It looks like sedans are slowly getting extinct. We have seen the Volvo S80 and the Mitsubishi Lancer being discontinued in 2017, and next in line are sedans from Chevrolet and Ford. According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, Ford and GM will drop a number of sedans as crossovers have become the priority choice of consumers. Which cars are these? Read on to know.

End of the Road

Citing company insiders, the publication claims that the Chevrolet Sonic could be phased out later this year. It may eventually be joined by the Chevy Impala which is rumored to go out of production “in the next few years.” The Sonic is one of Chevrolet’s most affordable models as pricing starts around $16,000. Despite appealing to young consumers (30% sales come from people aged under 35) and first time buyers, sales have been falling over the past few years. U.S. sales dropped by 70% (30,290 units sold) last year compared to 2014. The Impala is doing comparatively better as the company sold 75,877 units in the U.S. last year. The model has been received well, but it appears sales weren’t high enough to justify the continued development of the model.

Ford could drop the Fiesta and Taurus in the U.S. by next year, while the future of Fusion doesn't look very promising either. The Ford Fiesta managed to sell only 46,249 last year, compared to 71,073 units in 2013. The current-generation Taurus, which was introduced in 2009, is also in the same boat. Its sales have been slowly dropping over the past few years. Last year, the company sold 41,236 units which is down from the 44,098 units sold in 2016.

Our Take

The Automotive market today is the most competitive it has ever been. The life of a product has fallen from 15-20 years to 5-8 years. Companies launch multiple cars every year just to sustain. But what happens to the old products? They eventually get phased out. They are like white elephants which require lot of time, R&D, after-sales support, etc. just to stay alive. By disposing of them, they free-up the assembly line, thus making way for newer, profitable, efficient and effective cars.

The scenario is worse when it comes to sedans. Entry-level sedans are getting replaced by premium hatchbacks like the VW GTI and the Ford Focus; mid-level sedans are giving way to crossovers such as the Kia Sorento and the Honda CR-V, and high-end sedans are getting phased out by uber-luxurious SUV's like the Bentley Bentayga and Rolls-Royce Cullinan. Whether this is a minor setback or a path to extinction, only time will tell. Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

References

Read our full review on 2014 Ford Taurus.

Read our full review on the 2017 Ford Fiesta.

Read our full review on the 2017 Chevrolet Sonic.

Read more Chevrolet news.

Read more Ford news.