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numberplates4u-blog · 6 years ago

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Kia Stinger review – Don't be put off by the badge, the Stinger deserves your attention

For Great value for money, real fun and involvement to be had behind the wheel Against Not a ten-tenths car, four-cylinder engines (both petrol and diesel) make an uninspiring noise In its most powerful V6-powered form, the Stinger works as a real drivers' car. While the four-cylinder models are also enjoyable There’s a case to be made for the enormous Hyundai-Kia group being one of the most exciting car manufacturers right now. Sure, they produce the same range of anonymous hatchbacks and crossovers as other car companies, but they’re also spending money where it matters for the car enthusiast. On one hand you have Hyundai’s i30N. For a company with very little performance car heritage – and that’s being generous – it's astonishing that the i30N has become one of our favourite hot hatchbacks straight out of the starting gate, displacing plenty of long-established names in the process. > Read our review of Hyundai's i30 N And on the other, there’s the Kia Stinger GT. That Kia has gone from producing depressing cars like the Pride supermini and desperate Shuma to a rear-wheel drive sports saloon in the space of two decades is remarkable in itself; that the rear-drive sports saloon is also an engaging and accomplished drivers’ car, while being competitively priced and better-performing than its closest rivals is appealing in itself. Image 16 of 45 Image 16 of 45 With a potent twin-turbo V6 along with four-cylinder petrol and diesel models, there’s also something for (almost) everyone. Sure, spending up to £40k on a car carrying the Kia badge may still put some people off, but in time people will get over their preconceptions just as they have with brands like Skoda - and if Kia keeps producing cars like the Stinger, that may happen sooner rather than later. Kia Stinger in detail Performance and 0-60 time - Performance ranges from brisk – 7.6sec to 62mph for the diesel – to fairly rapid, the V6 achieving the benchmark sprint in sub-5sec. Weight blunts the sensation of speed. Engine and gearbox - A choice of two turbocharged four-cylinders – a 2-litre petrol and 2.2 diesel – plus a 3.3-litre twin-turbo V6. An eight-speed torque converter automatic is standard across the range. Ride and handling - Steering could stand to feed back more to the driver’s hands and the weight impacts body control, but at a less hectic pace it’s impressive indeed – fluid, agile, responsive and throttle-adjustable. MPG and running costs - Combined economy ranges from 50.4mpg for the diesel to 26.6mpg for the V6, but the on-paper figures don’t seem difficult to achieve in the real world. Kia’s 7-year warranty remains a huge selling point. Interior and tech - Hints of Mercedes-Benz to the cabin design. Build quality is good, use of materials less so, but it’s comfortable, quiet and has a great driving position. Technology prioritises usability over flashiness – just as it should be. Design - Turns more heads than any other car Kia has ever produced. Some odd details, but plenty of presence and looks every bit the Audi, BMW and Mercedes rival in the right colour combination. Prices, specs and rivals Stinger pricing begins at £31,995. For some, that alone will be enough to dissuade, as that’s strong money for something bearing the Kia badge. You do get a lot of car for your money though: that price refers to a Stinger GT-Line with the 2.0 T-GDi engine, with 18-inch alloy wheels, leather trim, a heated and 8-way electrically adjustable driver’s seat, navigation, a head-up display, cruise control and – get this – a standard limited-slip differential. Opt for the diesel engine in the same trim and the price rises to £33,895, with GT-Line S trim above this. For £35,495 for the petrol and £37,395 for the CRDi, GT-Line S adds LED headlamps, heated and cooled front seats with heated rear seats, a 15-speaker Harman/Kardon sound system, 360-degree parking cameras and a sunroof. > Audi A5 review Top of the line is the Stinger GT S with the V6 powerplant. At £40,495 it’s well into “for a Kia?” territory, but as well as a sub-5-second 0-62mph time GT S models get 19-inch alloy wheels, Brembo brakes, Nappa leather trim, and electronic dampers. Image 2 of 45 Image 2 of 45 The GT S’s positioning is interesting given its relative price to several key rivals. The closest BMW 4-series Gran Coupe is the 440i M Sport at £45,490, though sacrifice the Gran Coupe’s fastback styling and opt for a 3-series instead and a 340i M Sport is £40,260. It’s enough to make you think, though the Kia out-points the BMW on performance and gives it a real run for its money as a drivers’ car too. Audi’s closest analog is the S5 Sportback, but while it nips under the Kia’s 0-62mph time at 4.7sec, it also differs in sending power to all four wheels and in costing £48,850. Mercedes likewise, whose AMG C43 is as quick off the mark as the Audi and as chunky in the showroom at £45,830, a figure that quickly escalates with options. > Find out how BMW's 340i compares to the Mercedes-AMG C43 If slick styling is your game then Volkswagen’s Arteon may be on your list, rivalling the GT S with a 276bhp 2.0 TSI under the bonnet, all-wheel drive, DSG and R-Line trim for £40,305. It’s stylish and the VW badge still carries weight at this level, but the Kia is much more entertaining to drive and outperforms it at all price points. Kia may be short on badge appeal against the German brands, but for those prepared to overlook such baggage there’s a lot to like. Performance and 0-60 time In the GT S Kia has produced its quickest-ever vehicle, reaching 62mph from rest in 4.9 seconds and going on to a most un-Kia-like 168mph. Just roll those numbers around in your head for a second and then remember what Kia’s road cars used to be like – whatever you think of the Korean brand’s image, the reality of Kia in 2018 is quite appealing. A kerb weight of 1780kg means the Stinger GT S never feels quite as quick as it looks on paper, though the engine’s relatively cultured and undramatic delivery is also to blame – the Stinger is very much one of those cars that delivers its performance deceptively rather than boistrously. > Read about Kia's warm hatch, the Proceed GT It might be more engaging if the engine and four-exit exhaust system produced a more musical note, but the 3.3 will not be regarded as one of the great V6s by automotive historians. It’s certainly not bad and in general driving it’s plenty refined and punchy enough; we’d just like a bit more aural character. Perhaps that’s a job for the facelift, or the aftermarket. Image 27 of 45 Image 27 of 45 The eight-speed automatic transmission is a good partner for the V6 though, slurring changes smoothly when you need it to and responding with suitable urgency if you opt to shift yourself using the paddles on the back of the steering wheel. Our biggest gripe here is that there’s no way of locking the transmission to manual mode, so after around five seconds the ‘box will revert back to its automatic mode. The gearbox works well with the 2-litre petrol and 2.2 diesel too, though neither engine is quite as satisfying in the Stinger as the V6. Much of that is down to the car’s weight, which hampers performance here even more – it takes 6sec to sprint to 62mph in the petrol, 7.6sec in the diesel – but both four-pots are even less comfortable spinning at high revs than their six-cylinder counterpart, and both are rather tuneless when you extend them, even in the Sport and Sport+ modes, which introduce a little more sound into the cabin. > VW Arteon 280 R-Line review If the petrol sounded more like it does in the Hyundai i30N – or the gearbox had shorter ratios to help the car get up to speed with a little more vigour – we’d feel warmer towards it. In some respects the diesel is actually better, the gravelly note in Sport and meaty mid-range suiting the Kia’s chassis, but as a drivers’ car it has to sit bottom of the pile, being just a little too workmanlike and discouraging a press-on driving style. Engine and gearbox Star of the Stinger range is the 3.3-litre twin-turbocharged V6 model, badged Stinger GT S. It’s the one most evo readers will be interested in, offering the strongest performance and the most stirring soundtrack of the trio, and it’s the most potent road car Kia has ever produced. Attached to an eight-speed automatic transmission – standard across the Stinger range – it develops 365bhp at 6000rpm and 376lb ft of torque from 1300rpm all the way to 4500rpm and sends its power (in the UK at least) to the rear wheels alone. > BMW 4 Series review Next up is a turbocharged, four-cylinder petrol with T-GDi badging. With 252bhp (at 6200rpm) it’s clearly not as muscular as the V6, a fact also apparent in the 260lb ft torque figure from 1400rpm. On paper the 2-litre doesn’t seem too far shy of the V6 model in terms of outright performance, but in reality it lacks the bigger-engined car’s easy mid-range thrust and its four-cylinder note is disappointingly bland. Image 8 of 45 Image 8 of 45 Mid-range thrust has always been a diesel strong-point and with a quoted 325lb ft of torque from 1750rpm the 2.2-litre Stinger CRDi diesel has the measure of the 2-litre petrol in this department, if not quite to the same level as the V6 with its 50 per cent greater swept capacity. Maximum power is less than either at 197bhp (at a typically low 3800rpm) which goes some way to explaining the slower 0-62mph time, but the main thing to discourage using the diesel’s entire potential is the usual bugbear of an uninspiring engine note. Instead, the 2.2 sounds, and performs best using the Kia’s paddleshifters to keep the engine spinning away in its mid-range sweet spot. Ride and handling There’s something very satisfying about the way the Stinger gets down a twisty road. While you have to account for its size, which chips away at the fun factor on smaller B-roads, all Stingers pair accurate and well-weighted steering with keen responses, good balance and a useful degree of throttle-adjustability. This combination begins to make sense when you realise who heads up Kia and Hyundai’s dynamics team these days: Albert Biermann, formerly of BMW M division. As with the way the Stinger performs, handling is limited to some degree by the car’s relatively substantial weight. Pushed hard, the weight provides a challenge for the springs and dampers, resulting in slightly ragged body control, a little too much roll, and a tendency to push wide earlier than some rivals. But a notch or two back from maximum attack (this is a “GT” rather than an out-and-out sports car, after all) those problems don’t seem to materialise. You’re still conscious of the Stinger’s weight but the car’s controls and handling characteristics all gel into something that’s both engaging and entertaining. The steering doesn’t bristle with feedback but it does offer some. When combined with consistent and accurate responses, as well as reasonable weighting, you always feel in control of the car’s behaviour. Roadholding is good and all engines (but particularly the V6) give you the option of adjusting the car’s attitude with the throttle – though you’ll need to be in Sport (which relaxes the car’s safety settings) or Sport+ (which relaxes things further) to fully appreciate this, as Comfort mode doesn’t allow any shenanigans. UK roads have slightly undone our initial impressions of the ride quality, but it’s by no means bad even in full GT S spec, even in Sport mode and on that car’s 19-inch wheels. In lesser Stingers on smaller 18in wheels (which still work visually – impressive given how lousy some rivals look in their lower trim levels) it’s better still, riding quite fluently for the most part with just subtle overtones of firmness to remind you that the car has some sporting intent. Image 34 of 45 Image 34 of 45 MPG and running costs It will come as little surprise to learn that the 2.2 CRDi Stinger returns the most palatable fuel economy figures with a combined 50.4mpg and 154g/km of CO2. What might be more surprising is that figures in the 50s aren’t out of the question in real-world driving conditions, specifically on long motorway runs, though high 40s are more likely if you indulge in the car’s performance with any regularity. Next up is the 35.8mpg 2.0 T-GDi, and again numbers in the mid 30s aren’t entirely out of reach. Once again this will drop – think high 20s – if you extend the four-pot, but neither four-cylinder model should be too frightening to fuel. The V6 might be a different matter with its official 26.6mpg, but early indications with our long-termer again suggest mid-20s are possible. All Stingers benefit from one of Kia’s main selling points for new buyers: a seven-year warranty (unlimited mileage over the first 36 months and then 100,000 miles for the remaining period), which will also make two- or three-year old Stingers fairly desirable for subsequent owners. Interior and tech We suspect Kia’s interior designers might have spent some time in recent Mercedes-Benz models, as the Stinger’s centre console looks quite familiar - a trio of round central air vents, an infotainment screen perched atop the dash, and a large, flat-topped gear selector not unlike that used by AMG. Unfortunately the materials Kia has used on its much cheaper car aren’t quite up to the level used by the German premium brands, with an abundance of faux-hide and shiny plastics, though Kia does seem to have spent money where it matters – the steering wheel, gear selector itself, the seats and the doorhandles all feel suitable for a premium market vehicle. Image 9 of 45 Image 9 of 45 The build quality is nothing to sniff at however – nothing squeaks, creaks or rattles and the cabin is sealed well enough to keep wind noise to a minimum – and the driving position is also hard to fault, with plenty of adjustability and supportive seats. You can site yourself nice and low if that’s your preference, and you’d struggle to find any irritations in the layout and operation of frequently-used controls. If anything, Kia’s slightly lower-market position is beneficial here; while you do get a touchscreen, there are still large, easy-to-find physical buttons and knobs for things like heating, volume, and menu access. Design No Kia we’ve ever driven has attracted as many admiring glances as the Stinger. High-profile spots on certain well-known car TV shows have presumably raised the Stinger’s profile, but the bottom line is that Kia’s sports saloon has an eye-catching and attractive shape and plenty of road presence. Its basic form is much like the kind of premium five-door hatchbacks we’ve seen from German manufacturers in recent years - think Audi A5 Sportback, BMW 4-series Gran Coupe and Volkswagen’s Arteon. It’s quickly identifiable as a Kia though rather than a slavish copy, thanks to the company’s unique “tiger nose” grille design, distinctive rear lights and an arc of contrasting trim around the window line. Some of these details jar in certain colours – the reflectors coming off the rear lights and onto the rear arches look like afterthoughts – but in the right colour and trim combinations the Stinger looks distinctive and expensive. Black works very well (particularly with a contrasting red interior) and the blue of evo’s long-term Stinger GT is also particularly attractive in the metal. Throw in great proportions – a long bonnet, short front overhang and longer rear overhang, and a sensible ratio of bodywork to – and you have a car far more desirable than any Kia has produced so far. 2 May 2018

http://www.evo.co.uk/kia/stinger-gt

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privateplates4u · 6 years ago

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Kia Stinger review – Don't be put off by the badge, the Stinger deserves your attention

http://www.evo.co.uk/kia/stinger-gt

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buildercar · 8 years ago

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New Post has been published on http://www.buildercar.com/first-drive-2019-volkswagen-arteon/

First Drive: 2019 Volkswagen Arteon

WOLFSBURG, Germany —For a few years after its 2008 launch, the Volkswagen Passat CC enjoyed a respectable level of sales success in the U.S. that peaked at 29,502 in 2011, when it accounted for 9 percent of the brand’s volume. Despite a facelift and a name change to just CC, its momentum receded rapidly; in 2016, the aging “four-door coupe” was VW’s slowest-selling model in the U.S. Despite the negative trend, the automaker is staying in the segment and is getting ready to replace the CC with the bigger, better-named, MQB platform-based 2019 Volkswagen Arteon.

Where the CC is about the same size as the smaller European-market Passat, the Arteon is almost the same size as the Tennessee-built Passat sold in the U.S. and the Nissan Maxima. A half-inch shorter in length than its conventionally styled sibling, the Arteon rides on a 1.4-inch longer wheelbase, and is 1.5-inches wider and 2.3-inches shorter in height. Compared to the CC, the Arteon is 2.4-inches longer and rides on a 5.2-inch-longer wheelbase; the stretch in wheelbase is entirely in the rear and allows the Arteon to provide rear passengers with an extra 0.6-inch of headroom (now totaling 37.2 inches).

The Arteon’s design is a big win. Its seamless, wide-banded front grille rounds out into high shoulders and a low roofline before shooting rearward to provide a sharp profile. Big, turbine-style wheels fill the four corners, offered in 19-inches for the U.S. and 20-inches for the rest of the world.

While the interior isn’t quite as striking as the swept exterior, it’s a nice, upscale place to lounge. VW’s signature gloss black surfaces and dark materials blend well with silver trim throughout the cabin. We spent most of our time in a range-topping Excellence model, where we enjoyed cushy leather seats and an option-soaked environment. VW’s new 9.2-inch infotainment touchscreen is a much-needed upgrade, and it works in tandem with the sharp Volkswagen Digital Cockpit, a near carbon-copy of Audi’s similarly named Virtual Cockpit.

VW was mum on what powertrains we can expect on our shores, but did admit its newest 2.0-liter turbo-four is our best bet. In the cars we drove, the 2.0-liter put down a claimed 268 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque, but those power figures are not finalized.

Europe’s Arteons will arrive with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission managing the power, but U.S. variants will receive a traditional eight-speed automatic. The DSG-equipped model felt fast enough, charging from zero to 60 mph in what seemed like the low six-second range. With the eight-speed, the U.S. Arteon is likely to be a little more sluggish.

On the Autobahn, our 4Motion all-wheel-drive-equipped tester was solid, big, and smooth — typically Teutonic. When we turned off the arrow-straight Autobahn and onto snaking German mountain passageways, it handled its bulk in a manner befitting the sleek appearance. The selectable drive modes allowed us to soften, stiffen, or smooth-out the ride and driver inputs, including steering, throttle, and shift points.

When it arrives, the Arteon should start at around $35,000, much like the outgoing CC. That’s competitive with the likes of the Toyota Avalon and aforementioned Maxima, which don’t offer the Arteon’s stylish design or flexible hatchback body. While the Arteon feels and looks more premium than those two, making for a short debate, it’s also up against the likes of the Audi A4 and BMW 3 Series, which start at around the same price.

The Arteon’s shapely body is its main asset against those luxury opponents as well. To get a similar profile from Ingolstadt or Munich, you need to step up to an A5 Sportback or 4 Series Gran Coupe, a roughly $43,000 proposition. For those more tempted by substance rather than badge, the Volkswagen Arteon, which can be outfitted with enough kit and caboodle to challenge those luxury alternatives, is sure to be a strong alternative when it arrives the U.S. in 2018.

2019 Volkswagen Arteon Specifications

ON SALE 2018 PRICE $35,000 (base, est) ENGINE 2.0 turbocharged DOHC 16-valve I-4/268 hp, 258 lb-ft (est) TRANSMISSION 8-speed automatic LAYOUT 4-door, 5-passenger, front-engine, FWD/AWD hatchback EPA MILEAGE N/A L x W x H 191.4 x 73.7 x 56.2 in WHEELBASE 111.8 in WEIGHT 3,400 lb (est) 0-60 MPH 6.5 sec (est) TOP SPEED N/A

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newsunlimit · 4 years ago

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BMW 4 Series or VW Arteon which is better?

https://www.newsunlimit.com/bmw-4-series-or-vw-arteon-which-is-better/

BMW 4 Series or VW Arteon which is better?

BMW 4 Series or VW Arteon which is better?: The saloons are suffering from the sales success of the SUVs, but they still have their audience and there are many loyal fans. They have better dynamic behavior compared to SUVs, lower consumption, and, in this case, high quality of materials and settings. But in this case at hand, which one do we recommend buying, the Volkswagen Arteon or the BMW 4 Series?

VIDEO: More details of the new Volkswagen Arteon in action (BMW 4 Series or VW Arteon which is better?)

dailymotion

Before going any further, let me clarify that this is one of our usual technical comparisons, not a dynamic test in which we analyze its dynamic behavior. What I am going to analyze here are sections such as the dimensions, the boot capacity, the range of engines, their equipment, and, of course, the prices. In the end, I will make a summary by way of a conclusion to recommend if it is better to buy the Arteon or the Series 4.

Read more: The 10 best cars of 2021 are hybrids to buy

Volkswagen action

Let me start with the Volkswagen Arteon. It measures 4.86 meters long, 1.87 meters wide, 1.42 m high, and has a wheelbase of 2.84 meters. Extraordinary dimensions make clear the versatility of the VW Group’s MQB modular platform on which it is based and which is the same as the Volkswagen Golf and the huge Skoda Kodiaq.

Those dimensions are worth the Volkswagen to offer a capacity of 563 liters in its trunk, which are expandable to 1,557 liters if the rear seatbacks are folded. Under the hood, and I am already talking about engines, the Arteon range begins with the well-known 150 hp 2.0 TDI, a block that is also offered with 200 hp; and in gasoline, its bets on the 2.0 TSI propeller with a single power scale: 190 hp.

BMW 4 Series

For its part, the BMW 4 Series measures 4.76 meters in length, that is, it is smaller and also has two fewer doors, although its sculptural bodywork is perfectly comparable to the Arteon. However, that is one of the great handicaps, that is, if you need quick and easy access to the rear row, go for the Volkswagen. On the other hand, if you are one of those who give priority to aesthetics, we are sure that the BMW, with its coupe body, will be your chosen one.