Upgraded 2021 Kia Stinger breaks out

The first major upgrade for the Kia Stinger since its launch in mid-2017 has been revealed, bringing interior and exterior design updates and more standard equipment, but no new engines for the popular rear-drive fastback sedan.

Confirmed for Australian release in the fourth-quarter of this year - think October - the upgraded 2021 Kia Stinger will bring redesigned headlights and tail-lights, plus a refreshed interior with an upgraded infotainment system.

However, Kia Australia has confirmed the Stinger’s midlife makeover will not be accompanied by powertrain changes, at least in our market.

There has been talk that the 2021 Kia Stinger would benefit from a more powerful (280kW/530Nm) 3.5-litre twin-turbo petrol V6 borrowed from the new Genesis G80 luxury sedan, alongside the Hyundai Group’s latest 2.5-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder (225kW/420Nm).

But Kia Australia today told carsales the 2021 Kia Stinger will continue Down Under with its existing 3.3-litre twin-turbo V6 (272kW/510Nm), which doesn’t give much away in terms of power to the newer engine, and its 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine (182kW/353Nm) at the entry level.

No engine details were announced in today’s global press release, but Kia said it plans to “reveal more details about the upgraded Stinger soon, including its new powertrain line-up and technologies”.

Suggesting other markets may indeed score upgraded engines, Kia referred to “more powerful examples of the Stinger” that can be optioned with “wide-bore bright silver exhaust mufflers” on up-spec models.

The upgraded exhaust outlets are paired with a more aggressively styled rear diffuser designed to add a bit more eye candy.

Other visual updates that will come with Australia’s Kia Stinger facelift include new LED headlight and tail-light designs.

At the front of the car, the new headlight cluster gives the 2021 Kia Stinger a “more high-tech light signature, with sharp slashes of light angled slightly towards the front of the car,” says Kia.

The rear-end features a new full-width LED light bar book-ended by updated tail-light designs. The indicators have also been redesigned with 10 LEDs on each side, arranged in a grid pattern that Kia says represents a chequered flag.

There are also new 18- and 19-inch alloy wheel designs, which will be joined by a new exterior colour.

Kia will also offer a new ‘dark pack’ that adds a gloss-black diffuser, black versions of the wider muffler tips and a black Stinger badge on the back, reminiscent of the existing Night Sky variant.

For the USA only, the Kia Stinger’s sinister theme can be dialed up with a ‘black pack’ adding 19-inch matte-black alloy wheels, mirror caps and wheel-arch trims, along with a new rear spoiler.

The cabin gets several upgrades too, including various metallic-look highlights including around the digital instrument cluster and on the steering wheel.

The frameless interior mirror is new too, while the doors and dashboard get contrast stitching to add a little more sportiness.

The 2021 Kia Stinger gets the bigger 10.2-inch touch-screen infotainment system (up from 8.0-inch) first seen in the Kia Seltos, along with ambient LED interior lights offering 64 colour choices.

Korean customers can order a new dark brown leather interior with diamond-quilted Nappa leather seats. Global markets – including Australia – can choose from black, red or beige Nappa leather and a range-topping Saturn black option that features black suede with contrasting red stitching in a chain pattern.

The upgraded 2021 Kia Stinger will launch first in Korea in the next month or so and is then expected to land in Aussie showrooms from around October.

“The updated model builds on the svelte gran turismo design we introduced three years ago with modern flair and a subtle hint of aggression to enhance its on-road presence,” said Karim Habib, Kia’s design boss.

Stay tuned for more details.