Kia Stinger could be replaced by an electric sedan – UPDATE

UPDATE, AUGUST 4: Fresh reports out of South Korea suggest the current Kia Stinger could soon be replaced with a new electric model rather than discontinued as recently speculated.

According to Korean Car Blog, Senior Vice President of Design at Kia Karim Habib revealed an in interview with ChosunBiz that the company is "preparing a new model for the Stinger...we want the Stinger spirit to stay at the heart of hunger.”

Previously reports have suggested the model might be axed altogether, and its place in the marque's line-up taken by an electric or hybrid vehicle instead. It's thought an electric sports sedan might be launched as a replacement for the internal combustion engine Stinger. It also remains unknown if it will bear the same name.

There were 58 Stingers sold in Australia in July, and 1025 in the year to date. Last month a spokesperson for Kia Australia told Wheels it could not comment on future production plans.

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The story to here

JULY 20: The Kia Stinger’s days could be numbered with reports suggesting the model could be discontinued to make way for more hybrid and electric cars.

According to Korean Car Blog, it is understood the Sohari plant in Gwangmyeong, South Korea, which currently makes the Stinger, is to be repurposed to build electric and hybrid vehicles – with the hybrid version of the Kia Carnival people-mover highlighted as a big focus of the switch.

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It is said the production switchover will begin in early 2022.

So far no mention has been made by Kia about plans for a second-generation Stinger or of any possibility of electrifying the model.

This, combined with slow sales in overseas markets, could mean the end for Kia’s premier sports sedan offering, which has still seen steady sales numbers in Australia. Since its local debut in 2017, 6350 Stingers have been sold in Australia, which is reasonable in the shrinking sedan market.

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With all this said, the Stinger only recently underwent a facelift earlier this year, so it would seem odd to kill off the model so quickly after an update.

Reports also suggest its production could be moved to another of Kia’s assembly plants in Ulsan, which currently produces the Genesis G70 sedan. Alternatively, it could also continue at the Sohari plant in low numbers.

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Currently, the Stinger is offered in Australia in two main variants – the 182kW/353Nm 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder and 274kW/510Nm 3.3-litre twin-turbo V6, both mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission and available as a sedan only.

A spokesperson for Kia Australia told WhichCar: “As a company policy, we do not share future production plans this far in advance. Further information will be disclosed in due course.”