Welcome to the Australian Ford Forums forum.

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions and inserts advertising. By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, communicate privately with other members, respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features without post based advertising banners. Registration is simple and absolutely free so please, join our community today!

If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us.

Please Note: All new registrations go through a manual approval queue to keep spammers out. This is checked twice each day so there will be a delay before your registration is activated.

Go Back   Australian Ford Forums > General Topics > The Pub

The Pub For General Automotive Related Talk

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 22-12-2022, 05:51 PM   #511
DFB FGXR6
Donating Member
Donating Member3
 
DFB FGXR6's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 11,462
Valued Contributor: For members whose non technical contributions are worthy of recognition. - Issue reason: For the excellent car-care guide 
Default Re: KIA - Would you buy one?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Vesper Martini View Post
I don't think Kia actually did anything wrong with the Stinger it looked to tick all the boxes.
Maybe if they just called it Stinger and dropped the badge, public perception is a hard thing to shake.

Also I think a lot of buyers bought from habit especially Camry buyers.

Even former Falcodore owners wouldn't buy a Camry let alone a Kia.
So they changed to a twin cab or SUV instead
Yes and no in my opinion.

First off, I want to say that I actually liked the Stinger, in both concept and styling. Kia was and should still be applauded for giving this car a go, launching a medium-large sedan at a time when almost every other car company was abandoning the segment. Not only that, making it RWD with powerful engines. The styling did polarize a touch, but at least they had a go at making something other than another Audi A6 or BMW 5-Series.

There are a couple of key areas where Kia missed the mark with the Stinger, some particular to the Australian market.

-At the time, Kia thought they were in the box seat with the Stinger. It arrived literally the month Holden and Toyota closed their factories. Kia thought they would scoop up Falcon and Commodore buyers with the Stinger.

-The reality was, a lot of those Falcon and Commodore buyers were not in the market for a new car, most having waited until the final year/s of production to get a last of the line. A lot of those buyers were also only buying sedan because of the history and sentimentality of the Aussie made cars. Fleet buyers were not going to get the sort of slash and burn pricing from Kia that Ford and Holden offered in an attempt to keep metal moving.

-I know this is a cliche, but it didn't have a V8. While many people bought turbo six-cylinder Falcon's, that had a character all of its own and had a lot of legacy to fall back on. This in turn also relates to the Kia badge, at the time paying $60,000+ for Kia was not a common thing.

-At launch, the car lacked finesse. Handling was almost there but lacking the finer control and feedback of the VF Commodore. The engines were not pleasant to listen too, something that V8 Falcon's and Commodores for the same price aced, even the Turbo Barra had a more refined note. Some interior plastics were chintzy for the price. All of this would have been stuff that would have been refined with model updates and generation changes, but clearly the sales worldwide did not warrant effort.

The Stinger failed for a variety of reasons, some of it Kia's fault and some of it a buyer sentiment fault.
__________________
PX MK II Ranger
FG XR6
FG X XR8
Mustang GT

T3 TS50 - gone but not forgotten
DFB FGXR6 is online now   Reply With Quote Multi-Quote with this Post
7 users like this post:
Old 22-12-2022, 06:05 PM   #512
MITCHAY
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Canberra
Posts: 13,297
Default Re: KIA - Would you buy one?

It is sad to hear but an inevitable outcome it seems. I was looking forward to seeing the what the rumoured Mazda inline 6 was going to be but looks like that is dead too.

Zero interest in a SUV or ute (other than a Commodore or Falcon of course).
MITCHAY is offline   Reply With Quote Multi-Quote with this Post
Old 22-12-2022, 06:06 PM   #513
hayseed
Guest
 
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 1,895
Default Re: KIA - Would you buy one?

The long & the short of it, Is.

No ones Buying rear wheel Drive sedans anymore..!!
hayseed is offline   Reply With Quote Multi-Quote with this Post
Old 22-12-2022, 06:31 PM   #514
Franco Cozzo
Thailand Specials
 
Franco Cozzo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Centrefold Lounge
Posts: 48,238
Default Re: KIA - Would you buy one?

Quote:
Originally Posted by hayseed View Post
The long & the short of it, Is.

No ones Buying rear wheel Drive sedans anymore..!!
Maybe - Tesla Model 3 is up there in numbers on VFACTS when the shipments arrive in Australia

I think it could be a niche market, wonder if it would be different if the Stinger had two engine options:

TT V6 as base model option
5L V8 (Hyundai Tau)

Oh wait, Hyundai killed its V8 this year

https://www.carthrottle.com/post/hyu...be-killed-off/

Never mind - Hyundai and Kia share vehicle platforms so surely there wouldn't have been a problem getting their hands on the V8.

I think it could have been good for the US and Australian markets.

BMW 3 series, Mercedes C/E class and Tesla Model 3 are all RWD sedans which sell in various numbers - it won't be as popular as SUVs but there's still a market there, its just niche market and you can charge more for those ones.

The old man was keen on the Kia Stinger, except when he found out it was auto only, yeah sure he's a dinosaur but its a potential customer who would have bought one if it was available as an option, he's not a badge snob, he just ended up in Euro Fords because they were the best cars in their segments.

Except they don't exist anymore either in Australia - its to the point where its down to the new WRX or the Hyundai i30N

Last edited by Franco Cozzo; 22-12-2022 at 06:40 PM.
Franco Cozzo is online now   Reply With Quote Multi-Quote with this Post
This user likes this post:
Old 23-12-2022, 09:40 AM   #515
Bossxr8
Peter Car
 
Bossxr8's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: geelong
Posts: 23,192
Default Re: KIA - Would you buy one?

Quote:
Originally Posted by FTE217 View Post
I think KIA did a great job on looking to fill the hole but imo came too late.
As mentioned many V8 devotees moved on - be it SUV's/performance or otherwise, Tradies went to Thai specials OR even bought another aussie V8 last of/collecter OR 1/2/3yrs older for another weekender having the Thai special.
On the other hand myself for eg, I just couldn't bring myself to buy the Stinger no matter how good a owner raves on about it and could buy new few years ago and now.
I passed on my daily 4x4 hilux to one of the sons and bought a very low k 330i BM wagon around the Stinger money instead.
Not looking back I just can't see a KIA in my fleet but for the Mrs's.

Nah Bossxr8 the amount of CClass MB sedans, BMer sedans 3/4/5series Audis is quite surprising in my travels round Sydney.
There's a motza of them they are still grabbing their numbers especially MB/BM despite the bucket load of their own SUV's.
Even seeing more new wagons of both recently that caught my eye.
Depends what ticks your box's when spotting on the road I guess.
Sure SUV's are the go to for a number of years now but there is still life in the medium segment.
Just comes down what the bean counter will say amongst any of the OE sedan builders.
Makes sense those platforms integrating to SUV anyway as occurs, just make sure offering performance models in the meantime.
The C class and 3 series are still going ok. But it’s telling that their numbers globally are dropping off, while GLC and X3 outsell them and continue to grow.

Sedans are dropping off globally, the numbers show this clearly. Just because you see them around doesn’t change that fact.
Bossxr8 is offline   Reply With Quote Multi-Quote with this Post
This user likes this post:
Old 31-12-2022, 08:49 AM   #516
anobserver
Oppressive patriarch
 
anobserver's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 664
Default Re: KIA - Would you buy one?

The Stinger might be worth a punt, especially given its pending demise.

https://www.drive.com.au/news/offici...-stinger-dead/

Be a pleasant drive for a few years whilst hoping scarcity maintains resale.
__________________
.
Lamenting lost Australian manufacturing.

Ute tragic.
anobserver is online now   Reply With Quote Multi-Quote with this Post
Old 31-12-2022, 12:05 PM   #517
Bossxr8
Peter Car
 
Bossxr8's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: geelong
Posts: 23,192
Default Re: KIA - Would you buy one?

Quote:
Originally Posted by anobserver View Post
The Stinger might be worth a punt, especially given its pending demise.

https://www.drive.com.au/news/offici...-stinger-dead/

Be a pleasant drive for a few years whilst hoping scarcity maintains resale.
I reckon you would be hard up getting one now. Reports saying production will end 2nd quarter, and kia australia are not getting any final edition models because their allocation is full from previous orders, and police allocations. Unless they have some in stock. Unlikely though.
Bossxr8 is offline   Reply With Quote Multi-Quote with this Post
This user likes this post:
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Forum Jump


All times are GMT +11. The time now is 05:41 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.5
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Other than what is legally copyrighted by the respective owners, this site is copyright www.fordforums.com.au
Positive SSL