Kia Cars
Korean · 16 models
Peter Schreyer turned Korea oldest carmaker into a design leader. The Stinger was a genuine rear-drive GT, and the EV6 GT runs to 60 quicker than most supercars.
KoreanKia is South Korea oldest car company, founded in 1944, originally building bicycle parts and motorcycles before moving into cars. It has been part of the Hyundai Motor Group since 1998, sharing platforms and engineering while keeping its own design identity. That identity changed completely when Peter Schreyer, the designer behind the original Audi TT, joined as chief design officer in 2006 and gave Kia the tiger-nose grille and a coherent visual language. The Stinger (2017-2023) was the car that announced Kia could build something for enthusiasts. A rear-drive and all-wheel-drive fastback GT with an available 3.3 liter twin-turbo V6, it shared its platform with the Genesis G70 and went after the European sport sedans. It earned genuine respect from the enthusiast press and has become a future-classic candidate now that production has ended. The EV6 carries the performance torch into the electric era. Built on the 800-volt E-GMP platform shared with the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Genesis GV60, the EV6 GT makes 576 horsepower and runs to 60 miles per hour in the low three-second range, quicker than many traditional supercars. The Telluride three-row SUV has been a critical darling since launch, regularly named among the best in its class. On WhipJury, Kia submissions are led by the Stinger, with EV6 and EV6 GT examples appearing as the platform spreads, plus the occasional Forte GT and Soul build.
Kia models we cover
The Schreyer design era
Kia spent its early export decades building forgettable, value-priced cars. That changed in 2006 when Peter Schreyer, who designed the original Audi TT, became chief design officer. He introduced the tiger-nose grille and a unified design language that turned Kia from an afterthought into a brand people choose on looks. The current Opposites United language continues that trajectory.
The Stinger
The Stinger (2017-2023) was Kia first serious enthusiast car. A rear-drive or all-wheel-drive fastback grand tourer, it offered a 2.0 liter turbo four or a 3.3 liter twin-turbo V6 making over 360 horsepower. It shared its platform and engine with the Genesis G70. The press treated it as a legitimate alternative to European sport sedans, and now that it is out of production it is gaining a following as a modern classic.
EV6 and the electric performance push
The EV6 sits on the 800-volt E-GMP platform shared with the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Genesis GV60. The EV6 GT is the standout: 576 horsepower, a sub-four-second sprint to 60, and a drift mode. It is one of the quickest cars Kia has ever sold regardless of powertrain.
Kia on WhipJury
The Stinger is the most common Kia on the platform, valued for its rear-drive layout and twin-turbo V6. EV6 and EV6 GT examples are growing. Forte GT and Soul builds appear from the budget and daily-driver tuner scene.
Frequently asked questions about Kia
Kia on the WhipJury blog
The Audi Q9, the brand's new full-size flagship SUV, is the first production car with three-dimensionally curved digital OLED taillights. Six panels hold 512 segments on glass 0.1 millimeters thick, and the rest of the design is kept quiet so the lights carry the look.
Asked by Autocar about a sharper "GT R" level above Kia's GT cars, Hyundai Motor Group R&D chief Manfred Harrer said, "I like the idea," but wants a dedicated GT model first. With the Stinger and the Nissan GT-R both gone, some see an opening.
A camouflaged prototype of the next Kia Sportage has been photographed testing in Europe. It shows a boxier body, sharp-angled side windows, and new split lighting up front, following the redesigned Hyundai Tucson. It's expected as a 2028 model.
The Kia Stinger ran from 2017 to 2023 and sold just 5,452 cars in its final US year. Designed by ex-Audi and ex-BMW people, it was the best-looking Kia ever built and it still failed. Here's what Kia was trying to do, why it ended, and why it mattered anyway.