As much as we love the Kia Stinger, it hasn't been the sale hit that Kia was hoping it would be, despite its stunning styling and performance that rivals its more established German competitors. To try and boost the sporty sedan's sales, Kia is preparing to give the Stinger a facelift for the 2021 model year, just three years after it launched. Prototypes of the upcoming 2021 Kia Stinger have already been spied at its home market in Korea, but our spy photographers have caught Kia testing the refreshed Stinger GT in Europe for the first time and sent us some higher quality photos than our previous sightings.

The front and rear fascias are covered up, suggesting the headlights, taillights, front and rear bumpers will be redesigned. This appears to be an earlier prototype than the version spotted in Korea, however, as the headlights have the same graphics as the current model.

While the covering effectively disguises the rear, we also know the updated Stinger's taillights will be connected with a full-width LED light bar in contrast to the current model's separated taillights. Our spies were unable to get a peek inside the cabin, but the copious amounts of covering suggest the interior will be getting some significant updates.

Reports claim we can expect the 2021 Kia Stinger to be upgraded with a new steering wheel design, a digital instrument cluster replacing the analog dials, and a large 10.25-inch infotainment screen.

Under the hood, the Kia Stinger's 2.0-liter turbo-four will be replaced with the 2.5-liter turbo found in the Kia Optima, Genesis G80, and Genesis GV80, which is expected to produce around 285 horsepower. For comparison, the entry-level Stinger has 255 hp, so this will be a welcome power increase.

A more powerful 2021 Kia Stinger has also been spied with a large quad exhaust, which could get a 3.5-liter twin-turbo producing 380 horsepower in the range-topping GT model. In South Korea, the covers will come off the 2021 Kia Stinger facelift in July, so the US model should arrive later this year. Let's hope the sales improve to give a second-generation Kia Stinger the green light.