Stinger Production to end in Q2 2022

[JSolo]

I've been keeping an eye on my selling dealer's inventory over the last year. They definitely had more stingers in stock in the first half than the 2nd half. In fact, in recently months it's been 1 or 2 at most, mostly GT models, no gt line. The end is near.

 

[Davidoyo]

Supposedly April 2023 is when production will end. Go Buy A Kia Stinger Before It's Gone Forever

Additionally, when I ordered my 2023 Stinger a couple month ago, my dealer informed me that production was ending soon, but my order would be fulfilled.

 

[Eric OHalloran]

FWIW, I suspect the 'rumor' is true, for several reasons.

Kia hasn't been advertising or giving any real marketing support to the Stinger for a while. It's clearly an anomaly in their product lineup. Most Kia dealers and salespeople don't know what to do with it.

I think part of the reason Kia hasn't supported the Stinger is because of Hyundai's fear of cannibalization of Genesis sales. The equivalent Genesis costs more than the Stinger, and Genesis is Hyundai's 'premium' brand. The high-end Stinger was always a fish out of water at Kia, which is their corporate 'bargain' brand (even though I personally think the Stinger is much better looking and a nicer car overall than the G70).

I think the company never really thought through how to position the Stinger as part of Kia. The Genesis line was launched before the Stinger appeared in Kia's lineup. As such, it never really made sense - to have a higher end, near-luxury, high performance car stuck in a lower-price franchise? It would have made more sense to brand it a Genesis.

As @CDv6 said, Kia has the K5, a car that looks a lot like the Stinger, but with FWD only and a 4 cylinder engine, along with a lower price, fits in more logically than the Stinger did.

Lastly, 'sedans' are not popular in the U.S. market. In this country it's all CUV/SUV's all the time. Ford even discontinued all its passenger cars in the U.S. (except for the Mustang, and even there they introduced the Mach E EV SUV). It's hard for any sedan to make a business case, let alone with all the confounding issues facing the Stinger.

I personally don't want a CUV/SUV. I'm thrilled I was able to buy a Stinger, though I will miss not being able to replace it with another one down the road. It just means I'll have to take extra-good care of it, because it's going to have to last me a long time (along with a Mustang GT and a Subaru BRZ). They might be the last ICE cars I'll be buying in my lifetime.

Enjoy the Stinger while we can. These are are autumn days of high-performance ICE cars in general. The time of soulless, anodyne, autonomous EV appliance boxes is coming. Cars like the Stinger are just plain fun, having the car directly hard-wired into your central nervous system. I look forward to driving it, something that for me would never happen with an EV. Once cars like the Stinger are gone, it's very unlikely they'll be back. Get out and drive, enjoy it while you have it.

I love what you wrote and I feel the same. I just bought my 2nd Stinger(2023 GT2 Grand Tourer). I have already put 2k into it thanks to all the market support and I too will be taking care of this car like it was my child.
I believe there won't be another vehicle produced like the Stinger... ever. So like you said let's enjoy it while we can.
PS. have you ever thought of being a writer.? You have talent

 

[Stinger GT SS]

Here we are in Q4 of 2022 and the stinger is still available for a 2023 model year for production. Whats everyones thoughts?

IMO, Kia will soon definitely announce production to cease by mid 2023.

 

[Peter@K8StingerStore]

IMO, Kia will soon definitely announce production to cease by mid 2023.

Id agree there because it would make sense given they have on their website for North America, a 23 model year for purchase. Its just strange how many threads ive seen of people saying production was ending years ago with no actual announcement from Kia lol.

 

[MerlintheMad]

Id agree there because it would make sense given they have on their website for North America, a 23 model year for purchase. Its just strange how many threads ive seen of people saying production was ending years ago with no actual announcement from Kia lol.

The rumormongers also "quote" their source as saying that a new EV "Stinger" will replace the ICE car, but that it won't be out till "2025". How is that a replacement? A two year hiatus would kill off enthusiasm/anticipation; sales would be hurt by the lost time. If Kia is going to do a GT electric "Stinger" it would take over as production on the ICE car ends. Sales of the Stinger are steady, they are not in decline, and not just in the US. Why end that before a replacement is ready?

But if the replacement is going to occupy the same factory as current Stinger production, then retooling for the EV "Stinger" could easily take two years: and my skepticism would be misplaced in that case.

 

[Stinger GT SS]

Id agree there because it would make sense given they have on their website for North America, a 23 model year for purchase. Its just strange how many threads ive seen of people saying production was ending years ago with no actual announcement from Kia lol.

Yes all announcements are just speculation, also I believe a lot of early speculative announcements were driven by people who couldn’t handle seeing the Stinger receive all its accolades since it was released, anyway until Kia actually announce a cease in production then its business as usual.
Although Kia have already stopped supplying Stingers to New Zealand & I think they have announced the same in the UK as well & with AU also being a RHD market albeit the Stingers largest RHD market I think the end is near & just needs Kia to formally announce it.

 

[AnalogMan]

I love what you wrote and I feel the same. I just bought my 2nd Stinger(2023 GT2 Grand Tourer). I have already put 2k into it thanks to all the market support and I too will be taking care of this car like it was my child.
I believe there won't be another vehicle produced like the Stinger... ever. So like you said let's enjoy it while we can.
PS. have you ever thought of being a writer.? You have talent

Thanks, I appreciate that!

 

[Devin]

The rumormongers also "quote" their source as saying that a new EV "Stinger" will replace the ICE car, but that it won't be out till "2025". How is that a replacement? A two year hiatus would kill off enthusiasm/anticipation; sales would be hurt by the lost time. If Kia is going to do a GT electric "Stinger" it would take over as production on the ICE car ends. Sales of the Stinger are steady, they are not in decline, and not just in the US. Why end that before a replacement is ready?

But if the replacement is going to occupy the same factory as current Stinger production, then retooling for the EV "Stinger" could easily take two years: and my skepticism would be misplaced in that case.

I disagree that the Stinger EV would best be following the discontinuation of the ICE Stinger. I think Kia should get a few years of EV under their belts and then revive the brand five or ten years later. That would allow them to play on some nostalgia.

 

[YEH]

I think part of the reason Kia hasn't supported the Stinger is because of Hyundai's fear of cannibalization of Genesis sales. The equivalent Genesis costs more than the Stinger, and Genesis is Hyundai's 'premium' brand. The high-end Stinger was always a fish out of water at Kia, which is their corporate 'bargain' brand (even though I personally think the Stinger is much better looking and a nicer car overall than the G70).

Lastly, 'sedans' are not popular in the U.S. market. In this country it's all CUV/SUV's all the time. Ford even discontinued all its passenger cars in the U.S. (except for the Mustang, and even there they introduced the Mach E EV SUV). It's hard for any sedan to make a business case, let alone with all the confounding issues facing the Stinger.

Kia could give a rats' arse about Genesis as they don't partake in any of the profits.

Kia had no problem bringing to market the K8, which due to it stealing Grandeur sales, Hyundai ended up rushing the even grander new Grandeur to market.

Kia stopped supporting the Stinger b/c they finally realized that advertising was throwing $$ away (in this climate of short supply, really not much need for advertising) as everyone who wanted a Stinger already knew about it.

While sedans have fallen out of favor here, the Stinger is a fastback
(and not a traditional sedan w/ a trunk) which is a niche segment (compare 4 Series GC sales to 3 Series sales - no contest).

Which is an even bigger no-no for the Korean market (where larger sedans still rule).

Don't think the higher pricing had much to do w/ it as the EV6 had an ATP of $57k last Q.

The Telluride had an ATP approaching $50k and the Carnival, $44k (once the hybrid Carnival launches, should rise to around $46-47k).

If the talk of a Kia EV sedan is true, hope they go for style over drag CoE, so more like the Challenger EV and nothing like the Mercedes EQE (which, btw, got destroyed by the Electrified G80 in a C/D comparison test despite the Genesis using a modified ICE platform).

 

[YEH]

Update - Kia has revealed that there is a midsize (Euro midsized) fastback slated for around 2027.

Let's hope that this is the electric (in style) successor to the Stinger.

 

[randyhouston]

Oh dear I have a similer story to tell. When I was a kid I ALWAYS wanted a Lincoln Mark 3. When I grew up I got a Lincoln Mark VIII and loved it! I bought the 1998 model BRAND NEW. And later that year they announced they had discontinued the model after about a gillion years literally. Didn't think much about for a few years and then suddenly everytime I went to get maintenance done, if anything needed repair suddenly there were no parts available. When I bought my 2023 Stinger GT2 I asked them if this goes away am I going to run into the same issue? they assured me - oh NO no problem - uh-huh we'll see. I've been here before

 

[Devin]

Oh dear I have a similer story to tell. When I was a kid I ALWAYS wanted a Lincoln Mark 3. When I grew up I got a Lincoln Mark VIII and loved it! I bought the 1998 model BRAND NEW. And later that year they announced they had discontinued the model after about a gillion years literally. Didn't think much about for a few years and then suddenly everytime I went to get maintenance done, if anything needed repair suddenly there were no parts available. When I bought my 2023 Stinger GT2 I asked them if this goes away am I going to run into the same issue? they assured me - oh NO no problem - uh-huh we'll see. I've been here before

Big difference though... Ford's warranties were 32 months back there. KIA has a 120 month warranty so the power train parts will be produced for years.

 

[RKA123]

Big difference though... Ford's warranties were 32 months back there. KIA has a 120 month warranty so the power train parts will be produced for years.

Most importantly the power train in the Stinger (2.0, 2.5, and 3.3) can be found in tons of Hyundai/Kia/Genesis models. I suspect specific items to the Stinger such as body panels, windshields, and interior pieces will become more problematic over time. However, mechanically everything is common with so many other models I don't see availability of power train parts being an issue.

 

[Ozstung]

KIA Stinger Owners Club Australia/NZ | Facebook
Stumbled on this FWIW.