More Power on the Way for Kia Stinger?

It’s a car-heavy day here at TTAC, and thank God for that. These vehicles still exist, and it seems automakers who stubbornly continue to field ’em haven’t given up on the idea of improving three-box products.

That said, it’s hard to think of a mainstream automaker that offers more choice in cars than Kia Motors, and one of its more (most?) interesting products could be due for an upgrade.

Australia outlet Car Sales reports that, at least for the Down Under market, the refreshed Stinger scheduled to land for the 2021 model year will generate more oomph in uplevel guise. By that we mean the V6 model, which happens to also be the one most consumers actually buy. Carrying a twin-turbocharged 3.3-liter under its hood (good for 365 horsepower and 376 lb-ft of torque), the Stinger is a liftback, rear-drive/AWD alternative to the more mainstream FWD Optima.

For 2021, sources claim the Stinger will carry the same engine, slightly upgraded in output thanks to exhaust system changes, rather than the new turbo 3.5-liter V6 set to proliferate through the Genesis lineup. Bringing up the bottom of the model’s range will be the same turbo 2.0-liter, good for 255 hp and 260 lb-ft.

This is Australian-market stuff, and the automaker could decide to temp buyers in the much larger market of North America with something hotter, either on the top or bottom end. Models like the G70, G80, GV80 crossover, and Hyundai Sonata N-Line offer a turbo 2.5-liter with either 290 or 300 horses and 310 or 311 lb-ft.

Hyundai Motor Group’s 3.5-liter makes 375 hp and 391 lb-ft, which would still position it above a better-breathing 3.3L. We’ll see if this product planning holds true for U.S. Stingers. As the sportiest member of the Kia clan, you’d think the brand would want to outfit the sedan with as much off-the-shelf power as possible.

Introduced for the 2018 model year, the Stinger was an unexpected surprise in a hollowing-out midsize sedan market. A niche model, it’s outsold by all but the Sasquatch-scarce K900 luxury barge and Cadenza upper-midsizer. Sales fell in 2019 to the tune of 17.5 percent.

[Image: Kia Motors]