Say hello to another casualty of the ever-growing and highly-popular SUV and crossover segment--the Hyundai Veloster N. Just when Hyundai was starting to find its mojo in the hot hatch arena, the Veloster N won't see the light of day for the 2023 model year.

The Hyundai Veloster N was a great hot hatch, and though it did not redefine the front-wheel drive (FWD) hot hatch formula in the same way the Honda Civic Type R did, it was damn close to its Japanese rival. Unfortunately, an asymmetrical three-door (or four if the tailgate is counted) layout isn't what Americans want, and that made the more-capable Civic Type R's traditional four-door layout more appealing.

Not only that, but Hyundai also released the Elantra N and Kona N--two vehicles that share the same fundamentals as the Veloster N, but in a format that's more in line with American tastes. After all, why get an asymmetrical hot hatch when you could get the same amount of performance in a more practical four-door sedan or a raised crossover SUV.

Also discontinued for the 2023 model year is the Hyundai Accent. This is also unsurprising since the subcompact sedan segment has been on a huge decline for the past few years. How much of a drop? During its peak in 2016, 79,766 units made it to American families. In 2021? That number has gone down to just 19,614 vehicles. That's a massive 75% drop, and it's enough for Hyundai to end sales of its subcompact sedan.

As for the Veloster N? The standard Veloster didn't make it into the 2022 model year, which means that majority of the Velosters that were sold at the beginning of this year are the N model. Still, at 1,942 units sold in 2021 versus the model's peak of 38,102 units in 2012, that's almost a 90% drop in sales.

Hyundai says in its latest press release that sedans remain an important part of the lineup and Hyundai continues to offer Elantra and Sonata, but with rumors that even the Sonata might be discontinued down the line, how long will that statement hold true?

With the discontinuation of the Accent, the Venue now serves as the most affordable Hyundai model. That represents a significant price jump since the Accent has a starting price of $16,645 while the Venue starts at $19,000.

The Veloster N's death is nearly unsurprising at this point, which means that leads us, car enthusiasts, to the Elantra N sedan if we want a sporty and fun-to-drive Hyundai. And with SUVs and crossovers continuing with their sales dominance, it's up to us to preserve the affordable sports sedan segment.