Sedans and coupes are slowly being phased out in the consumer car market and are giving way to SUVs, especially crossovers. Automakers have announced which car models will no longer be produced in the coming year and some of the names are quite surprising. According to a recent Forbes article, consumers might need to be looking for some new car choices come 2020.
Audi TT
Released in 1998, the TT was Audi’s little coupe convertible that also had a little pep in its step. It combined both style and performance. Unfortunately, Audi is pulling the plug on the TT line and will be replacing it with a new full-electric model as part of its long-term electrification strategy.
BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo, 6 Series Gran Turismo, And 6 Series Gran Coupe
Automakers can only create so many versions of the same car before its dealers’ showrooms are basically the same with slight model variations. These were all four-door coupe and hatchback variations that didn’t look half as good as the models they were based on. Neither series caught on among in the United States and its buyers who would rather drive a sporty SUV than a hatchback.
Buick Cascada And Lacrosse
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away virtually every car line offered a convertible, but now they’re nearly nonexistent. After coming out in 2016, the Buick Cascada remains a stylish midsize ragtop, but couldn’t find buyers, with only around 2,000 units sold over the first half of 2019. As a result it’s being discontinued for 2020.
The Buick LaCrosse was originally set to be refreshed for 2020, but the automaker decided it would be better off concentrating its efforts on their crossover SUVs, so it’s driving off into the proverbial sunset instead. That leaves the Regal as Buick’s only remaining passenger car.
Cadillac CTS And XTS
The slow-selling Cadillac CTS will no longer be in production starting in January 2020, giving way to the new CT5 sedan that will be its replacement.
Introduced in 2012, the XTS was meant to replace Cadillac’s STS and DTS models. The full-size XTS sedan eventually became a front-drive sedan (with all-wheel drive optional) in what fast became a rear-drive luxury car lineup. The final XTS will roll off the assembly line in October 2019.
Chevrolet Cruz, Impala, And Volt
Production of Chevy’s largest car line will cease in January. Even though the Impala is not the brand’s lowest volume model, sales are at a fraction of what they were when they were in peak popularity.
Debuting in 2010, the Chevy Volt seemed like a car straight from some futuristic movie. Its official title is an extended range electric car. According to Forbes, “It was the first model to feature a small gas engine that would run a generator to power the car’s motor when the onboard battery pack became depleted. The second generation Volt, introduced in 2016, can run for 53 miles before the gas engine kicked in, which for many owners rarely ever happened.”
Sales have been steadily decreasing so Chevy is pulling the plug on the Volt (no pun intended), though it wouldn’t be surprising if the platform eventually sees is implemented on a future plug-in crossover SUV.
Ford Fiesta And Taurus
The Fiesta debuted in 2011 as a stylish small sedan/hatchback combo with the hot ST variant coming for 2013 as the line’s performance leader. The Ford Fiesta was introduced to help compensate for the skyrocketing gas prices. Subcompacts like the Fiesta became basically useless in the U.S. once fuel became cheaper and automakers began rolling out small crossovers (EcoSport). This lead to Ford deciding that it no longer needed to produce the vehicle.
When the full-size Taurus sedan was introduced in 1985, it was a groundbreaking vehicle that came a new, rounded style. The car was briefly renamed as the Ford Five Hundred from 2005-2007 before Ford returned it to its original name. The Taurus was the best-selling car in the U.S. between 1992 and 1996, though sales have since dropped off dramatically, leading Ford to cutting off production of the old staple.
Jaguar XJ
Jaguar’s flagship sedan went out of production this summer after running for the past fifty years, with a successor to be revealed sometime next year. Forbes claims, “It may or may not continue with the XJ nameplate, but reports suggest it will go farther upscale and take the full-electric route to compete head-on with the Tesla Model S and the new Porsche Taycan battery-powered sedans. Hybrid gas/electric versions are also expected to be in the mix.” This means that we might not be seeing too much change, but the current XJ as we know it is no longer in production.
Lincoln MKC And MKT
The MKC, Lincoln’s compact crossover SUV will undergo a redesign and be renamed the Corsair for 2020.
Lincoln’s three-row crossover, the MKT, is longer be produced by the end of the 2019 model year. Its slot in Lincoln’s lineup will be replaced by the Aviator.
Nissan 370Z Roadster And Rogue Hybrid
While the coupe version of Nissan’s dated sports car will live on for what seems like forever, the convertible variant is being taken out of the lineup.
The Rogue, Nissan’s compact crossover SUV remains the brand’s top-selling vehicle, but it seems that the fuel efficient, gas/electric-powered hybrid model wasn’t popular enough for it to remain a sustainable option for the brand.
Smart EQ forTwo
The Smart ForTwo two-door, two-seat coupe/convertible has been in the United States since 2008 and ever since it came on the scene, it’s just seemed a little odd. The ForTwo’s most redeeming attribute was the ability to park in tight spaces. Adding an electric version to the line in 2013 didn’t spark sales, and the battery versions became the only Smart Cars to survive over the last two model years. This is the Smart Car’s final year in the United States, as they never took hold of the market like they have in other countries.
Toyota Prius C
Toyota’s Yaris-based subcompact Prius C hybrid is being cancelled at the end of 2019 and is being replaced by the new 2020 Toyota Corolla Hybrid.
Volkswagen Beetle, Golf SportWagen, And Gold Alltrack
When Volkswagen revived its most iconic model in history as the New Beetle for the 1998 model year, it was a head-turner and evoked memories of the iconic original. A second generation debuted in 2012 with a slightly different style and its name shorted to simply, “Beetle.” Unfortunately, the thrill was gone. Now Volkswagen’s lowest-volume model, the iconic Bug is being squashed yet again.
The station wagon versions of the Volkswagen Golf four-door hatchback are two more victims of the crossover SUV explosion in the United States leading to them being dropped from the model line. That will make 2020 the first year since 1965 in which Volkswagen will not offer an actual wagon.
What are your thoughts on the lines being taken away from us? Should this change buyers’ decisions when it comes to buying a new car? Let us know in the comments.
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