Kia announced it withdraws the Stinger from its UK range after five years of sales, with the upcoming EV6 GT serving as an indirect replacement. Kia said that its flagship grand tourer will remain in production in South Korea, although according to the latest reports, the Stinger will go out of production in April 2023.

The Kia Stinger was originally introduced in 2017 as a halo model for the brand and received a mild facelift in 2020. Sales never took off in most global markets fuelling rumors about a possible discontinuation for the past few years. Still, Kia describes the Stinger as “a totemic car” for the brand, introducing it to “a different type of buyer” and ” playing an important role in transforming perceptions of Kia in recent years”. The company ensured it will fulfill all existing customer orders for the Stinger GT in the UK, although order books are now closed ahead of the upcoming market launch of the fully electric EV6 GT.

Read: Kia Stinger Doing “Exceptionally Well” In Australia Despite Discontinuation Reports

The EV6 GT might be quite different from the Stinger, but the electric crossover actually outperforms the grand tourer prompting Kia to serve it as an indirect replacement. The Stinger’s twin-turbo 3.3-liter V6 T-GDi offered 365 hp (272 kW / 370 PS) and 510 Nm (376 lb-ft) of torque, while the dual electric motors of the EV6 GT produce a combined 577 hp (430 kW / 585 PS) and 546 lb-ft (740 Nm) of torque.

The EV is also quicker, accelerating from 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) in an impressive 3.5 seconds compared to the 4.7 seconds of the Stinger GT. The only area in which the ICE-powered model prevails is the top speed of 270 km/h (168 mph) against the 260 km/h (162 mph) of the EV.

While the difference in performance is notable, there is also an important price gap between the two models. More specifically, in the UK the EV6 GT is priced at £61,595 ($70,132), while the outgoing Stinger sold for a more sensible £45,210 ($51,482). In any case, the Kia EV6 GT will be available in the UK starting this quarter, with the first deliveries scheduled before the end of the year. Kia is planning on offering 14 EV models by 2027, which means we will get to see more performance-focused variants in the near future.

Kia Stinger Dropped From The UK, Will Be Indirectly Replaced By The EV6 GT
Kia Stinger Dropped From The UK, Will Be Indirectly Replaced By The EV6 GT
Kia Stinger Dropped From The UK, Will Be Indirectly Replaced By The EV6 GT
Kia Stinger Dropped From The UK, Will Be Indirectly Replaced By The EV6 GT
Kia Stinger Dropped From The UK, Will Be Indirectly Replaced By The EV6 GT
Kia Stinger Dropped From The UK, Will Be Indirectly Replaced By The EV6 GT
Kia Stinger Dropped From The UK, Will Be Indirectly Replaced By The EV6 GT
Kia Stinger Dropped From The UK, Will Be Indirectly Replaced By The EV6 GT
Kia Stinger Dropped From The UK, Will Be Indirectly Replaced By The EV6 GT
Kia Stinger Dropped From The UK, Will Be Indirectly Replaced By The EV6 GT
Kia Stinger Dropped From The UK, Will Be Indirectly Replaced By The EV6 GT
Kia Stinger Dropped From The UK, Will Be Indirectly Replaced By The EV6 GT
Kia Stinger Dropped From The UK, Will Be Indirectly Replaced By The EV6 GT
Kia Stinger Dropped From The UK, Will Be Indirectly Replaced By The EV6 GT