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Kia GT4 Stinger: How a Concept Became Kia's Fastback
Kia kept its 2015 promise, though not in the form the GT4 Stinger concept suggested. The two-door show car of 2014 stayed a concept. What reached production was the Stinger, a five-door rear-wheel-drive fastback revealed in Detroit in January 2017. It was built from October 2017 to April 2023, and about 138,000 were sold.
Key takeaways
- GT4 Stinger concept: Detroit, January 2014, 2.0 turbo with 235 kW (315 hp) and rear-wheel drive.
- September 2015: Kia's UK chief said a sports model would arrive by 2020.
- The production Stinger came in 2017 with up to 274 kW from a 3.3 twin-turbo V6.
- Production ended in April 2023 after 138,392 sales.
The Kia GT4 Stinger concept of 2014
The GT4 Stinger was shown at the Detroit motor show on 13 January 2014. It was a compact 2+2 coupé with a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine making 235 kW (315 hp). Drive went to the rear wheels.
Size at a glance
| Dimensions | Kia Stinger CK |
|---|---|
| Length | 4,830 mm190.2 in |
| Width | 1,870 mm73.6 in |
| Height | 1,400 mm55.1 in |
| Wheelbase | 2,905 mm114.4 in |
| Boot | 406 L14.3 cu ft |
Kia gave it double-wishbone suspension at both ends, Brembo brakes and 20-inch centre-lock wheels on Pirelli P Zero tyres. The old 1cars report adds a six-speed manual gearbox. The car followed the larger Kia GT concept of 2011, a four-door shown in Frankfurt with a 3.3-litre turbocharged V6.
What Kia promised in 2015
In September 2015 Paul Philpott, then head of Kia in the UK, told Autocar that Kia would build a sports model by 2020. He said it would use lessons from both concepts and be sold worldwide. The rivals he named were the Audi A7 and the BMW 5 Series GT.
Those rivals were a strong hint. They are large five-door fastbacks, not small coupés, and the production car turned out to be exactly that. Until then Kia's biggest saloon for Europe was the front-wheel-drive Kia Optima.
The 2017 Stinger: what reached production
| Parameter | GT4 Stinger concept (2014) | Kia Stinger (2017–2023) |
|---|---|---|
| Body | Two-door 2+2 coupé | Five-door fastback |
| Engines | 2.0 turbo four | 2.0 turbo, 2.5 turbo, 2.2 diesel, 3.3 twin-turbo V6 |
| Top power | 235 kW (315 hp) | 272 kW (370 PS), later 274 kW (373 PS) |
| Drive | Rear | Rear or all-wheel |
| 0–100 km/h | - | 4.9 s (V6, Kia figure) |
| Status | Show car only | About 138,000 sold |
The Stinger was designed by Peter Schreyer and Gregory Guillaume at Kia's Frankfurt studio. Albert Biermann, formerly head of engineering at BMW M, developed the chassis. It used a shortened version of the Genesis rear-wheel-drive platform and covered 10,000 km of testing on the Nürburgring Nordschleife.
By our calculation, the V6 Stinger had about 16 % more power than the GT4 Stinger concept. That came with a bigger body and four doors. All versions are listed on the Kia Stinger page.
From concept to Stinger: the timeline
| Year | Sales | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 9,314 | Detroit reveal in January; production from October |
| 2018 | 33,341 | Best year |
| 2020 | 21,794 | Facelift in August; 2.5 turbo replaces the 2.0 in some markets |
| 2022 | 15,234 | End of production announced in October |
| 2023 | 10,016 | Production ends in April; Tribute Edition |
Kia gave falling demand and its electric plans as the reasons. The performance role passed to the electric EV6 GT, revealed in 2022.
Buying one used today: our verdict
The 3.3 V6 GT is the one to choose if you want the car Kia set out to build. It suits drivers who want a fast, rear-driven saloon for less than German rivals cost. The 2.0 and 2.5 turbos suit lower running costs, while the diesel was sold only in some markets until 2020.
Compare it with the Audi A7 or a BMW using the comparison tool, see how its 274 kW ranks in the 1cars rankings and browse the Kia catalogue.
FAQ
Was the Kia GT4 Stinger ever produced?
No. The GT4 Stinger was a two-door concept shown in Detroit in January 2014. Kia used its name and ideas for the production Stinger, a five-door fastback revealed in January 2017 and built until April 2023.
What engine did the GT4 Stinger concept have?
It had a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine with 235 kW (315 hp), driving the rear wheels. The old 1cars report lists a six-speed manual gearbox. Brembo brakes and 20-inch wheels completed the package.
Why did Kia stop making the Stinger?
Kia announced in October 2022 that production would end in April 2023. It gave falling demand as the main reason, as the Stinger was its lowest-selling model in South Korea, and it was moving its money into electric cars.
How many Kia Stingers were sold?
Kia sold 138,392 Stingers from 2017 to 2024. The best year was 2018 with 33,341 cars. A final Tribute Edition was announced in December 2022.
