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| The Kia Stinger was introduced for the 2018 model year. 2023 will be its last. |
It’s been rumored for some time, but now the inevitable is confirmed and the 'sedanapocalypse' rolls on.
The Kia Stinger is no more after the 2023 model year - its sales have always been lukewarm, but Kia's new EV6 and other popular SUV options likely put the nail in the coffin more than this car having a "Kia" badge on the front did. Still, the Kia Stinger has been a really key model for brand in their quest to turn around their market image since it was introduced for the 2018 model year. The Stinger is positioned as a sporty, upscale, entry-level luxury sedan competitor to the likes of the BMW 3 and 4-series, Audi A4 and A5 Sportback, Volkswagen Arteon and the Cadillac CT5. I’ve also seen some people cross-shop the Stinger with the Dodge Charger, ironically. Its sibling vehicle is the Genesis G70 and it will live on.
To commemorate the Stinger, Kia will release the “Stinger Tribute Edition”, which will feature special interior and black exterior treatments. Only 1,000 units of these special edition Stingers will be built for the GLOBAL market, making it all the more exclusive. Only the 3.3TT V6 with 368 HP will be offered in the Tribute Edition and two colors will be offered – Ascot Green and a new hue called Moonscape matte grey. For the interior, the Stinger’s dashboard and door trim has new carbon-fiber accents and a Terracotta-colored leather seat is standard. On the seats, you will find a new wasp-shaped logo, meant to go hand-in-hand with the “Stinger” name.
Are you sad to see the Stinger go? I have put the link to Kia’s press release on the Stinger Tribute Edition below. I’ll be honest: The Stinger has personally never been my favorite Kia model – that honor belongs to the Optima/K5. But I’ve had several chances to get up close and personal with the Stinger during its run, since I worked in product planning at Hyundai/Kia during its development. I had a chance to drive the Stinger at SEMA 2017 around a quick test track and found it to be quick, but handling was a little ungainly for a ”sports car”. The interior is also more cramped than I expected for such a large car, but with the 3.3TT engine, the Stinger is fast and the Brembo brakes do their job to stop the car effectively. The Stinger rides smoothly due to its long wheelbase, as I learned riding in by boss’ Stinger to lunch, and it also can be a drift machine. I will upload videos soon to YouTube highlighting my experiences with the Stinger and in the drift event that was held at SEMA 2017 as well. (Check back for links soon)
Pour one out for the Stinger! While it might not have *personally* lit my soul on fire, it holds a special place in performance car history and in the evolving identity of modern Kia – which now has no “luxury” sedans left in the U.S. market with the pending demise of the Stinger. The Cadenza and K900 exited the U.S. market a couple years back with no replacements introduced here (Korea got the new K8 and a facelifted K9, however). If you still desire a high-performance Kia, they will still gladly sell you a K5 GT or a new EV6 GT as well – the latter of which essentially takes over the Kia performance crown.
Official Kia Press Release: https://www.kiamedia.com/us/en/media/pressreleases/19754/exclusive-stinger-tribute-edition-celebrates-kias-high-performance-vision
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