Kia Continues Quest To Lure German Buyers More Powerful Stinger GT

Kia dared to introduce a sporty liftback in an SUV-obsessed world, and while sales of the Stinger have not lived up to the company’s expectations, a mid-cycle refresh will try to lure customers that would otherwise buy something German. A new report from South Korean magazine Top Rider claims there will be quite a few changes for the car’s impending facelift.

First of all, the range-topping GT is said to use an upgraded version of the existing twin-turbo 3.3-liter V6 engine. Output is expected to grow from the current 365 horsepower and 376 pound-feet (510 Newton-meters) of torque to 380 hp and 390 lb-ft (528 Nm). The bump in output will be complemented by the company’s first implementation of a variable exhaust system with adjustable flaps to alter the soundtrack.

MDarringer - 4/15/2020 9:13:57 AM

+1 Boost

The Stinger is a great car, but Kia has it aimed wrong. If they had aimed it at the Charger/Mustang crowd it probably would have fared batter. Incorrect market placement and zero marketing means that it sells as poorly as the Alfa Romeo Giulia. This update will not change things.

F1_Driver - 4/15/2020 9:33:01 AM

+2 Boost

Anyone buying a Kia Stinger? I hardly see any in my metropolitan area.

MDarringer - 4/15/2020 2:30:31 PM

+1 Boost

Not a soul.

SSBMW - 4/16/2020 10:49:35 AM

-1 Boost

Come on Matt, be a good sportage.

Yonder7 - 4/15/2020 10:04:51 AM

+2 Boost

I would...

cidflekken - 4/15/2020 1:56:35 PM

+4 Boost

The Stinger demographic is way too narrow. It's not attracting the prospective German buyer. It's attracting male buyers who are looking to get out of Accords, Camrys, Fusions, and the like and make a more lateral move vs. a move upmarket. Very little, almost zero, interest from females. This narrow appeal may be part of its intent since it's supposed to be more of a 4-door coupe. But I see tons of 4 Series GC and A4 Sportbacks vs. Stingers.
To Darringer's point, it's not attracting Camaro/Mustang/Challengers shoppers, which should be its target. However, how many of those buyers would respond with, "But it's a Kia" or "it's not from 'Murica"? Kind of like expecting the Tundra or Titan to steal an F-150 or Silverado buyer. Likely not going to happen.

MDarringer - 4/15/2020 2:30:18 PM

-3 Boost

A V8 for $35K could save the Stinger overnight.

cidflekken - 4/15/2020 3:47:10 PM

+3 Boost

And let me add that Servicing costs for the car are ridiculous. They rival Audi and BMW.

MDarringer - 4/15/2020 7:37:16 PM

+1 Boost

They shouldn't be because Stingers aren't unreliable like Audis and BMWs.

cidflekken - 4/16/2020 1:49:23 AM

+2 Boost

Issues of reliability for me would have been covered by warranty anyway. However, in the almost 10 years with an Audi and BMW, only one small malfunction of the BMW's TPMS. That's it. No other issues outside of dashboard rattling, but the Stinger is pretty horrendous for that as well, all the way around. And the exterior trim pieces of the Stinger, I've had to had replaced 3 times because of odd wear. Absolutely nothing I did. Unfortunately, the dealer acted like, "oh, yeah, these pieces".

But I'm speaking of just the routine servicing intervals. Very costly.

carloslassiter - 4/15/2020 8:18:06 PM

+3 Boost

Kias aren't cool. It's really that simple.

MDarringer - 4/15/2020 8:33:25 PM

0 Boost

Clearly you're unaware of the large crossover market where the Telluride is the cool one at the head of the game.

mini22 - 4/15/2020 8:22:16 PM

+3 Boost

Yeh-Its a shame it doesn't sell better. It's a decent car that maybe priced about 5 grand too high. To bad no manual shift offered. If they did 4 things. Slightly firm up the suspension, offer a manual, offer a louder exhaust, and about 5 grand off all models you than have a 4dr Mustang, Camaro, Charger fighter.

MDarringer - 4/15/2020 8:53:10 PM

0 Boost

It many ways, it's what Alfa Romeo wanted in the Giulia, but they developed garbage instead. The build quality (fit and finish) is better on the Stinger. In person, the Stinger has presence whereas the Giulia looks like a generic 3 Series clone with an Edsel grille tacked on. The Giulia simply isn't as amazing to drive as the automotive press it is. My theory is that at the whores and drugs "introduction" party for Giulia, Rocco and Vinnie have pictures of the auto journalists with sex workers and threatened to tell wifey.

jtz7 - 4/15/2020 8:46:40 PM

+2 Boost

Kia stinger isn't selling because they have too many sedans that arent in high demand. Rid the Cadenza and it will sell better. And who asked for a 2nd generation K900 when the 1st generation sedan flopped

Those little Cadenza and K900 sells, if Kia axed those cars out the line up, those could be Stinger sells.

MDarringer - 4/15/2020 9:26:05 PM

0 Boost

Arguably, they should kill the Forte, reposition the Optima downward to be a value sedan--because that us the ONLY way sedans will sell--and then install the Stinger where the middle to high Optima is now. The Credenza and Caninehundred are dumb products.

jtz7 - 4/17/2020 6:37:59 PM

+1 Boost

I'm curious who is going to buy a Cadenza now that the cars above and below it Optima and Stinger have AWD? And if they are going to sell the 2nd generation K900 why would you design cars underneath it looking better? Why would you aim your flagship car to be the most boring sedan in the line up? If it was ip to me, 2nd generation Stinger would get the Mustang treatment add a Stinger SUV.

MDarringer - 4/17/2020 7:04:43 PM

0 Boost

AWD isn't a huge seller for us as in virtually not at all. The Credenza is a great car but it serves no purpose. Price it like an Optima and price the Optima like a Forte and it would improve sales.

jtz7 - 4/18/2020 6:56:56 AM

+1 Boost

I didn't know AWD wasnt a seller. You think a Stinger variant as a SUV would be wise like the Mustang?

MDarringer - 4/18/2020 11:59:58 AM

+1 Boost

"Seems it never rains in southern California
Seems I've often heard that kind of talk before"

Because it is dry here most of the time, people really don't care if their crossover is AWD or not. In fact, you'd probably be surprised by how many Jeeps sold aren't AWD/4WD.

I think putting a V8 into the Stinger for $35K and then aggressively marketing it as a muscle car would double sales. I'd also put it out as a cop car. The Charger has enjoyed the aura of being the fast cop car. Ford used the strategy brilliantly with the Foxstang LX.

carsnyc - 4/15/2020 8:53:29 PM

+2 Boost

The Stinger is a college case sample of price strategy gone wrong.

MDarringer - 4/15/2020 9:26:55 PM

+1 Boost

And also the stupidity of ZERO marketing.

jtz7 - 4/17/2020 6:40:24 PM

+1 Boost

To solve that, get rid of the Cadenza and K900. That will free up the price strategy by adding a lower trim level.

MDarringer - 4/18/2020 12:55:55 PM

+1 Boost

Even then it wouldn't sell. Because people are not coming in to look at a Stinger and going "Dayumm!! Look at that Cadenza or look at that K900!! Must buy that instead."

The Credenza, the Caninehundred, and Stinger represent a sedan-based market approach which was great 10 years ago. But Kia has been SLOW to respond. The Telluride and the new Sorento show that they are catching on as to how to meet their near-premium market goals.

Hyundai/Kia/Genesis wants to compete with BMW so they aim at BMW rather than first aiming at Mustang/Charger and getting sales going. AND THEN in the next generation move toward the BMW goal with a groundswell of customers waiting for what's next.

carloslassiter - 4/15/2020 9:34:28 PM

+1 Boost

Clearly you're unaware of the large crossover market where the Telluride is the cool one at the head of the game.
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You should shout that at everyone who doesn't buy a Stinger. I'm sure it will work.

MDarringer - 4/18/2020 2:40:47 PM

+1 Boost

Tellurides sell without effort.

valhallakey - 4/15/2020 11:35:45 PM

+2 Boost

They should have boosted it to 400hp even and then started a nice marketing campaign about better, faster, smarter etc... the married with kids alternative to a Mustang/Camaro.

Section_31_JTK - 4/16/2020 8:06:45 PM

+1 Boost

Super. It'll make a tremendous buy on the used market in a couple of years.

MDarringer - 4/16/2020 9:20:45 PM

+2 Boost

There won't be many for sale used because the Stinger is dead for sales.