Cars You Never See On The Road Anymore
Americans are obsessed with buying new cars now more than ever, and with each emerging vehicle, older ones tend to fall off the radar. Station wagons were replaced with minivans which were replaced with SUVs, and the pattern continues. This list includes vehicles that you or someone you know may still have kicking around, but they are otherwise, for the most part, a long-gone piece of automotive history. Here's a list of cars that are on the verge of extinction, if not already completely gone.
2000-2005 Kia Rio
The Rio entered the market here in 2000 and was known as the cheapest car in America, and cheapest meant not the best quality either. Sales went up over the years, and the car was a frequent seller as a used car as well. The Rio was updated in 2002, but 2005 model was the real winner. It was built better, looked better and had great on-road dynamics. The vehicle was more geared towards those younger and was an excellent option for a first car. While it wasn't the most exceptional looking or handling wise, the Rio was affordable and great for getting from point A to point B.
This next vehicle is one that offered value and proved to be an excellent move for the company.
1993-2004 Dodge Intrepid
The Intrepid, which means fearless, first came about in 1993 and had a steady run up until 2004. What Dodge knew well was bringing value, and customers were able to get an affordable car for less, making the Intrepid a best-selling car. The older Intrepid didn't have the most charming look but over the years the design got sleeker, and engines were upgraded for better performance. The vehicle had been one of the best for Dodge, but reliability issues and oil defects may have been a reason why the craze slowly died down. Up next is a vehicle that was a leap forward for the household brand.
1988-1996 BMW E34 5 Series
The E34 was sold from 1988 to 1996 and was the 3rd generation out of the 5 Series. It was the first of the series to have a wagon body style, with a sportier look. The 1988 E34 was BMW's leap towards becoming more technologically sound, offering a variety of engine ranges, traction control, and stability control. What could be the reasons why the E34 suffered towards the ends were the confusing electronic additions and high costs of upkeep for the vehicle. You can still catch one of these bad boys on the road, just not as frequently.
1979-1994 Subaru Leone Wagon
The Leone (lion in Italian) was the car that brought Subaru into America, quickly becoming the vehicle of choice for many families. The car offered customers an all-wheel-drive system, a comfortable interior and rugged construction that would be able to get through harsh winter climate. The demise of the Leone could have been the Japanese steel being damaged by salt roads and causing rust problems. If you know someone who kept theirs in pristine condition, they could get quite the coin for a vintage Japanese car.
Up next is a vehicle that was known for it's above average engineering and quality.
1995-2001 Audi A4
Audi didn't get much attention in its early stages, and they were recovering from a scandal in the 80s. The A4 was a turning point for the German brand, and it featured the company's first Tiptronic transmission. The overnight success for Audi was all thanks to the design and function of the A4, the Tiptronic transmission was innovative for that time, and the car's handling was as smooth as they come. The A4's contemporary design was also a factor in raising the company's ranks with customers. But what goes up must come down, and that means the A4's interest being lost over tricky electrical systems and other issues that were not worth the time or money for some people. You could probably find the A4 being parted out or even being used as a winter beater. It's quite rare that you'd see one of these cars in pristine and functioning condition.