One of them may become an instant classic.
Hyundai, Kia and Genesis are building some of the best cars to buy right now — everything from family SUVs to standout EVs to luxury vehicles. In the past five years, the company has had 12 cars either win or be NACTOY award finalists . But some of our favorite cars from their lineup — including two of those finalists — could be going away. According to an Automotive News report, Hyundai Motor Group plans to trim down its sedan lineup.
The first sedan to go may be the Kia Stinger. The higher-powered GT version has earned rave reviews as basically a Porsche Panamera on a budget. And it may become an instant classic given the small numbers of them Kia has sold. Reports have the Stinger leaving production as soon as Q3 2022.
Hyundai may be phasing the Sonata (and consequently the Kia K5 based on it) after this model cycle finishes in 2027 or 2028. That would cost us a versatile Sonata lineup, that includes a luxurious hybrid model earning nearly 50 mpg.
Sedans heading to the great beyond shouldn’t surprise us too much, as we’ve seen projects like the exciting Mazda 6 reboot fall by the wayside. There are several really good ones out there with redeeming qualities car journalists love. But sedans aren’t high-profit vehicles like trucks and SUVs. You have to sell them in volume for it to make financial sense.
Doing that is tough when Honda and Toyota have a dominant sedan market share and the pool of buyers is dwindling every year. Midsize sedans like the Stinger and Sonata are less popular than compact sedans. And compact sedans may only be popular because they’re essentially the only option at that price point — until more vehicles like the Ford Maverick come out.
The automotive world is also going electric at a rapid pace. And five or six years from now, there may not be much point to a combustion-powered Stinger or a Sonata when you can buy an even better Hyundai Ioniq 6 and run it on home solar power.
Keyword: Hyundai and Kia May Be Killing Off Some of Our Favorite Cars