The Stinger car was made by Kia, the South Korean automaker, at its Gwangmyeong assembly plant in South Korea, across a production run that lasted from October 2017 through April 2023.
The Kia Stinger earned a devoted following as one of the few genuinely driver-focused, rear-wheel-drive sport sedans available at a non-luxury price point, competing directly with the Audi A5 Sportback and BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe at a significantly lower cost of entry.
Kia Corporation is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Group, the South Korean automotive conglomerate that also owns Hyundai Motor Company and Genesis Motor; Kia is listed on the Korea Exchange and is not a separate publicly traded entity on U.S. exchanges.
Knowing who makes the Stinger matters for buyers considering a used purchase, as understanding the manufacturing entity, corporate support, and parts supply chain helps assess long-term ownership confidence.
This article covers who made the Stinger, where it was built, why Kia discontinued it after 2023, and how the Stinger compares to its platform sibling, the Genesis G70.
So let’s get started.
Table of Contents
Who Makes the Kia Stinger?
Kia Corporation designed, engineered, and manufactured the Stinger entirely in-house as a flagship performance model for the brand.
The Stinger was developed on the Hyundai M2 platform, which it shared with the Genesis G70, and was styled by Sang-hun Ahn.
According to the Kia Stinger Wikipedia entry, production ran from October 2017 through April 2023 at Kia’s Autoland Gwangmyeong plant, formerly known as the Sohari Plant, located in Gwangmyeong, South Korea.
Kia is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Group, one of the world’s five largest automotive conglomerates, which also owns Hyundai Motor Company and the luxury Genesis brand.
The shared corporate structure gave the Stinger access to advanced powertrain technology developed across the group, including the 3.3-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine that powers the top-spec Stinger GT variants.
Over its six-year production run, Kia sold more than 65,000 Stinger units in the United States. The final model year was the 2023 Stinger Tribute Edition, a limited run of just 440 units for the U.S. market finished in either Ascot Green or Steel Matte Gray with a Terracotta Nappa leather interior.
Where Was the Stinger Made?
Every Stinger sold globally was assembled at Kia’s Autoland Gwangmyeong facility in Gwangmyeong, South Korea, just south of Seoul.
This plant, previously known as the Sohari Plant, is one of Kia’s longest-running production sites and produces a range of Kia models for both domestic and export markets.
Unlike some Kia models that are assembled in multiple countries to serve regional markets, the Stinger was never built outside South Korea for any market.
All U.S., European, Australian, and other market units were exported directly from the Gwangmyeong plant. Russian-market Stingers were assembled by Avtotor in Kaliningrad under a knockdown kit arrangement before Russia production was discontinued.
The Gwangmyeong plant’s South Korean origin gave the Stinger a strong manufacturing provenance, as South Korean automotive production is widely regarded for quality and precision.
Kia’s quality control standards at Gwangmyeong are aligned with Hyundai Motor Group’s global specifications, which have contributed to the group’s rise to the top tier of reliability rankings in independent consumer surveys.
Why Did Kia Discontinue the Stinger?
Kia discontinued the Stinger after the 2023 model year due to declining sales volume in a market that was rapidly shifting toward SUVs and crossovers at the expense of traditional sedans, even performance ones.
The Stinger sold roughly 7,809 units in the U.S. in 2022, a figure that was commercially difficult to justify given the investment required in a dedicated performance platform.
Kia positioned the Tribute Edition as a respectful send-off for a car that had earned genuine enthusiast loyalty despite modest sales.
The company acknowledged the Stinger’s role in elevating the Kia brand’s performance credibility, particularly through its twin-turbo V6 variant, which outperformed many more expensive European alternatives in independent road tests during its production years.
As of late 2025, Kia has released concept imagery suggesting a new performance-focused model under the Stinger name or a similar identity, potentially built on the group’s new electric vehicle platform.
Any successor is expected to debut as an EV with the performance characteristics of the original but in a platform suited to Kia’s electrification roadmap targeting full EV conversion by the end of the decade.
Kia Stinger vs. Genesis G70: What Is the Difference?
The Kia Stinger and Genesis G70 are closely related vehicles built on the same Hyundai M2 platform and sharing the same 2.0-liter four-cylinder and 3.3-liter twin-turbo V6 engine options.
The G70 is Genesis’s entry-level luxury sedan, positioned at a higher price point with a more premium interior, a traditional trunk layout, and the prestige of the Genesis luxury brand.
The Stinger was Kia’s sport performance flagship, with a fastback liftback body that gave it a dramatically larger and more practical cargo area than the G70’s conventional trunk.
For buyers choosing between a used Stinger and a new or used G70, the Stinger typically offers better value per dollar of performance, while the G70 delivers a more refined luxury experience with complimentary scheduled maintenance and Genesis’s concierge service model.
The G70 remains in production as of 2025 with updates, while the Stinger is now a used-market-only proposition.
Both cars share parts availability through Hyundai Motor Group’s dealer network and have similarly strong long-term reliability reputations based on J.D. Power and Consumer Reports data collected over their production years.
Stinger owners benefit from Kia’s broad U.S. dealer network for service, which is an advantage over some niche performance imports where dealer support can be sparser. For more on Hyundai Motor Group’s brands, see Who Makes Genesis Cars and Where Is Kia Made.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Kia Stinger
Is the Kia Stinger still being made?
No. Kia discontinued the Stinger after the 2023 model year. The final production unit was the limited Tribute Edition, with 440 units allocated for the U.S. market. As of 2025, the Stinger is only available as a used vehicle.
Where was the Kia Stinger made?
All Kia Stingers were manufactured at the Autoland Gwangmyeong plant in Gwangmyeong, South Korea. Unlike many Kia models produced in multiple countries, the Stinger was built exclusively in South Korea for all global markets.
Who owns Kia?
Kia Corporation is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Group, the South Korean automotive conglomerate. Hyundai Motor Group also owns Hyundai Motor Company and the luxury Genesis brand. Kia is listed on the Korea Stock Exchange but is not separately traded on U.S. stock exchanges.
Is the Kia Stinger related to the Genesis G70?
Yes. The Kia Stinger and Genesis G70 share the Hyundai M2 platform and the same engine lineup including the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder and 3.3-liter twin-turbo V6. The key differences are the Stinger’s fastback liftback body versus the G70’s conventional sedan trunk, and the Genesis brand’s premium positioning and luxury amenities.
I am Jack Neel, a mechanical engineer, researcher, and writer. I created this website to share my knowledge about different brands and products with you. I research the manufacturers behind the brands and provide you with the information you need to make smart buying decisions.