Review: 2018 Kia Stinger GT

[@MattMaranMotoring]

Since this is a longer video, here's a few of the highlights, enjoy! :) First Acceleration Reaction: 14:02 Tunnel Run: 19:38 Launch control: 20:24

[@30redpillsaday71]

13:17 and it roars to life. lets turn down this straight road.

[@30redpillsaday71]

2:25 #TruthBomb ya, just delete the KIA badges and they would sell a million of these.

[@ArtVandelayOfficial]

Thanks

[@Ezero8]

Sweet! Enjoyed your cameo in Redline's review haha. I hope your review has a special guest too.

[@ladrianc]

Nice change of scenery for the vid

[@theredline]

Great review Matt! The best part was first experiencing the launch control with you, loved how you got that initial experience on camera. Also, this might be your very first Kia review on your channel, nobody thought Kia could build a car that would get us excited, but they really surprised a lot of people. See you at the next press event!

[@MattMaranMotoring]

Thanks Sofyan! It was a blast driving with you!

[@DriveAndBeDriven]

This is what I call an "A+ Car Review"!!! You did an excellent job displaying the features and performance that this vehicle has to offer. While, still being able to keep us (the viewers) entertained and well informed. I actually got the chance to review the new Genesis G80 SPORT, and it impressed me greatly. Then a couple weeks ago, I checked this beast out and I was absolutely mind blown. Hopefully, I can get my Intial Impressions Look video (of the Stinger GT) out soon. Nevertheless, from one car reviewer to another, keep up the great work. I'll be on the lookout for your review of the Singer 2.0L 4-cylinder model, as well! GO, MATT!

[@Xmvw2X]

Yes. The whole review was pretty bang on.

[@A_guan]

Stringer gt is going to be one of my future family cars. I can just imagine now

[@destroyall24]

Definitely

[@nazarenofernandez2549]

God, it looks soo good. I don't care if it is a Kia, i would buy it anyway.

[@kaemangm3016]

I've been excited for this for so long now. Looks like the hit the nail right on the head with EVERY aspect of this car.

[@kaemangm3016]

EVERY aspect.

[@Tpike777]

Every car reviewer ive watched so far has loved this car. I cant wait to get mine

[@Jimmmmmmmy]

Don't let this distract you from the fact that Hector is going to be running three Honda Civics with Spoon engines. And on top of that, he just went into Harry's and ordered three T66 turbos with NOS... and a Motec system and exhaust.

[@panamera53]

+Jimmy Lmfao, nice Fast and Furious 2001 reference!!!!

[@KevinIsFamous]

You move like a cop

[@GT-RTData9]

NOOOOO!!! MONICAA!!!!!!! 🏎️

[@cubano316]

Jimmy 😂

[@darriusholt]

Classic lol.

[@em34ev3r]

This car has been growing on me surprisingly

[@MyOpinionMatterss]

Your reviews are the only ones I can watch from start to finish and hold my interest. I really feel like I know the car inside and out afterwards.

[@TheCarCrazyGuy]

Nothing like a little Six Flags Magic Mountain in the background. I used to work there when I was a kid. Still live in Valencia CA.

[@Mk47Ultra]

The Car Crazy Guy haha I'm also from scv I've seen your cars around town

[@TheCarCrazyGuy]

Mkhitar Aboolian Which one did you see?

[@Mk47Ultra]

The Car Crazy Guy if I’m not mistaken the white corvette and the white gt350, when your a car guy your eye catches other cool cars on the road lol

[@jamesparkerjr5539]

Twisted Colossus looks so awesome. Love the track colors vs the white wood.

[@NinoNlkkl]

The Car Crazy Guy i can see magic mtn from my backyard. Hear screams at night. :)

[@Ezero8]

Well done, Matt! I think this was one of your best and most detailed reviews of 2017.

[@1mlb704]

Matt this is such a solid review, I love how you mention every little detail from the interior to how it drives. Keep up the great work!

[@chriscapaccio4342]

I love this car - and I don't even care about the badge. The exterior is gorgeous, if a bit polarizing, but the interior looks seriously high-quality and well built. From the specs, I'd expect the car to be really fast as well.

[@paulblack9878]

FINALLY! Been waiting since your Sofyan cameo lol. Good stuff as always Matt 👍🏽

[@timothylim2257]

Finally the Stinger! Great review. I liked the blue stinger that strolled by at the amusement park haha.

[@michaelcartwright4628]

The thing I've seen in every review of this car is the huge smile the driver has. This car just seems fun the drive.

[@wfyfwfyf]

I don't understand how all car interiors are not built like this. "You can feel every click of the volume knob", same can be said for a $50 stereo you can get at Walmart except we're talking about a multi thousand dollar purchase here.

[@JD_JoyrideTV]

Damn KIA is stepping up there game... but wait 50k for a KIA 🤣 I remember when you could buy a brand new Hyundai or KIA for under 10k new.

[@Aaaaa69999]

JD JoyrideTV yep when the most hi tech piece of equipment was abs

[@JD_JoyrideTV]

baznitchandsons haha right, I could think of a full list of other cars for that price.

[@JD_JoyrideTV]

jawrdn that’s not to terrible but 55k I’m buying a new/used Vette or GT500 for that price.

[@lisamuel41]

here is the thing. I would rather to pay 50k for a kia or Hyundai genesis. Instead for a shitty BMW or Audi which even does not have 300hp

[@akarim909]

I rather get a STI

[@cruisertechgt]

Thank you so much for covering the shift speeds - like omg I have been waiting for 1 reviewer to tell me how good it is compared to ZF8HPs

[@MattMaranMotoring]

+Howard Hughes the 2nd happy to help!

[@JJ_ExMachina]

You know it is funny... I started seeing people posting reviews of the Stinger... SO the first chance I got I went on to your channel Matt to look for your review of the Stinger... SO glad you were reviewing it. You and Doug... are my go to peeps for car reviews.

[@CaReviewsOG]

Definitely quite the looker and a pretty cool name too, Stinger. Kia trying to go upmarket with itself is a bit bizarre since cars like the K900 can’t sell either all because of that Kia badge...a shame really. Oh well, great video as always! Can’t wait to test drive this car one day!

[@brandonjackson9047]

The grey version looks amazing. Gotta admit, I would consider this for my next car. A damn Kia.....I would never have predicted this.

[@sohogen8482]

The base price starts at 38k and still has the majority of extra features, Matt said the materials were just as good as any Lexus or bmw/audi also giving you brembo brakes and 365 hp which with a simple tune can hit 400 hp1 I would bet no problem I think it's a great deal and 15k cheaper than it's competitors.

[@brennantuohy895]

Awesome! Been waiting for this!

[@UhgeneIgnorian]

*SubaruRxfan* Has become a man.

[@dannnnnny]

*WRXfan

[@shawnprickett4099]

so SubaruWRXman? lol

[@gahjun]

Has become a m(ar)an

[@Bootchair]

Big man Matt Maran.

[@gabepettinicchio7454]

I can even see the hair on his arms ......... when the sun is just right!

[@gerardvinet8448]

Great compliments,bought a 2018 Atomic Blue AWD!Great overall vehicle , 3 different cars & SUV in one vehicle.Great for the Canadian outback!!!!

[@carrots_arelife2924]

What's considered the Canadian outback? I'll be moving close to the Canadian border soon and interested in driving up north a bit.

[@thejamesmanz]

I’ve been waiting a long while for you to do a review on the Stinger as ive had my eye on it for some time. KIA have nailed it and its a great price however I don't buy new so will have to wait a little while longer. Also really pleased its a hatch back unlike every other car in that segment. Keep up the great work, loving your enthusiasm!

[@Krezo200]

cant wait for it too depreciate enough to get one myself ^_^

[@JC-rm6pm]

krezo $25k for the GT in 2 years, guaranteed and maybe $20k for the 2.0T

[@whosdondada]

2 years or less

[@francismartinez6049]

krezo lol you won't need to wait too long....maybe wait until Christmas

[@beefen7921]

lol sad but true... in 2 years definitely worth getting a 2nd hand of these.

[@marcoarreola9058]

krezo you won't have to wait long,. 2 years it will be 10 grand cheaper. 5 years it will be half off.

[@arch417powersports]

Good thing about the engine is that you can get alot more power out of it pretty easily.

[@kennethwilliamsinc]

archinuk417 yea this is what they should have used in the genesis coupe platform

[@VaunShiz]

Not really anyone who messes with hyundai motors just ends up getting rid of them

[@kiliabgonzalez9977]

"We have a tunnel, so we must do a first gear pull with the windows down" *PSHFGSAHXJSPSHPSHSOSHSHNAKSHH*

[@BobbyT.]

Six Flags Magic Mountain in the background. Pretty cool place to review a car.

[@EpicFailGaming]

Take a drink every time he says "very nice"

[@allenkim9387]

50K is a good price, not necessarily for the car, but for the brand. After the bit of sticker shock and as time passes, it becomes normal and people start to associate with KIA as being fairly expensive cars.

[@everythingautomotiveeta5839]

Great review! I am ready to be back in Cali with my mustang (2 days) tackling those great roads! Glad you had fun

[@SayMoreTaimoor]

Wonderful video, Matt! In regards to the car, I seriously love it. I really, really, really hope people go out and buy these and support Kia for doing this. I feel like making this car is somewhat of a risky direction when the competition in the segment is stiff. Not only did Kia take this risk, but they also invested time and money to fine tune it to near perfection as a sporty hatchback. Props to Kia.

[@bandosz3218]

I can definitely appreciate what Kia has done in improvement. As far as owning one, don't know if I ever could...

[@BigHeadClan]

Infiniti take note, awesome tires, LSD, solid transmissions and an aggressive exhaust for NA drivers. Also kind of surprised we didn't see Matt from Thesmoking Tire cameo at anypoint. lol

[@chigasaki06]

Exactly! I wrote a letter to Infinity corporate telling them that I hate DAS and they better be careful because the competition is heating up. They replied that they don't accept "unsolicited advice," LOL!

[@BigHeadClan]

chigasaki06 Well Das is optional so not really something to complain about but that's a pretty surprising response. Hell you expect them to be diplomatic and say something like "we understand and appairicate your concerns and are always happy to hear from our customers" etc etc.

[@zymosan123]

It’s 50k doe....

[@BigHeadClan]

An Infiniti RS400 starts at 51K so they are within spitting distance of one another.... And the previous generation g37 came with all of the things I mentioned, so they clearly are able to offer these things at a competitive price point.

[@MR_FN509]

Pretty sure the red sport will still beat this car and 50k for a kia hell nah

[@LS1OfAKind32]

Being that I had a tuned Kia Optima Turbo before my FRS, this car is making me salivate. Can't wait to hear the Exhaust clip.

[@winstonoko777]

Hey Matt! Would you recommend buying this or waiting for the 2019/2020 model to see if most of the kinks are ironed out? Big fan by the way, subd since 15k or so subs from the subaru days! Thanks for the content.

[@silvestergardner4847]

Can’t wait to test drive it, loved it since I saw it in the NY Auto Show earlier this year

[@M5xThully]

Hey Matt, really like the dual split view. Keep up the good work as always!

[@crankypipo]

The existence of this car is a GOOD thing. Now other manufacturers will want to give it their A-Game.

[@shawnlee664]

crankypipo $80k bmw, audi, porche are beat by $50k kia. Aren't they ripping you off?

[@damientech88]

Great review! I bought a BRZ back in the day largely because of your review and it's great to see you're still going. They've really tailored these Stinger GTs to the local markets. e.g. Canada gets AWD and heated rear seats. In Australia, we get the wireless phone charger, 360° parking cameras and they offer a locally-made sports exhaust system as a $2.5K upgrade. A bit pricey but it sounds awesome and there's no concern about warranty. I'm very keen to get a Stinger but I just need to convince someone that landscaping the yard can be put off for a year or two. 😄

[@charlesrico3400]

“Nice...nice....nice....nicely....very nice....nice nice nice nice nice....”

[@muhann4d]

What a flawed logic that people here seem to follow. A badge on its own does not constitute quality. All car manufacturers do progress in terms of overall quality and it comes at a price.

[@MattMaranMotoring]

+Muhannad Aldajan definitely. And the funny thing is Kia has higher reliability and satisfaction ratings than almost all of those luxury brands.

[@shawnlee664]

King of The Castle badge and heritage doesn't mean eveything. Something, but not eveything. Performance and looks are same level.

[@shawnlee664]

Muhannad Aldajan it's the dumb poor people judging book by its cover.

[@shawnlee664]

King of The Castle what poor sales? It has surpassed the sales goal set by kia. It's selling 70% of its competition.

[@shawnlee664]

King of The Castle desperate? Comparing camrys to stingers?

[@Beer_Dad1975]

Should be a good replacement for the Ford Falcon XR6-T and Holden Commodore SS where I live.

[@RedPanda555]

The only shortcoming is the brand. Given branding is all about emotion and cars can inspire such passion, the brand is an intangible but important aspect of a car’s appeal.

[@TR33ZY_CRTM]

RexSpec555 News flash, the 90's ended 2 decades ago. Get outta here with that brand shaming of yours.

[@shawnlee664]

RedPanda brand image can be shattered by outperforming $80k porche, audi, bmw with 50k kia.

[@LukeO-1234]

You looked great sitting next to sofyan this morning. Will you have an opportunity to drive the 4 cylinder?

[@MattMaranMotoring]

Hoping to in the next few months!

[@TheKaisarwilhelm]

23 cubic inches! Holy cow! I could almost fit my collection of 90s cds back there. I understand mistakes happen on longer videos. I am just picking because I like your reviews.

[@rwg4397]

Most brutal deadly drinking game ever.... Take a shot every time he says "nice"

[@jahhaitian]

Great Review !!! car looks awesome and practical also seems tons of fun to drive. I am seriously considering getting one

[@cruisertechgt]

Great to see ur video and to find ur new channel.

[@victhebric66]

Six Flags Magic Mountain actually let you film there? That's cool. It's my favorite theme park! Got a season pass too lol

[@kylerumsey8942]

Awesome collaboration!!!

[@runninwildwithmilwaukeebuck]

Sofyan was like "Matt.... don't get to crazy with this thing, I wanna make it home tonight".... 🤣

[@Rob.Brown13]

this car is beautiful... i cant believe its a kia... blows my mind very well done!

[@beardoDC]

dude i love how you did the split screen while driving!

[@labigtyme12]

Great review Matt. Is the Kia Stinger GT a major threat to the Acura TLX A-Spec & the Infiniti Q50 Red Sport? Also, which one would you choose to buy? Thanks for your review. Cheers!

[@johnnyd701]

Hey you’re at Six flags in Valencia. That’s practically my backyard. Nice edit there isn’t a back road near there at all. Which back road did u get on? Is that San Francisquito canyon road ?

[@thefives7ar]

This car is going to get de-badged by everyone

[@VhexLegend]

thefives7ar 100% lmao

[@ArtVandelayOfficial]

Im putting Lexus badges on mine

[@HighMagnitudeGT]

Art Vandelay put lambo badges

[@ArtVandelayOfficial]

HighMagnitudeGT get real pal, nobody would fall for that. Lexus is high class and regular joes won't know the difference

[@thefives7ar]

No, just de-badged as in having no badges. My STI has no badges on it at all, the front and back Subaru emblems have been plastidipped and the STI badges removed. It's a good look for a car

[@KutWrite]

Wait... No more WRX Fan Boy? :( Nice review, though, as I remember your older ones. You're fun to watch and listen to. Your review of an FRS sold me on that back in 2013. Now, at age 70 I'm looking at something with more room. But not this one! I do like Kia design and ergos, but need a zippy hatch. More likely a WRX Hatch. Used, though. Carmax has done well for me. It's where I got the FRS. THanks for all your work... see you again on another review. Oh... Are you in the Pittsburgh area? The WRX review I just saw sure looked like Pittsburgh and Moon Twp.

[@acidnut]

I can already imagine this looking nice and mean on some wider wheels, lower on coils with a nice catback exhaust. Head turner for sure just like my genesis coupe.

[@ernieballsting]

Great review Matt! Gotta give kia props

[@Nestle245]

You make it seem like the interior quality is on par with luxury cars that's surprising for the price range and it being a Kia.

[@jacobgadomski2507]

Hey Matt! How would you rate the road noise you hear inside the cabin? Does it compare to similar cars in the higher price range (BMW, Mercedes, etc)? I heard a lot of it and was wondering if it was just the video.

[@nukexD]

Like I said in redline reviews, really nice car but with a real exhaust, different wheels (maybe just a different color) and KDM badges and you got yourself a car! Plus since it’s a KIA this thing is gonna be a steal on the used market!

[@lordhades9455]

nukexD yeah I'm probably going to wait a year and then trade in my Optima Turbo for one of these. Should be an easy steal and a huge bang for the buck

[@TheNova64000]

Nice to see you at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, CA!

[@Johnny-lr5jt]

I love your reviews! Thanks!

[@beefen7921]

Hey Matt! how about reviewing the 2.0T version of this???.. Thanks!

[@MVF2024]

Just purchased a new Cadenza today. Was honestly blown away at the quality and comfort. WI be selling my 5 series with X drive. Seriously thinking about trading in my Corvette for a Stinger, I can take my entire family in it. Great review.

[@vernonprice5986]

I can understand wanting more space for a family, but you understand the Stinger is MUCH slower and handles MUCH worse than a Corvette, right? I mean let's not do any false equivalency here. There are 4 door options that give up much less to a Corvette than the Stinger, like the CTS-V or even the Chevy SS.

[@MVF2024]

Yep, I agree. I'd also very much consider the CTS-V, probably not the SS since it's no longer made. I love my Corvette, I've modified it into a nice little beast, but was pretty close in swapping it (upgrading) for a used BMW M5. But, the repair costs on the BMW scares me, since we just replaced an E60 5 series with the Cadenza. The 5 series cost me 4700 in just over two years in repairs. Alternator. New Battery. New lifetime Transmission pan/fluid replaced. Cam shaft position sensor. Brake Pad Sensors. Little things that add up into a lot. Kia's warranty is appealing too.

[@vernonprice5986]

Fully agree - Kia's warranty is great plus their reliability has gotten a lot better in recent years too. I also wouldn't trust a used M5 as far as I could throw it - they tend to get beaten on, and BMWs are not very reliable to begin with. If you want to go a lot more used, you can get a 2nd gen CTS-V for not too much now. But the Stinger is like half the price of the new CTS-V - I mean you get what you pay for, the CTS-V is VASTLY faster and handles way better, but costs a lot more. I wouldn't worry about the Chevy SS not being made any more, the parts for it will be available till the end of time.

[@MVF2024]

Vernon Price I really liked the G8’s back in the day. I had a 2003 Bonneville SSEI and always wished I had the G8 instead. Would really be fun to get a CTS-V. Someday, perhaps. BTW, I think the new Cadenza’s are quite underrated. My car enthusiast buddy just drove mine and couldn’t believe how on par if not better it was than most in its segment.

[@protechautomotive6574]

Been waiting a long time for your review on this. Great job as always! Just shared it on the Kia Stinger Forum www.kiastinger.org/forum/threads/499-2018-Kia-Stinger-GT-Review-by-Matt-Maran-Motoring

[@MattMaranMotoring]

Thank you, I really appreciate that!

[@skip741x3]

what i notice with most all these modern cars .... is that they are distinctly flat off the line, theres a delay, and they are soft on the bottom..Yes i know this is a turbo....just an observation...im from the era when u stepped on the gas ,you were mashed back into the seat...i remember the 928 porsches being similiar and bmws as well..

[@alexrios1737]

Nice Vid Matt

[@ivanmazur9233]

Matt, are they planning a manual? Also how is the steering feedback?

[@ThaBestStarks]

Love this car. Wish i could afford it! This is what the new Optima should have looked like because I would definitely buy it.

[@cruisertechgt]

This car will be so easily tuned - u can tune turbod engines so easily by just increasing boost.

[@sanjs5796]

It's essentially a better performing refreshed Optima, which is a good thing. Love both the designs.

[@Jkmk630]

Sanj S stinger is rwd optima is fwd

[@sanjs5796]

Lol yeh I'm aware of that. I was just talking in terms of design profile. The sides are very reminiscent of an Optima. When it comes to performance and handling the RWD does make it more engaging.

[@JeepBoiFL]

Happy Thanksgiving Matt

[@ConstantineJoseph]

I'll keep the KIA front badge but will put the Stinger badge at the rear as replacement

[@vanallen9453]

..just use the KDM Bugatti-inspired E badge up front and on the wheel hubs, as well as using the Maserati- inspired really slick stinger script logo on the back...

[@BRIANBOBCHAPMAN]

NICE Review: 2018 Kia Stinger GT

[@ascendantP]

is there an option on the car to de-badge the Kia insignias around the car?

[@SquireJethro]

Nice review Matt. You are one of the few reviewers that uses the paddle shifters. I'm disappointed that it won't keep a gear unless you hit redline or stop, especially in sport mode. No excuse. Could be a show stopper for me. Could you speak to the torque converter lockup? The best will lock up a fairly low speed (25mph, 2nd gear) and stay locked through the gears, so they feel like a traditional clutch. The worst will unlock when you accelerate and it feels much like a rubber band. I wonder if you noticed how it behaved?

[@MattMaranMotoring]

Thanks! I can't say for sure, but it felt locked up and solid to me after 1st. Overall the transmission was better than I expected and unless you're doing track driving where you need to hold a gear, I don't think the transmissions auto downshifts would be too bothersome. Let me put it this way, when I need a "dad car" in a couple years, this will probably be at the top of my list for fun and affordable 4 door sport sedans.

[@TheJason989]

My new dream car

[@Disasterpiece5150]

Wtf

[@tommieboi707]

Jason Gilliam you need better dreams.

[@andre26261095]

I think this is the best car that KIA came out with so far it looks great I hope they come out with a coupe version. The back tail lights of this car kind of looks like a jaguar

[@EldePHX]

I'd buy one

[@EN_autoblog]

Can I request for you to review on a 2022 hyundai elantra n-line? I enjoy your car reviews.

[@Father_Nature88]

I can't wait to see one tuned!!

[@oimfc37]

Matt, this stinger has a heated steering wheel so it is not a RWD, it is AWD.

[@eganjos1]

Matt - Please compare this to the new Buick Regal GS sportback if you can. They are the two most interesting cars right now

[@MattMaranMotoring]

I'll be reviewing one hopefully in the next few months but it's way down on power compared to the Stinger.

[@eganjos1]

Matt Maran Motoring far enough but it’s also 10k cheaper pound for pound. Want to see if the Kia is really worth the difference. Crazy I️ just said a Kia is more expensive.

[@gabepettinicchio7454]

That must be Matt Farah out in front of you on the Angeles Crest, being that he was really slowing you down! ;)

[@damienf01]

Kia must have been listening to you over the years. They made a car that where other cars you mentioned some things, you said they were different here. Cooled/Heated seats and the Radio touch screen for example!

[@bruceejr29]

Everything is so “Very nice”! Take a shot every time he says “very nice”

[@JustinKelly]

Hyundai/Kia may now actually get to put stuff to charge your phone/tech in the rear seat!

[@TheLadiesman0815]

Oh my God that sound

[@speedfiend925]

REDLINE IN DA HOUSE! AWESOME! :D

[@faybeion]

With such high praise about the Chevy SS and these two being similar in many categories. Who would you give the win too?

[@bantamexcelsior1477]

50K dollar and Kia - never ever thought that would be a concept let alone a reality. Like someone said in the comments, Kia and Hyundai were able to be had for under 10K and that's a hard image to let go of. The Stinger maybe a good car, but not for the 50K price tag...

[@mightymatt3624]

i want to do car reviews awesome as always dude.

[@rudfil]

I believe there was a major oversight in the design of the steering wheel in this Stinger. They should've made it look more special because this one looks like it came right out of an Optima.

[@Stano1212]

Rudy F agree with you there. I love the car overall but the steering wheel material looks like the budget Kia plastic