Kia has undergone a metamorphosis as a brand since 2017. Once a punchline known for producing cheap, unreliable cars, Kia can now show up at the Quail with a flashy new EV and have everyone excited rather than wondering who let the riff-raff in. One of the pivotal cars in that transition has been the Stinger.
Kia debuted the midsize sport sedan for the 2018 model year when it nearly took home North American Car of the Year. The Stinger is not as refined of a product as the Porsche Panamera. But in GT form, it matches the power output and delivers the general vibes for about half the price, making it one of the best sports car deals on the market.
Alas, automotive tastes have changed. It’s a tight market for midsize sedans. And despite its critical acclaim, the Stinger has never matched the sales success of the Telluride SUV. There have long been reports and rumors about it leaving the lineup. And Kia just officially confirmed that it is leaving production and being sent off with a Stinger Tribute Edition.
The Stinger Tribute Edition, limited to 1,000 units globally, builds on the GT model, which packs the larger 3.3-liter turbocharged V6 engine putting out 368 horsepower and 376 lb-ft of torque. It does not upgrade the performance. But you can get a new Moonscape matte grey paint color and bespoke Terracotta brown leather on the interior. It will also have a numbered door sill plate, in case anyone doubted it was the Stinger Tribute Edition.
It’s sad to see the Kia Stinger go. But Genesis still offers the G70 sedan for about the same price. And anyone looking to spend around $50,000 on a sporty Kia can buy an AWD EV6 or upgrade to a 577 hp EV6 GT — two cars now possible because of the Stinger.
