more automakers are perfecting. GM and Kia currently have two of the best....I was quite impressed with the one I sampled on the Kia Cadenza at the D.C. Auto show in January.


A rainy climate will also help keep them a little cleaner, though the dark stains from the wet residue still have to be washed off.

You must be thinner than I am LOL. Though I have lost some weight in the last year or so, I still have a problem with the narrow, sharp-bolstered type of seats found in cars like this.

It won't ride like a big Buick. Yes, it's firm, but not bad by the sport-oriented standards of this class.


Does it have the 365-degree surround-view built into the video-screen? Many vehicles, today, do, in their top-line versions.

I agree wth the dealer. Many vehicles cut costs in this area. It is rare to find really solid paddles..I've seen them in only a couple of vehicles.

Have you or anyone else leaned on it with your body weight while it was fully-open? That doesn't do the hinges any good.

Did the Business Manager sell you a seat/leather preservative/warranty package when you took delivery of the car? That is a common tactic on the sale.


Might (?) be normal, if it varies up and with road speed. That is done to compensate for the effects of road/wind/engine noise.


While it is rarely enforced (at least from what I know), you might want to check your state laws on that. Some states outlaw having an engine running when no one is in the car....automakers routinely put that in the Owners' Manual as a disclaimer.

With all due respect, I'd think twice before doing that. If it breaks down, or something fails, on the track, especially with the modifications you gave it, the warranty might not cover it.


Prove it by buying a two-year registration instead of one. (Just Kidding....enjoy your car, though some states do allow that if an emissions test is not required in the next two years)

And thanks for your update.

 

That was some good, informative information and a good read. Thanks for posting it.

I'm familiar with the 94E/80E route in your pic.

 

 

Great write-up and beautiful car.

 

Good update Joe. I can tell you're really into this car. I'm still shocked though you strayed from Lexus but I think I understand. You've owned just about all Lexus has to offer for the time being as I also strayed away when I turned in my NX. Enjoy that Stinger!

 

Nice update! Thanks! I'm loving the drop and wheels combo on yours. Looks amazing! I have 900 miles on my Stinger so quite a bit less seat time than you but definitely on the lookout on some of these quality issues. As discussed they cleared up the hatch rattle with the May build cars as well as the radio fading and adjusting itself. Haven't experienced either in mine. I know you have an eaely build but when was yours built?

Funny you bring up the brake dust as I said the same thing yesterday. It truly is amazing how little dust builds up considering the size.

Glad you're still enjoying it! I can't stop driving mine! Seems like I still have a lot to look forward to! It's been a riot to drive, even in stop and go city traffic it's been a complete joy.

 

Where are you securing/anchoring the vertical cargo net?! And where did you get it?! Mine came with the OEM floor net which I find pretty useless for groceries and etc. I'm very jealous of that. Smh.

 

Thanks folks for the comments. Car is not perfect and has had more defects than any other 1st year Lexus I have ever owned, but they are relatively minor so far. However, this makes me question how valuable the JD Power IQS studies are to the consumer which puts Kia at the top. The study is based on the first 90 days of ownership but if it were extended to 6 months or 1 year, I wonder if Kia would remain at the top. It certainly wouldn't from my experience.

@Diesel350 - more afftermarket vendors are jumping on the bandwagon - body kits, suspension, and in particular the engine tuning sector. Over 400 whp has been attained but I'm not going there. Car as my daily is plenty fast as is and although Kia built an excellent machine, I don't trust getting the tune regarding reliability even though I don't keep cars long. The failed headlight was a $2600 under warranty, I can't imagine a powertrain replacement in a worst-case scenario.

@MM - Thanks for all the detailed comments. The radio volume is truly buggy. The speed-sensitive sound volume is disabled. I have had experience with the door ticking with my past '13 RX which is why I was able to diagnose and fix it for the Stinger. Same issue and somewhat common (for the RX then) and the Stinger now among other owners. As for rear visibility, I got the 360-cam but it's not accessible over 15 mph.

@LexBob2 - wanted to quantify our Toronto-Chicago roadtrip with a pic. Glad you're familiar with it!

@ JDR76 - Yeah I've noticed your interest over the last few months! You pretty much love everything about the car except the interior styling (i.e. you prefer the G70's). I can somewhat relate too. Stinger's Dash is OK to me (not crazy about the round vents) but thankfully the mostly-nice materials (i.e. real brushed aluminum), tech (i.e. HUD), ergonomics, and and fit/feel make up for it.

@Roger - There's a lot of truth to what you said about my Lexus ownership portfolio However, I'm hopeful to be back in the 4IS provided Lexus doesn't drag their heels and carryover powertrains like they did with the 2IS to 3IS. Also, we're getting close to the 2-year mark on the RX and we'll check out the UX but besides being small for our needs, I'm not crazy about the rear styling in particular from the rear 3/4 view. So I doubt we'll be trading the RX for it and maybe we'll wait for the 2NX which should launch within 1-2 years after the upcoming 2019 RAV4.

@GFerg - definitely post your feedback on the initial quality to see if they're gone. Mine is an early build, Nov 2017. Agree with the spider net cargo net - useless and had the same on my A4. I did my own vertical cargo net for it then, and same with the Stinger See the DIY here.

P.S. here's a pic of the color discoloration (seat wear) I'll be showing the dealer alongside the erratic radio volume.



Oh and throwing in another pic just for the sake of it.

 

 

Being a Lexus owner for a long time, I've been toying with the idea of trading in for a Stinger GT. My 06 IS350 is getting long in the tooth at 170k miles. The Panthera Metal is a much better color than the Ceramic Grey, but it only comes in GT, not GT1/GT2. Not sure if I'd need the vented seats, HUD, upgraded stereo, or auto tailgate from the GT2 or if I should just go the regular GT route and not worry about those features. How often do you actually use the HUD and auto tailgate? Being you're in Canada, you have different options than the states, so I'm guessing you only have the AWD option?

 

Does the Stinger always have a sunroof or glass roof ? I experienced it to be too small for a tall driver like me, and I usually have systematic problems with models equipped with sunroofs so I'm asking myself if a version without would have more headspace.

 

Excellent! This is obviously what is possible when someone from BMWs M division moves over to another co. such as Kia. I gotta love the brakes (here is a good place to cheap out when you're not serious) and pretty much everything about the vehicle, except lack of a manual. It's also interesting how that guy from BMW who came over stated that the German car cos. are afraid to take chances now, and hurt their bottom line. Great to see a car co. like Kia, turn out a product like the Stinger!

 

The base 4 cyl and base GT do not have sunroofs.