When it debuted in 2017, the Kia Stinger was heralded as the beginning of a new generation of high-performing sports sedan. Though sportier than the traditional sedan, the Stinger still hasn’t hit the same capability note as its German rivals. It hasn’t gotten the same sales numbers either, managing just over 11,000 new car deliveries in 2020.

A few years in now, the Stinger is up for a refresh. Kia is promising “more power, more technology, and a refined design”. Expect much of the styling and technology that is in the Kia K5 while increased performance will likely pull the 2022 Stinger solidly ahead of the K5.

The 2021 Kia Stinger is a sports sedan that doesn’t fare well against its German rivals.

Photo courtesy of Kia Motors

Kia, which shares a Hyundai Motor Group parent company with the Hyundai and Genesis brands, may be a beneficiary of the research that has gone in to Hyundai N and N Line models. The resulting engineering managed to turn the Hyundai Elantra compact car into a hot hatch-like competition and the Sonata into a connected, albeit harsh-riding, sporty sedan. The Hyundai Veloster N is a champion on and off the track.

The Stinger’s dimensions are comparable to the BMW M4’s. Though the 2021 M4 is only available as a coupe for the 2021 model year and has a price tag around $22,000 more than the Stinger, it delivers a more impassioned drive experience. It gets 473 horsepower and 403 pound-feet of torque from its twin-turbo 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine. The M4’s engine is paired with a six-speed manual transmission.

As part of a generational redesign for the 2022 model year, the BMW M4 saw its power bumped up. The M4 gets 48 more horsepower while its Competition models get a 59-horsepower and 73 pound-feet of torque upgrade over previous Competition package-equipped cars. The 2022 M4 Coupe can accelerate from zero to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds.

The Stinger currently has a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine under its hood that generates 255 horsepower in the base model GT Line trim. The Stinger GT2, the most powerful variant, has a twin-turbo 3.3-liter V6 tucked under there, generating 365 horsepower. Simply put, Kia has its work cut out for it.

At least it will be unique looking. The Stinger teaser photos distributed by the automaker features headlights that look more like those on the Toyota Supra than on the K5, emphasizing the car’s athletic shoulders.

The 2022 Kia Stinger will be fully revealed on March 16.