25 cars discontinued in 2021 that will disappear from US dealerships, from Ford's last sedan to fan-favorite small hatchbacks
- More than two dozen 2020 vehicles won't be back for the 2021 model year.
- As consumer demand shifts, many automakers are eliminating sedans, wagons, and hatchbacks.
- Only one crossover won't make it to 2021: the Dodge Journey.
The auto industry is in the midst of a crossover boom - and for every new compact crossover automakers bring to market, some sorry sedan or hatchback heads to the automotive graveyard.
The list of models that won't live to see the 2021 model year includes some iconic and long-running nameplates like the Lincoln Continental, Chevy Impala, and Dodge Grand Caravan, along with some short-lived models that just didn't manage to catch on, like Jaguar's high-performance station wagon and Alfa Romeo's inexpensive mid-engine sports car.
And although the models that won't live to see the 2021 model year span makes and price points, the one thing that unites nearly all of them is that they're not crossovers. In fact, after the 2020 model year, multiple brands - Cadillac, Lincoln, Buick, and Ford among them - will have transitioned to lineups that don't include a single sedan.
Check out 25 cars automakers killed off for 2021 below:
Acura RLX
The RLX luxury sedan is out of Acura's 2021 lineup after selling just over 1,000 units in 2019. Acura sold roughly 50 times that amount of its MDX crossover, and around 60 times more RDX crossovers.
It has unusual features like rear-wheel steering and a sporty hybrid option with a claimed 377 horsepower, but that wasn't enough to keep buyers interested.
Alfa Romeo 4C Spider
Alfa Romeo killed off the hardtop version of the 4C a few years back, and the roadster follows in its footsteps for 2021. Starting at under $70,000, the 4C is one of the most affordable mid-engined sports cars on the market - but alas, it barely broke triple-digit sales in 2019 and so it's gone for good.
But other inexpensive mid-engine options like the Chevy Corvette, Porsche Boxster, and Porsche Cayman are still kicking.
BMW i8
After six years on the market, it's the end of the line for the plug-in hybrid i8. Despite its somewhat confused combination of exotic looks and a tiny three-cylinder engine (aided by electric motors), the i8 managed to sell more than 20,000 units in its run, making it the best-selling car of its kind, according to BMW.
Rumors have circulated around a possible i8 successor based on the Vision M Next concept car, but there's no official word yet on when or if that will happen.
BMW M8 Coupe and Convertible
BMW is trimming the options available for its halo M8 due to COVID-19-related supply issues, Car and Driver reported in October. The coupe and convertible won't be available for 2021, but the four-door Gran Coupe version is still on the table if you have a spare $130,000 laying around.
Buick Regal
After nearly 50 years on the market, GM has canceled the Buick Regal as part of its shift away from passenger cars. The move means the Buick brand will have an all-SUV lineup going into the 2021 model year.
Cadillac CT6
Cadillac made a name for itself building gigantic land yachts, but it's pared back its sedan lineup in recent years. Its biggest sedan won't make it to 2021, despite being one of Caddy's technological leaders and the only vehicle to get its twin-turbocharged, 4.2-liter, 550-horsepower Blackwing V8.
Chevrolet Impala
The iconic Impala nameplate bites the dust this year, but it's not the first time GM has discontinued the model. It's been on the market in spurts since the late 1950s - so there's still hope it returns once the nostalgia sets in.
Chevrolet Sonic
The demise of the small car claims another victim in the Chevy Sonic. Sales of the inexpensive hatchback and sedan peaked in 2014, when Chevy sold nearly 94,000 of them, but plummeted below 14,000 in 2019.
It started its life outside the US as the Aveo, and, like lots of compact cars that don't find success stateside, it will live on in other markets.
Dodge Grand Caravan
The Dodge Grand Caravan arguably birthed the minivan segment when it came on the scene in 1984 along with its upmarket sibling, the Plymouth Voyager. Now, as crossovers and full-size SUVs have superseded minivans as America's family hauler of choice, the minivan that started it all is no more.
But Fiat Chrysler isn't out of the minivan game altogether - it still sells the Chrysler Pacifica, which got a facelift for 2021.
Dodge Journey
The Dodge Journey is the only crossover to kick the bucket for 2021, which speaks volumes of its consumer appeal - or lack thereof. As of May, nearly half of 2019 Journeys sat unsold on dealer lots, according to car search engine iSeeCars.
Ford Fusion
Ford announced plans to discontinue all of its sedans back in 2018, and it's achieved that with the demise of the Fusion. The Focus, Fiesta, and Taurus have all left the scene as well, leaving the Ecosport compact crossover as Ford's entry-level offering.
Ford Mustang Shelby GT350
The V8-powered, manual-transmission-only Mustang Shelby GT350 and GT350R pay homage to the famed Shelby GT350 of the 1960s, which kicked off the Mustang's high-performance reputation. But that rich history wasn't enough for the Blue Oval to keep it around.
For buyers who desire no less than an absurdly powerful sports car bearing the Shelby name, the 760-horsepower Shelby GT500 is still on the market.
Honda Civic Coupe and Civic Si
Honda is launching a new, 11th generation of the Civic for 2021, and some changes are coming to the popular model's lineup. The two-door Civic Coupe variant bites the dust after the 2020 model year, while the sporty Si will take a hiatus for 2021 and return for the following model year.
Honda Fit
Carmakers are getting rid of small hatchbacks left and right, and Honda is no exception. It's axing the Fit, despite the little guy being widely regarded as one of the best compact economy cars money can buy.
It's an understandable move, given that Fit sales have declined as appetite for the brand's crossovers grows. Now the cheapest vehicle in Honda's lineup is the $21,000 HR-V, which outsold the Fit three-to-one in 2019.
Hyundai Elantra GT
The hatchback version of the Hyundai Elantra heads to the great junkyard in the sky after the 2020 model year, along with its sporty sibling, the GT N Line. Hyundai said the hatchback was displaced by the compact Venue and Kona crossovers.
But the Veloster and Veloster N carry over to 2021.
Jaguar XE
Jaguar is eliminating its entry-level sport sedan, the XE, from its US lineup after selling only 3,551 of them in 2019. By comparison, BMW regularly sells well over 40,000 3-Series sedans annually, while Mercedes-Benz moved some 50,000 C-Class sedans in 2019.
For 2021, the XF sedan assumes the entry-level spot and gets a significant price cut to match.
Jaguar XF Sportbrake
Wagons are also going by the wayside as crossovers take over, and Jaguar is pulling its one and only long-roof model, the XF Sportbrake, from the American market after only three model years. In that time, Jaguar sold fewer than 250 of the wagons, according to Road & Track.
Buyers in the market for a luxury wagon will need to look to offerings like the Volvo V90, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, Audi A6 Avant, or Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo come 2021.
Kia Optima
The Kia Optima is on its way out after two decades in production. But the South Korean carmaker isn't abandoning sedans like some of its US counterparts - the Optima is succeeded by a sleek new mid-sized model called the K5.
Lexus GS
The Lexus GS hit the scene in the early 1990s and has endured through four generations. This particular rear-wheel-drive sedan may be going away after 2020, but Lexus-sedan stans will still be able to choose the ES, LS, and IS.
Lincoln Continental
Lincoln has used the Continental name on and off for some 80 years, and this latest version of the car is dead for 2021. But given the nameplate's deep history, there's a good shot it will come back someday - perhaps on some future electric luxury sedan.
Lincoln MKZ
With the MKZ and Continental gone for 2021, Lincoln is left with an all-SUV lineup of the Nautilus, Aviator, Corsair, and the flagship Navigator.
And the numbers back up Lincoln's move. In 2019, the brand sold some 88,000 SUVs and fewer than 25,000 sedans - and that's with only a partial year of Aviator sales.
Following this year's lineup shakeups at Ford and Lincoln, the Mustang is the Blue Oval's only car left standing.
Mercedes-Benz SLC
The Mercedes-Benz SLC is has been officially discontinued with no successor planned, following more than two decades of continuous production. For the model's last hurrah, Mercedes added a yellow 2020 SLC Final Edition to its lineup.
Toyota Yaris
The death of the Toyota Yaris, Honda Fit, Chevy Sonic, and Hyundai Elantra GT this year - along with the end of the Ford Fiesta and Mazda2 previously - leave a scant few options for fans of subcompacts here in the US.
Despite the Yaris being a favorite among lovers of small cars, it hasn't sold well in the US as of late. Fewer than 22,000 of them rolled off of dealer lots in 2019, as compared with 304,850 Corollas, 336,978 Camrys, and 448,071 Rav4 crossovers.