Every year, automakers send another batch of vehicles off into the abyss. This year is no different. In total, more than a dozen models from the major manufacturers will join the growing list of discontinued cars.
From the once-cheapest new car on the market to a pair of 30-year-old sedans with a number of compact SUVs in between, here are some of the notable discontinued cars of 2023.
Buick Encore
With a turbocharged engine, upscale look and affordable price tag, the Buick Encore was a surprising success when it debuted a decade ago. But years of declining sales, including a nearly 50% drop in 2022, have led to its demise.
In a way, it’s surprising the subcompact SUV survived as long as it did. Buick unveiled the slightly larger Encore GX in 2020. It only made sense to trim its lineup of two similarly sized crossovers. The Encore GX will now serve as Buick’s entry-level vehicle.
Chevrolet Spark
Bargain hunters will grieve the demise of the Spark. The hatchback’s sub-$15,000 starting price (the last of its kind) made it the cheapest new car available in the United States until now. But alas, people simply aren’t buying small cars anymore, opting instead for small SUVs more and more. “Customers seeking comfort, function, and style at an approachable price still have strong options within Chevrolet’s family of compact SUVs,” a Chevy spokesperson said when the news dropped.
The Spark’s 10-year run officially came to an end in August. Chevrolet said that there are no plans to introduce a replacement model.
Ford EcoSport
Ford’s cheapest and smallest SUV is no more. It was a short run for the subcompact crossover, which debuted in 2017. Sales of the EcoSport, however, have been declining since 2019.
The EcoSport never truly caught on with the American public (it will still be sold in Europe). The tiny SUV had plenty of faults: woeful engine output, poor fuel efficiency and crowded interiors, to name a few. All this made its relatively high price tag unjustifiable to many consumers, who likely veered toward one of the many competitive models available on the market.
Honda Insight
The Honda Insight checked off many of the boxes the typical driver looks for in a new car: affordable, reliable, fuel efficient. That made it one of the top-selling compact hybrid vehicles in the country, with 70,000 units sold since its 2018 arrival. But ultimately, the sedan bared too many resemblances to the Honda Civic to warrant its existence.
The Insight’s departure makes way for the arrival of the Civic Hybrid, as Honda continues to hybridize its core models, including the CR-V and Accord.
Hyundai Accent
Hyundai is getting rid of a few models, including the gas-powered Ioniq and Veloster N. It’s the Accent’s demise, however, that is noteworthy due to the car’s price tag. Like the Chevrolet Spark, the subcompact sedan was one of the cheapest cars on the market. And like the Spark, the Accent is going by the wayside to make room for bigger vehicles. Hyundai stated that the sedan was, “discontinued due to an expanded SUV lineup.” The Venue, a subcompact SUV, is now the automaker’s cheapest vehicle.
Toyota Avalon
The Avalon has been in Toyota’s portfolio for nearly 30 years, but became vulnerable to the chopping blocks following several down years in sales.
The sedan also faced in-house competition. The Avalon has always been a slightly larger option than the popular Toyota Camry. But the latter’s next generation model is set to be bigger in size itself, thus making the Avalon expendable. It is being replaced by the all-new, hybrid-only Toyota Crown.
Volkswagen Passat
The curtain falls on the Passat for good in 2023. The Volkswagen model was, for all intents and purposes, discontinued last year. As a swan song, the German automaker offered the Passat as a limited-edition model that included subtle nods to Chattanooga, Tennessee, where it has been manufactured for the last decade. That limited run has now come to a close.
The Passat’s departure, which comes more than 30 years after its debut, leaves Volkswagen with only two sedans in its lineup: the Jetta and Arteon.
Other notable discontinued cars of 2023: Acura ILX, Ford GT, Infiniti Q60, Lexus RX L, Mercedes-Benz A-Class, Nissan Rogue Sport.
If you’re in the market for a new car, make sure to check out our car reviews and learn how AAA can help finance your purchase.
Do you own one of these discontinued cars? Are you sad to see it go? Let us know in the comments below!
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I love my Honda Fit for adaptability and good mileage and am disappointed that it is no longer being produced. Why are car makers focusing on large cars? Is it only because the mark up is higher? For the nation’s economy, the world’s health and my own pocket book we need more small cars.
I belong to the generation that fell in love with the VW Beetle. I didn’t drive in those days, but when I bought my first car I still was drawn to smaller: the Audi Fox. What a responsive, driver-friendly, fuel-economical (37 mpg), vista-loving car. I drove it more than 100,000 miles (total unknown because the odometer quit) before reluctantly giving it up. Replaced it with a used Audi sedan of some kind, which I hated. Then the VW Golf that was the love of my driving life: spry, responsive, roomy enough to carry theater props and furniture around. (All these cars were standard-shift.) That was another car I drove well over 100,000 miles, until I decided to be environmentally responsible and get a Prius, when they first hit the market. So did way too many other people, so that I had to make a purchase commitment before the dealer had one to test-drive. I’m still driving the Prius, now headed for a quarter of a million miles, but I’ve never liked it. I miss shifting gears. Also, a more serious concern, there is very bad visibility to the left, making left turns or curves a matter of neck-craning to make sure I won’t drive into an oncoming bicyclist. Automatic transmission, very boring. A bigger car than the two of us in my household need, and yet not a good inner configuration to carry stage scenery around. So I lament the discontinuation (nice bland word…) of evidently the last of the models I might have considered when the Prius has taken its permanent lodging in the repair shop. I have been proud of being the driver of the only non-SUV in my little New-England-cottage neighborhood. Maybe senility will set in and I won’t mind driving a tank. Thank you for a space to express this tragedy. I wonder how many others are feeling this pain–I do see several comments above that suggest I’m not a mere market of 1.
I have a 2007 Hyundai Accent which is still on the road. A great car- easy to maneuver, roomy back seat, and extremely reliable. I also have a 2017 Ioniq hybrid which is great on gas, looks sporty, easy to drive, quiet and fast. Both great cars. Shame these cars are being disconnected. I also owned an Elantra station wagon which I loved and was previously discontinued. The only model I previously owned which is still available is an Elantra sedan, I hope that Elantras are not on a future chopping block. All of these cars were affordable compared to Hyundai’s higher end cars.
We have our wonderful 2011 Avalon.
Now we will be forced to buy a 2022
If one can be found,
I am the proud owner of a 2004 HONDA ELEMENT!! bought it new, and have enjoyed every minute driving it. There was only one problem with the
car, and to this day no one has been able to correct it. So…I live with it because I do love the car. The windshield cracked, not from a hit or a crash, but from the HEAT….it exploded!! So, three new windshields later….there is a small crack working its way up the windshield from the left corner.
Here we go again!!
I love my Toyota Highlander SUV. I am a more confident driver in my SUV. I can see the road much better. I had a Toyota Camry and loved it. They are making sedans too small these days.I hate that they have also downsized the SUVs. I had a 2018 Highlander and then I got a 2021 Highlander. The 2021 Highlander is much smaller than the 2018 Highlander. I also wish that they would give us a better seat that comes out a little bit further so that I don’t feel like I’m sitting in church on a pew. I don’t see myself ever going back to a sedan.
I didn’t realize Toyota Yaris already discontinued. mine is,12 years old and would have bought another when this one died!
I just purchased a 2021 Mazda CX3 this is my 2nd one love it sorry to see it go tried the CZ30 to long for me .guess i,ll be hanging on to this one for awhile
My VW Alltrack Sportswagon is being discontinued. Not only do I love wagons, as opposed to an SUV, but it is also a manual transmission with all wheel drive- another dying breed. I honestly didn’t want to buy it after the lease is up because I foresee trips
To the mechanic the moment a car is over 3 years old. But , I don’t see anything that has these key features…..
I’ve owned both a 2018 and a 2021 Honda Clarity. It is a great car. The combined mileage of HV and electric yields 79 mph. I think Honda’s marketing of this vehicle stank. It has so many wonderful features only seen on far more expensive vehicles.
What a shame for a car that been as reliable as the day is long.
2022 will be the last model year for the Toyota Avalon large sedan. Toyota has confirmed that production will end in August 2022.
First introduced in 1994, the Avalon has offered five generations in the U.S. Toyota will drop the Avalon large sedan from its lineup after the 2022 model year, as first reported by Automotive News and confirmed to C/D by a Toyota spokesperson. Production will end in August 2022 at Toyota’s plant in Georgetown, Kentucky, where the company also builds the Camry and Lexus ES sedans.
This is the last year for the Toyota Avalon too.
https://www.autoweek.com/news/industry-news/a37212180/toyota-avalon-discontinued/
https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a37209265/toyota-avalon-dead-2022/
etc
I have a 2021 n line Passat,! What a great car the room ,ride,safety,gas mileage,so meny safety features ! It’s horrible to see this car go!
I hear you. I had a 2001 Passat for 16 years. It was my favorite car ever and I miss it every day. I did not care for how they changed the appearance in later years. They really messed up a good thing and it is sad to hear that this is the end of the line for the model. Best car ever in bad weather and very beautiful!
I’ve owned every Honda made. They are excellent cars for getting you from A to B. In recent years I’ve moved to Audi. My first A3 (fwd) was a real sports car in comparison. I recently replaced it with an 8 y.o. A4 quattro that can get 30 mpg and puts a smile on my face every time I get in. I had an MG-TF and an AH 3000 in my college years, then as a mason contractor drove trucks. Now, in retirement with grown kids, I find I still enjoy a vehicle designed for performance and handling. Nice to be in a sedan again, too! Sadly, a Tesla will not be in my future….
I do love my 2020 Tesla model 3.
Absolutely the best car I have ever owned. EV adoption is very strong and getting stronger as folks get over the FUD about range anxiety, charging, etc. Tesla dropped its prices by thousands to qualify for the fed $7500 EV rebate and this opens the door to many more who may have thought a Tesla too expensive. The positives of buying/owning a Tesla far outweigh negatives. Don’t believe all you hear and do your own careful and detailed research before passing up a Tesla or any EV like the mustang MachE. Note the ford dropped the price on MachE as well. Good luck and feel good about any purchase decisions you make. EV, Hybrid, or gas!
We have owned multiple Volvo sedans (S40’s, S60’s, S80’s) and 2 wagons, (V70’s). Have never been interested in jumping on the SUV bandwagon. The wagons are better handling, better for in town driving and parking, are more economical to own, hold more cargo, and are easier for our dogs to jump in and out of. I am open to either the V60 or V90 X-Country wagons as replacements though. Both are beautiful vehicles. We are being forced to look at the SUV because of being surrounded by SUV’s and pick-up trucks in traffic, which are hard to see around if you are driving a traditional sedan or wagon.
We use our 2009 XC70 for hauling firewood, carrying our canoe, and snowstorms when our Prius can’t manage the roads. The low profile of the wagons is very valuable, to say nothing of the ability to reach over the roof, to wash it or to tie down a load. Try loading a lawnmower into the back of an SUV! (Years ago, there was a very popular Camry station wagon; discontinued of course!)
So sad that Volvo is ending such a long and well-loved history of station wagons. The newest V60 and V90s are insanely attractive cars, and it kinda breaks my heart that America has gone this SUV crazy. I’ll be holding on to my 2002 Volvo wagon as long as I can (hopefully for life) and I look forward to buying another someday. Too bad it’ll never be a new one!
I am so happy I got my Volvo V60 Cross Country before it “disappeared.” I have never had so beautiful and functional a car. It’s chock full of every imaginable safety and convenience factor. I would love it even more if it were electric, but when I looked into the situation, I couldn’t find enough charging stations to make it practical for the few places we are interested in travelling. I would always be afraid of running out of power or having to wait in long lines for the few charging stations I could find. If that situation is resolved, then an ecar that looked and worked like my V60 would be appealing. The main thing for me is the height of the car. We have a Subaru Outback that we really like, but I am too short to get the canoe on top of the car, and sometimes I like to go out on my own in my Hornbeck canoe. I had to use a foot-stool to get it onto the Outback. Stations wagons—lovely vehicles. Does no one want them anymore or is it a matter of having to get a tall car to be able to see and be seen over all the other tall vehicles?
It is disappointing that car manufacturers do not want to sell cars to the average person who need a car less than $17k. Especially since these are the individuals who are hit the hardest due to the COVID issues. Also for the individuals, like myself, who live in cities were parking is limited. I have been driving a Honda Fit since 2007. First living in New York and now in Boston. The Honda Fit is the perfect commuter car and can park in so many spots that other cars can not fit. Parking a SUV in the city is practically impossible. So where do individuals like me go for a car now?
If Ford drops the Fusion, their only CAR will be the Mustang! OK, so I drive an Expedition XLT, but Henry, “say it isn’t so!” One Shocked Shareholder!
I truly like the Yaris, it is the only car I rent when I visit the islands, truly sorry to see it go.
the honda civic 2 door is great car i have 175,000 on mine which is a 2012.
never minded the fat it has 2 doors i like the coupes style ,and still has plenty go head room an storage space..hope they bring it back.