Popular Car Models We're Saying Goodbye to in 2018

January 11, 2023

Another year, another shake-up on dealer lots. This year we see the end of some iconic names. Model lineups change with the whims of the marketplace and with the sales of small sedans and microcars waning, it comes as no surprise to see this list populated with them. Some legendary brands are also being taken off the shelf this year. So, let us bow our heads in a moment of silence for those we’re losing in 2018.

Hyundai Azera

Hyundai’s flagship sedan, the Azera will be taking its bow this year as 2017 sales models come to a close. While the Azera will likely continue to sell outside the U.S. as the Grandeur, falling sedan sales in the North American market put a target on the Azera’s back. Part of the Azera’s downfall may have been the climbing price over the last few years. What began as a bargain car with plenty to offer, eventually became another stock sedan with mid-tier pricing. This won’t be the last sedan to meet this fate either, as Chrysler, Chev, and several others trimmed their line-ups of smaller vehicles as well.

Chrysler 200

Chrysler’s replacement for the Sebring is another mid-sized sedan being cut this year. With sales that have been tapering off since 2012, it should be no surprise that Chrysler cut the 200 from their production line. Putting up ineffectual sales of less than twenty thousand in the US last year marked the 200 as a goner. While reviews weregenerally just okay, the 200 spent its lifetime in the shadow of its competitors as an unrefined and uninspired alternative to every other sedan on the market. But, as our next entrant will show, being an inspiration is not always a life saver.

Smart ForTwo

Probably the most iconic small car to come out in the last decade, the Smart ForTwo was both the butt of many jokes and an industry leader in the micro-car revolution. The gas-powered model will be discontinued in favor of the all-electric model in North America. While the gas ForTwo had nearly unrivaled fuel economy, requiring premium fuel often ate up any savings this glorified golf cart provided. With the engine replaced by batteries, perhaps there will be a little more legroom for passengers this time around. The fact that the ForTwo is just getting a powertrain overhaul instead of a complete removal should be comforting to the other small sedans on this list, but it’s cold comfort for our next model.

Buick Verano

With dwindling sedan sales across the board, Buick decided to cut its small-luxury sedan as well. The Verano garnered so-so reviews and even less stellar sales, with Buick selling fewer than five thousand 2017s before cutting production. The little luxury car couldn’t cutit; too few features were kept on board to make space allowances, and a cramped back seat dissolved any passenger’s sense of being in a lavish environment. Buick’s reputation as a luxury vehicle producer has been on the ropes the last few years with relatively uninspired vehicles on dealer lots. While the Verano tried it’s best, it just wasn’t enough to keep this model in production.

Lexus CT 200h

Sometimes trying your best just isn’t enough, however. The Lexus CT 200h was the luxury-auto maker’s smallest hybrid. The littlest hatchback sported the same power plant as the now iconic Prius but managed to sip away fuel faster. The CT 200h waschided for being cramped, having poor rear visibility and missing the Lexus refinement that the luxury brand is known for. Overall, the vehicle seemed to missat every angle. While it did everything satisfactory, the CT 200h failed to do anything particularly well, including sell, which is why it has been removed from the roster for 2018.

Jeep Patriot and Compass

I’ve grouped these two Jeep family misfits in together because, really, that’s what Jeep should have done from the beginning. The small and mid-sized crossover SUVs are slated to finish their time on dealership lots this year, and most Jeep fans aren’t too shaken by the loss. Both vehicles garnered confused ire from critics, both for the lackluster plastic interiors, lack of base and optional features, and poor performance on and off-road. Their replacement is a mid-sized CUV on a stretched Renegade frame, that is rumored to be at least adept at going off the pavement. These relics from Chrysler’s hard times during the recession are outdated and well deserving of their retirement.

Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive

While our European cousins will still have access to the B-Class gas and diesel versions, the German luxury-automaker is ending sales of their only B-Class available this side of the Atlantic. Thispetite electric, with its petite range, just couldn’t gain traction. Competing against the Nissan Leaf and Tesla’s Model 3, buyers made it clear they want more than the paltry eighty-seven miles of range that the electric B-Class offered.

Infiniti QX70

The QX70 leaves quite a legacy as a pioneer of the sports utility vehicle. Originally brought to us under the title of the FX series, this mid-sized luxury SUV is taking its leave. The QX70 opened a market for sporty SUVs after generations of boxy Jeeps and Explorers when it debuted, but it feels stiff and outdated next to its competition from BMW and Mercedes. The vehicle once dubbed the 'bionic cheetah' has been exiled from the pride. While the word on the web says Infiniti may overhaul the QX70 and reintroduce it at a later date, nothing has been confirmedas of yet.

Chevrolet SS

The Chevrolet SS came to us as an unexpected gift from GM. Based on the Australian Holden Commodore, the Chevrolet SS was a V8 sports sedan with rear wheel drive and 415 horses under the hood to replace the Pontiac G8. Potential buyers bemoaned Chevrolet for not including a manual transmission option in the first year of the SS’s production, which Chevy rectified later. These later manuals are a rarity and highly sought after. While the SS only had a limited production and just four years to establish itself, it garnered a reputation as a modern collector car as well as a respectable competitor.

Mitsubishi i-MiEV

The i-MiEV was arguably the first highway-capable production EV on the roads. This tiny EV from Japan got the i-designation and a slightly larger frame for the American market. While Japanese testing standards put the micro-electric’s range at a hundred miles, US testing rated it at just sixty-two. As we saw with the Mercedes B-Class earlier in the list, small electric cars with a low range just can’t seem to get a good foothold in the American marketplace. While the i-MiEV may have broken ground early on, it failed to build a legacy with its short range and was considered one of the slowest cars on the market. This isn’t Mitsubishi’s only cut from the roster this year either, as we’ll see on the next slide.

Mitsubishi Lancer

With the shrinking sedan market, it shouldn’t be a surprise that Mitsubishi is cutting its losses and ending the era of the Lancer. The undisputed face of rally-racing saw the EVO model axed in 2016 and so, the base model will follow this year. It’s unfortunate to see the Lancer leave us with its well-deserved reputation as a fun and sporty ride on and off the track. However, lacking any severe updating since 2008, the Lancer has been showing its age for some time now. With plastic interiors and a boxy design that’s been passé for the better part of a decade, it seems the Japanese automaker has had as much trouble letting go of this model as we did.

Volkswagen CC

The Volkswagen CC had a good run. With nearly a decade of production under its belt, this premium sedan is finally taking a bow and stepping off the stage. With plans to introduce the Arteon in its place, this German automaker isn’t abandoning their market share just yet. The axing of the CC is part of a larger facelift VW is planning in the coming model years; the Passat will be receiving an update, and its frame will be used for the upcoming Arteon. As we’ll see in the next slide, the CC won’t be Volkswagen’s only cut from the fleet.

Volkswagen Touareg

Volkswagen is in the early stages of an overhaul of their line up, and one of the first to get replaced is the Touareg, at least as far as American markets go. The Tiguan, the Touareg’s smaller and more vowel friendly cousin, will be getting an upgrade with an extended frame and more cargo room to fill the Touareg’s mid-sized position, while the Atlas will become the new full-sized showcase. It may seem odd that VW would scale back its lineup of SUVs while the marketplace seems to scream for more, but one look at the Touareg’s rather weak sales record explains everything. For a vehicle that won MotorTrend’s Best SUV of the Year award when it was first introduced, the Touareg ended up getting left behind by its competition, just like our next dropped model.

Nissan Quest

This one shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who has been watching the industry. The market for minivans has been getting smaller and smaller over the last decade or so as more buyers are turning to SUVs to fill their family-sized vehicle needs. With paltry sales and just a two percent market share in the minivan category, the Quest has been relegated to fleet status and sold primarily to rental companies before getting the final ax. Nissan - who has been embroiled in scandalsthis year - is doing the merciful thing by killing production of the Quest, which has been a consistently mediocre competitor throughout its two-decade career.

Dodge Viper

Possibly the last great American Sports Car, the Viper is an icon of speed and modern muscle. While I hope this is just another hiccup in the life of the iconic snake, as we saw in 2010, the closing of the FCA Connor Avenue factory begs to differ. The massive SRT V10 churns out a gut-wrenching six hundred horses and the legendary rough and tumble handling that raised a finger to the Euro-styled ease of accessibility found in its competitors is no more. While the Corvette may still be an American-made supercar, its heart is in Italy somewhere, competing with the Porsches and Lamborghinis of the world, unlike the Viper, which tried to never stray into the complex luxury market. As Meatloaf once sang in what could be the Viper’s anthem, “I wasn’t built for comfort, I was built for speed.”

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