When I witnessed Kia pull the sheet off the 2018 Stinger, I was both shocked and confused. Two questions hit me like a kick to the teeth: How did the decision to built a sports sedan pass the higher-ups when SUVs seem to be the big focus right now, and secondly, how the hell is Kia expecting to compete with the Germans? Well, an hour or so later, I sat down inside the Stinger and immediately I realized it was significantly more comfortable that the new BMW 5 Series I had just sat in. Then a few months later, I got behind the wheel of one, and sure enough, the Stinger was a BMW, Mercedes, and Audi Fighter through and through. Kia did it. The company managed to put itself in a position to compete with other luxury and performance brands. However, the Stinger hasn’t exactly lived up to sales expectations, and new reports are indicating that Kia is about to do something about it. Something big, as a matter of fact.
2021 Kia Stinger: More Power, Better Tech
It’s hard to say why the Stinger didn’t live up to sales expectations. It is, in almost every way, on par with any German model of the same size and performance range. In reality, the Stinger has what it takes to steal consumers from other brands, but something just didn’t sit right. At first, I thought that perhaps it’s just the Kia name. The company was associated with entry-level, affordable econoboxes for so long that it’s a hard shadow to break free from. But, I don’t think that’s it. I think it’s that Kia put so much effort into keeping the Stinger affordable yet attractive, that it forgot to add a little bit of extra modernity into the pot. The infotainment system is outdated compared to some of the models it competes with. It has an analog instrument cluster – something that even some entry-level models are moving away from. And, those 365 ponies do sit at the bottom of the performance pool for a model this size. The Stinger is a good car, but there’s room for improvement. And, improve the Stinger Kia will.
A new report from South Korean Magazine, Top Rider, exposes Kia’s plans to update the Stinger in all of the right ways, something that should – hopefully – allow it to better compete in the cut-throat market it resides in.
As far as styling changes go, expect to see some minor exterior updates. New front and rear fascias should make the Stinger even sportier than before. There’s also word that the headlights will see an awesome update while the taillights will be updated to some extent and get linked together by a full-width LED light bar. On the inside, Kia is said to be planning an all-digital instrument cluster and a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system that’s not only larger but more responsive than that of the current model. Some other interior updates could take place as well, but we’ll have to wait to learn more about those.
Kia is said to be introducing the 2021 Stinger in South Korea in July of 2020 while the European and U.S. model should be showcased a few months after that, also as a 2021 model.