Just upgraded from the 2020 GT-Line to the 2023 GT-Line (w. Sun & Sound package), and I just wanted to pop in here and share my thoughts and observations on the changes to the vehicle:
1. WHY are they killing this car? It's an amazing vehicle, to the point where I'm very much considering buying it when this lease is up. We'll see how I feel in three years, but this being my second iteration of the Stinger...I feel like that will still be the case then.
2. The bump up to a 300HP engine in the 2023 was an awesome choice. I appreciate every single one of those extra 45 hrsprs.
3. Also, I'm not sure if it's just the extra horsepower, or if they've fine-tuned the way the transmission shifts, but accelerating from a stop feels much nicer. In the 2020, it kinda seemed like it didn't spend enough time in first gear when launching. This meant you lost a bit of acceleration when it was shifting. The new gearing seems like it utilizes first better, which is excellent.
4. The premium sound system is incredible. It's legitimately the first vehicle I've owned where the stock system was loud enough to almost hurt my ears, and music I've played in the 2020 no longer clips or distorts, even at max volume.
5. The new kia connect features, as well as the re-design of the way remote start works on the key fob are both awesome additions.
6. Where did the sunglasses holder go? Was this only removed on vehicles with a sunroof...or on all of them? Either way, it's kind of an odd choice to offer a "sun and sound" package, and then not provide a sunglasses holder.
7. Similarly...why was homelink removed from the rearview mirrors? Or, I guess, more specifically, why is this a "premium" feature, apparently? This was standard on a 2017 Forte, but not a significantly more modern car with a higher MSRP? I just don't get Kia's logic.
8. STILL no wireless Android Auto? Come on guys. This wouldn't feel like such a glaring oversight, until you consider the way the QI charging pocket is positioned. Then, you realize that it's more or less useless when using Android Audio via a wired connection...doubly so on a larger device, because all of the weight of the phone winds up putting a strain specifically on the portion of a cable where you really don't want a constant strain.
As such, I wound up having to replace my car's USB cable every six months or so due to the thing breaking down and losing connection when I'd hit a bump or turn too hard. I was holding out on buying a wireless AA dongle till I got this vehicle...now I know I need it.
9. No USB-C ports either?
10. Why the random decision to change how the "skip forward/back" buttons on the steering wheel work? In the last car, I would press up to skip to the next song, down to go back. Now it's reversed. It's an odd choice...and I'm curious if there is a setting somewhere to change it back. I've looked, and can't find anything.
11. The voice assistant button behavior. In the past, I'd short-press it, and when Android Auto was enabled, it'd trigger the google assistant. If not, it'd trigger the in-car assistant. Now, short-press always triggers the in-car assistant, and I have to long-press to get to google.
As I've literally never deliberately used the in-car assistant for anything, I'd really like to revert this. Again, I looked, but I don't have a setting anywhere.
Aside from these few minor annoyances, I really love this car. It feels more refined than the previous iteration in almost every way, including acceleration, power, handling, suspension, down to the fitment of the body panels. Heck, even closing the doors feels smoother. It's an outright shame that Kia is discontinuing it when it seems like they've put a lot of work into refining it.
If anybody has any suggestions to fix the few weirdities I've come across, I'd love to hear them. Otherwise, I'm sure my muscle memory will adapt quickly.
1. WHY are they killing this car? It's an amazing vehicle, to the point where I'm very much considering buying it when this lease is up. We'll see how I feel in three years, but this being my second iteration of the Stinger...I feel like that will still be the case then.
2. The bump up to a 300HP engine in the 2023 was an awesome choice. I appreciate every single one of those extra 45 hrsprs.
3. Also, I'm not sure if it's just the extra horsepower, or if they've fine-tuned the way the transmission shifts, but accelerating from a stop feels much nicer. In the 2020, it kinda seemed like it didn't spend enough time in first gear when launching. This meant you lost a bit of acceleration when it was shifting. The new gearing seems like it utilizes first better, which is excellent.
4. The premium sound system is incredible. It's legitimately the first vehicle I've owned where the stock system was loud enough to almost hurt my ears, and music I've played in the 2020 no longer clips or distorts, even at max volume.
5. The new kia connect features, as well as the re-design of the way remote start works on the key fob are both awesome additions.
6. Where did the sunglasses holder go? Was this only removed on vehicles with a sunroof...or on all of them? Either way, it's kind of an odd choice to offer a "sun and sound" package, and then not provide a sunglasses holder.
7. Similarly...why was homelink removed from the rearview mirrors? Or, I guess, more specifically, why is this a "premium" feature, apparently? This was standard on a 2017 Forte, but not a significantly more modern car with a higher MSRP? I just don't get Kia's logic.
8. STILL no wireless Android Auto? Come on guys. This wouldn't feel like such a glaring oversight, until you consider the way the QI charging pocket is positioned. Then, you realize that it's more or less useless when using Android Audio via a wired connection...doubly so on a larger device, because all of the weight of the phone winds up putting a strain specifically on the portion of a cable where you really don't want a constant strain.
As such, I wound up having to replace my car's USB cable every six months or so due to the thing breaking down and losing connection when I'd hit a bump or turn too hard. I was holding out on buying a wireless AA dongle till I got this vehicle...now I know I need it.
9. No USB-C ports either?
10. Why the random decision to change how the "skip forward/back" buttons on the steering wheel work? In the last car, I would press up to skip to the next song, down to go back. Now it's reversed. It's an odd choice...and I'm curious if there is a setting somewhere to change it back. I've looked, and can't find anything.
11. The voice assistant button behavior. In the past, I'd short-press it, and when Android Auto was enabled, it'd trigger the google assistant. If not, it'd trigger the in-car assistant. Now, short-press always triggers the in-car assistant, and I have to long-press to get to google.
As I've literally never deliberately used the in-car assistant for anything, I'd really like to revert this. Again, I looked, but I don't have a setting anywhere.
Aside from these few minor annoyances, I really love this car. It feels more refined than the previous iteration in almost every way, including acceleration, power, handling, suspension, down to the fitment of the body panels. Heck, even closing the doors feels smoother. It's an outright shame that Kia is discontinuing it when it seems like they've put a lot of work into refining it.
If anybody has any suggestions to fix the few weirdities I've come across, I'd love to hear them. Otherwise, I'm sure my muscle memory will adapt quickly.
