Slow sales could lead to a premature retirement of the sports sedan.
A spokesperson for Kia America stated the following to Motor1.com when asked about Stinger production:
You may be tempted to buy a new Hyundai Stinger if you have been putting off buying one. The sales of the sporty sedan are not good. A next-generation Stinger remains unknown. This could be an issue as the next generation Stinger model is expected to end in spring 2022.
According to reports, Kia released a production plan for its South Korean manufacturing plants on July 16. The Stinger is built at the Sohari Plant of Hyundai Motors in Gwangmyeong. However, Korean Car blog reports that the plant will be retooled for mass production of electrified future vehicles. This includes a hybrid version the new Carnival minivan. The report also cites unnamed sources from the local industry. It states that Stinger production will cease by the end of the second quarter 2022.
Although the report shows a grim future for this sports sedan, we recommend taking it with a grain of salt. The Stinger recently received a facelift in all markets. This year , the US version was brand new. It seems unlikely that the Stinger will be completely scrapped after such an investment. However, Stingers are also made in other countries like South Korea. If the Sohari facility’s timeframe is correct, production in lower volumes could be continued in other locations.
Stinger sales have been disappointing, that is for sure. In 2019, only 13,861 Stingers were sold in the US, and that number fell to 12,556 by 2020 in less than ideal conditions. In 2021, the global chip shortage will continue to take a toll on sales. Year-to-date sales have increased by only 147 cars through June 2021. It is the most popular model in America, while European sales are worse. The numbers suggest that Kia may be removing the model from its lineup next year.