One of the first signs sent by Kia on the move upmarket dates back to 2011 with the GT Concept. However, it wasn’t until 2017 that the next production version arrived as the Stinger. The sporty gran tourer was praised by journalists, but sales never matched the hype surrounding the car. In recent years, there have been many rumors about his disappearance. A new report from Automatic times claims the end is near for the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe rival.
The South Korean publication says Kia will discontinue the Stinger in April 2023 due to weak demand. Until September, only 1,499 units were sold in South Korea, making it the slowest Kia in its home market. A direct replacement is apparently not planned, but designer Karim Habib said last year that the EV6 GT served a similar role in the lineup.
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Despite poor sales, Kia hasn’t ignored the Stinger. This gave the swoopy liftback a mid-cycle update that resulted in a power boost in the US last year. The Stinger lost its base 2.0 liter engine in favor of a 2.5 liter mill developing 300 hp or 45 hp more than its predecessor. Additionally, the top-of-the-line GT with its twin-turbocharged 3.3-liter V6 has been massaged to deliver 368 hp. It retained the rear-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive configurations, tied exclusively to an eight-speed automatic transmission.
The nip and tuck came with some slight cosmetic changes to the body and wheels, as well as a larger 4.2-inch driver display and a 10.25-inch touchscreen for infotainment. For the US market, Kia introduced the special edition Stinger Scorpion with an assortment of black accents, faux carbon fiber trim inside, and a choice of black or red Nappa leather upholstery.
What comes after the Stinger? Well, the same report published by Automatic times claims an electric swoopy sedan will arrive in 2025, although nothing is official yet.
