When we last caught up with the Kia Stinger, it was the subject of a report which indicated that the sleek four door might not live to see a second generation due to slowing sales despite a mid-cycle refresh that the model was supposed to receive in the near future. However, an all new report appears to not only confirm that the mid-cycle refresh is on track, but that the Stinger could survive by evolving to better cope with the times.
This was all revealed in remarks released by Kia design chief Karim Habib during an interview that was done with the folks at Top Gear. In the interview, Habib hopes that “The spirit of the Stinger” remains at Kia as the brand evolves into a marque that will strongly focus on green and EV offerings. “As the technology goes toward EVs and as the world and its appetite for these types of cars changes, the concept probably has to evolve as well,” stated Habib.
But does Habib’s statement reveal that the Stinger could be given the opportunity to evolve into a pure EV offering? When one looks at Kia’s recent statements, the groundwork certainly appears to be in place, with the Korean car brand revealing that it intends to launch no less than 11 new EV offerings by 2025. This includes a few that would be equipped with an 800 volt charging system that could perhaps be tailored towards performance focused offerings. The initiative is also being done in partnership with Hyundai in an effort to create vehicles that could be made on bigger platforms, while also offering more power than their two current EV models the Kia Soul and the Hyundai Kona. Naturally, its safe to assume that this nod to bigger platforms could give the Stinger a relatively easy way into the fold.
If an electrified Stinger does indeed make its appearance eventually, look for performance to be noticeably ahead of the 255 horsepower 2.0 liter turbocharged four cylinder engine, and perhaps be on par with the 365 horsepower wielded by the twin-turbocharged V6. The green hardware would also be a noticeable improvement over the 25 mpg offered by the current Stinger. That low figure is one of the few weaknesses of the Stinger, and has perhaps played a role in its meager sales performance. Kia is also working on battery technology that promises to deliver up to 310 miles of driving range. It will be interesting to see if all of this technology can mesh with Kia’s other efforts at making the models still relevant and affordable for buyers.
it will be interesting to see what the future holds for the Stinger in this particular regard, but what is known for now is that the Stinger is indeed getting a light refresh which will feature revised exterior styling, and possible sprinkles of extra performance for both the 2.0 liter four cylinder and the 3.3 liter V6.
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.