The South Korean brand’s head office has announced the end of production of the large sedan.
When it first launched in 2017 many Aussies believed the Stinger would be the spiritual successor to homegrown large-car favourites the Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon.
It was lauded for its rear-wheel drive layout and 3.3-litre twin-turbocharged V6 petrol engine that made a burly 274kW and 510Nm. It undercut premium sedans and offered luxury features no one else could match for the price.
It was also a proper driver’s car.
Even as Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon production ended, the Stinger’s sales never took off as Australian and global buyers’ tastes switched to SUVs.
Its demise poses a problem for several police forces in Australia that use the Stinger as Highway Patrol cars.
In the first 11 months of this year Kia has sold more than 2100 Stingers. The brand sold three times as many large Sorento SUVs.
Large sedans made up just 0.5 per cent of all sales this year, or less than 5000. It’s a far cry from the late 90s when the Falcon and Commodore dominated, making up roughly one in five vehicles sales.
Kia’s senior vice president, Chang Sung Ryu, paid tribute to the Stinger’s contribution to the business and its performance focused vision.
“As we enter a new age of mobility, Kia will satisfy the needs of customers who seek to enjoy elevated levels of dynamic driving pleasure through high-performance electrified models such as the EV6 GT,” says Ryu.
Kia is marking the occasion with a limited run of 1000 “Tribute Edition” models.
“The Stinger Tribute Edition denotes an important chapter in the story of Kia’s high-performance ethos. Featuring an exclusive colour and interior trim never before seen on the sedan, it also serves as a fitting celebration of the Stinger’s contribution to the Kia brand,” says Ryu.