The Kia Stinger bows out after the 2024 model year and will leave the world with one less performance rear-wheel-drive vehicle from a mainstream brand.
Kia hasn't announced plans for a direct replacement but the automaker's president, Ho-sung Song, has revealed that such a vehicle is being investigated.
“That kind of model is under study,” he told Autocar in an interview published on Monday, when asked about a replacement for the Stinger. “What kind of model can help build the brand? This is what we are now studying.”
Any replacement will likely be an EV, despite Kia together with sister brands Hyundai and Genesis all planning to introduce new hybrids to capitalize on rising demand for the vehicles. In his interview with Autocar, Song said the bulk of Kia's investments are in EVs and this remains the direction for the company. Thus any brand-building model like a Stinger replacement will have to be an EV, if approved for production.
Ho-sung Song
Rumors of an electric Stinger replacement first surfaced in February. Alleged union documents contained details of production plans for an EV8 replacing both the Stinger and the K8 midsize sedan sold overseas.
According to those documents, the EV will be a large sedan with a 113.2-kwh battery, over 600 hp, and production starting around 2026.
Kia in 2022 said it plans to have 14 EVs in its lineup by the end of 2027, including two pickup trucks and some purpose-built vehicles. In addition to the potential EV8, an EV4 compact hatchback and a PV5 midsize van are known to be coming.
