General Motors Trimmed U.S. Sedan Lineup From 13 To 3 Models In Five Years
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As U.S. car buyers lean ever more heavily towards crossovers, SUVs, and trucks, automakers are responding by filling every niche possible with new and exciting products. However, with the proliferation of these three vehicle types, less popular body styles are dwindling, seen most dramatically in the sedan segment. This downturn for traditional four-doors is more than obvious when looking at General Motors’ U.S. vehicle lineup, which cut its sedan offerings from 13 models to three models in just five years.
The Last Chevy Impala produced.
Chevrolet was the hardest hit when it comes to General Motors’ latest sedan purge, losing five vehicles total, including the Chevy Sonic, Chevy Cruze, Chevy Impala, Chevy SS, and the fleet-exclusive Chevy Caprice PPV. Funny enough, Chevy is also the only non-Cadillac GM brand to still offer a sedan, namely the Chevy Malibu.
Buick LaCrosse Sport Touring
Meanwhile, Buick lost the Buick Verano, the Buick LaCrosse, and the Buick Regal. That said, it’s worth mentioning that the Regal was arguably last offered as a “proper” sedan back in 2016.
Finally, there’s Cadillac, which killed off the Cadillac ATS, the Cadillac CTS, the Cadillac XTS, and the Cadillac CT6. Caddy currently offers the Cadillac CT4 and Cadillac CT5, which join the Chevy Malibu as GM’s final three sedans left standing in the U.S. market.
| Model | Final Model Year |
|---|---|
| Chevrolet Sonic | 2020 |
| Chevrolet Cruze | 2019 |
| Chevrolet Impala | 2020 |
| Chevrolet SS | 2017 |
| Chevrolet Caprice PPV (fleet only) | 2017 |
| Buick Verano | 2017 |
| Buick Regal | 2020 |
| Buick LaCrosse | 2019 |
| Cadillac ATS | 2018 (sedan), 2019 (coupe) |
| Cadillac CTS | 2019 |
| Cadillac XTS | 2019 |
| Cadillac CT6 | 2020 |
As GM Authority covered previously, GM’s crosstown rival, Ford Motor Company, currently has no sedan models. At the same time, other automakers offer a variety of four-doors. Volkswagen, for example, has six sedans, while Hyundai/Kia/Genesis has 11.
In addition to dwindling sales and interest from U.S. buyers, General Motors is also cutting its sedan lineup to help free up money for long-term technology investments, primarily all-electric vehicles and self-driving autonomous vehicles. As such, underperforming vehicles (i.e., sedans) are cut, giving us the current crossover-, SUV-, and truck- heavy GM lineup we see today.
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I see nobody mention anything about the future of the Camaro , But there has been talk ,that due to low sales ,that the Camaro will be discontinued . If the happens, I wonder if the Malibu will be used as next NASCAR racer ?
I think this site is having trouble. I’ll try again.
What about the Spark? It’s not a CUV, SUV or truck. It’s basically a very small sedan/car in hatch form. This is the second article on here about sedans, yet neither one mentions the Spark. What do they classify it as?
Good question. I would lump it in with sedans. Or maybe just a “car” as opposed to a CUV people-stuff module thingie.
@John: Good to know! So I’m driving a “car” instead of a “people-stuff module thingie”. Haha.
But seriously though, I really do wonder what it’s officially classified as. Thus my question to GMA as to why they never talk about it when doing “sedan” articles.
DUMB IDIOTS
They really should keep the Malibu around. The next generation should offer AWD and a wagon variant. Buick should also get a version.
Not everyone wants an SUV. The Malibu is a solid vehicle and the latest update gave it a nicer IC and an auto start/stop defeat switch. It’s a very good value.
I may buy a 2.0T Malibu Premier in 2022 If they are still around .
You dumb ass’s. I’ve been buying these cars for years. I’m not buying a suv. I’ll but a Mercedes next. Thanks Mary.
Tony
YoY U.S. sales thru September.
11,732 A-class -13%
20,597 C-class – 46%
20,393 E-class – 32%
6,630 S-class – 25%
When people say car sales are falling, what they really mean is car sales are falling even at Mercedes.
I see. So, with half the country out of work and Covid-19 running rampant, folks here think SUVs are flying off the shelves?
ACZ
Escalade Socially distance with style.
For 100 Grand?
ACZ
Finance rates are very reasonable. Besides If an actor can write off $70K on his hair, I can write off $100K as transportation expenses.
Morons. Idiots. Fools. Followers. Did I mention I am pi55ed that GM and Ford have murdered all of the great sedans. I will never never never buy an SUV, cuv, or truck. Looks like Honda, Toyota, Hyundai, Kia, and many other foreign automakers have instantly earned my business. I pray for $5/gallon gasoline again. That’ll teach em!
Rusty Thornburg
at Toyota: Scion, both Yarises, PriusC, Prius V, Lexus CT, Lexus GS are all dead.
Honda killed off the: Fit, Clarity, Acura RLX & NSX
Hyundai hasn’t built an: Equus, Azera, Amanti, in ages.
KIA? if the vehicles were any good owners wouldn’t be removing the logos.
Hyundai/Kia spun off Genesis. It has crossovers coming, but so far it’s all sedans, and they’re selling.
We love our ’17 Lacrosse with the LGX V6 and Aisin 8 speed transaxle. Gobs of power and great mileage. I guess we’ll just stay with this great car. I sometimes wonder about GM’s thinking about sedans these days…
Plus I was raised as a GM Cadillac kid have a CT6 loved it but GM killed it off so how Cadillac supposed to be competing with BENZ BMW luxury business without a big sedan. And this so called hand made Big $200,000 Cadillac Electric car they bring is crazy. Because if I can afford a $200,000 car it want be and American made. Thank you GM all trucks and SUV going hurt u watch
If they don’t change upper management at gm thr company is doomed. I’ve wanted a new big car from gm for some years, but everything has the dinky 4 cylinder engines that I will not buy. Acura RDX here I come.
All I see are idiotic comments here. GM is building cars people want to buy. Nobody was buying sedans anymore so they were discontinued. GM is in the business of making money. If there was still enough interest in these sedans they would still manufacturer them. These Hyundai and VWs that are reffered to are built for the worlwide market. North Americans are buying Cross overs and trucks. GM knows this and react to the market. This is how you stay relevant and profitable. Article failed to mention that GM has 6 new Cross overs and SUVs that have entered the US market in the last year. GM’s only real issue right now is supplying enough vehicles to keep up with consumer demand. Have any of you been to a dealer lot recently? Completely out of vehicles. The only vehicles on the lots are Malibus, Impalas because no one is buying them.
Talk about someone who drank the kool aid. This kid must be in GM marketing and looking to get promoted. Apparently he hasn’t tried to find a sedan to buy. There none to speak of.
I do sell GM vehicles and I have for the last 23 years. I have new Impalas and Malibus for sale all over the lot. No one wants them. Can’t find you a truck or Tahoe, Yukon though. Seems like the 25 car buyers left think they should tell General Motors how to run their company. Have a look at the sedan number sales across North America in the last 5 years. Dropping huge numbers every year. GM has made the right decision. Toyota and Honda will soon follow. GM stopped producing these vehicles because dealers aren’t selling them. If the demand was there they would produce them!
I can’t figure out why people think GM has made a bad decision to build what buyers want.
I am not drinking the Kool Aid.I sell it and we haven’t been selling sedans for a long time. GM should have gone down this road 5 years ago.
@Nathan Knelsen: I agree with you almost 100% and I don’t feel you have drank the Kool Aid. Reason I say almost 100%? I’m not one that feels they should put all their eggs in just one basket. No, I totally disagree with everyone on here screaming the world will be coming to an end because of the lack of sedans. I also feel the people on here saying they will go to Honda, Toyota, BMW, etc are just sell outs. And when those brands abandon sedans, then what will they do. Or better yet, when those brands stop making “sedans” in the form they feel it should be and instead start selling another form of crossover-like sedan? Case in point? The new Ford Escape. Not at all like the old one, but not totally like the Focus/Fusion sedan style either. Like Ford combined the old Escape/Fusion/Focus into one new body. So I feel people on here go overboard on this, but every brand really should keep a couple sedans (meaning not SUV/CUV). This is where platform sharing can be beneficial. Chevrolet and Buick should both have two sedans that are distinctly a Chevy or Buick yet built on the same platform in the same plant. Then Cadillac should certainly keep two sedans on the luxury side that are not built on the Chevy/Buick platform. If GM at least offered 6 sedan models total, then they can stay competitive and still print money on the trucks and SUV’s.
“..And when those brands abandon sedans, then what will they do…”
Simple. We’ll buy used.
And hang onto it, until the day we die.
Can’t force someone to buy a product that they don’t want.
Would have loved the chevy ss to have continued and become available to Canada.
I think GM knows how to make this segment profitable but they choose not to invest in other stuff. If they made their sedans super appealing to young adult crowd and as “sporty/exotic” looking as conveniently possible they definitely would sell more, because thats the biggest market for sedans right now. i’m 23 and i have no desire to buy any kind of SUV. This is what KIA/hyundai are doing with the new K5/Sonata/ stinger, I see them go viral on twitter all the time.
Folks think about it. You have to build so many sedan cars to sell to make a profit. If you are not selling enough of that product to make a profit then why do you continue to build them if you’re losing money so GM & Ford were losing money so it was better for them to cut their losses. Does this make any sense to some of you folks ? If it was your business and your money what would you do ? Some men buy SUV’s but the majority buy trucks period. Some women now a days buy trucks but the majority buy SUV’s. The younger crowd coming into the market are buying SUV’s and trucks, none are looking for cars. Majority of woman like easy in and easy out not get down into then climbing out of. Woman like putting things they buy like groceries or baby things or kid things in and out without strain on them and like the SUV to easily put in and take out without straining their back. Same with younger women with babies in car seats taking them in and out of back seats without strain on their backs, hips, or necks and same with grandparents too. Cars are against all these things that SUV’s offer and today’s midsize SUV’s are just as good on gas mileage as the car. My opinion sedans won’t be coming back and will eventually disappear from all automakers. Folks also like sitting up a little higher than a car so they can see around them better. The only thing that kept the sedans going was gas mileage but now that SUV’s getting just as good and are more user friendly folks are switching over to them to help make their life better. Power liftgates is the SUV’s hot option which in my opinion should become standard across the board on any SUV. Midsize SUV is the hot point overall for price, room, height, and mileage. Also easy park. Trucks, we all have to have trucks so they will always be strong and growing in the market. SUV’s will continue to grow as well and be the center point in most locations. Some folks think only of themselves and not the overall market demands that a business has to look at to survive. If u want it from a particular manufacturer but can’t get it evidently not enough of “you people buyer’s” are out there for that manufacturer to build it so you’ll have to go to another brand for that particular type vehicle and understand the cause without complaining of your manufacturer that quit building them. Some of these remarks I read sounded political, lol.
Another one. A lot of kool-aid out here. LOL
Finally. Someone that knows what this is about. GM didn’t make the decision to stop building sedans, car buyers did. If they were still selling they would still be building them. This was a smart decision and it should have been made before they wasted so much money designing the Buick Regal and the CT6. They cut their losses now. If you really still want to buy a sedan, hurry and buy one now before all the other manufacturers follow GMs lead. The full size sedan is dead…The 1970s and 80s are over. They may be reincarnated 20 years from now as electric cars but times have changed and good on GM for recognizing this. GM has made billions of profits since their resurgence through bankruptcy over the last decade and they are doing all the right things to make sure that they don’t suffer the same fate they did in 2008. It’s a good thing none of you are running the company, building cars nobody is buying.
Welcome to 2020!!!
Remember, people are largely bovine and if you have the right kind of advertising(Mad Men anyone?) that can make the right pitch they will buy it. The business of advertising is to get people to buy things they didn’t really think they needed with money they haven’t got.
Edward M Pate: OMG, did you actually read what you wrote before posting? What you said works for small ticket items like a phone, computer, speakers, food, shoes, etc. But please take it from someone who’s been in the automotive world for nearly 19 years now. From what you said, the best GM or anyone else could wish for would be if the advertising caused a current sedan driver to trade up now rather than waiting. But you will not convince someone who had a need or sees the value of a CUV/SUV/Truck that they need a car instead. I’m with a Volvo and Mazda store now for about 5 years. Volvo’s sedan (car) sales is going down like a lead balloon. And Mazda’s once mighty selling Mazda 3 is now an after-thought to the CX5, new CX30 and isn’t much better than the junk and now obsolete CX3. What GM’s “right kind of advertising (Mad Men)” need to figure out is how to get the sheep who continually buy Honda’s and Toyota’s to actually look at a GM CUV/SUV to see just how good they are.
I never interested having sedan. Wagon is okay but 4 doors sedan is a no … Subaru is very smart to modified their wagon band sedan
@ACZ: I’m 53 years old. I still like sedans a lot, but don’t push that on everyone. Being in the automotive business, I understand fully what William and Nathan are saying. Sounds to me like maybe you are the one pushing the Kool aid? Why is the concept of being profitable foreign when we talk about the car world?
So ACZ, what type of business are you in? Do you own your own or work for someone? Let’s say you worked for Amazon and they only began to offer the items they wanted to sell but the vast majority of buyers were not buying what Amazon was trying to sell. If you were an hourly worker and your hours were cut because of lack of business, would you say something? If you were in management and were watching overall sales plunge, would you stick to your guns and continue to sell what you wanted? What if that meant your salary would be cut by 40%? And this is coming from someone who does feel all brands need to continue offering sedans, so please don’t try to say I’m drinking kool aid.
Retired and a veteran of 50 years in the automobile business. No one is pushing sedans on everyone. SUVs and crossovers are being pushed on everyone because there are no other choices. Take a look at what people are writing. Doing things the easy way and taking the path of least resistance never made anyone successful. If you want success you have to work for it.
You can’t build bland sedans and expect them to sale. Take a look at the Dodge Charger, it’ has the oldest platform in the industry and has consistently been number 1 selling sedan, long before GM and Ford discontinued building them. GM simply don’t get it. Everybody don’t want front wheel drive. They offered no exclusivity, you barely can tell a Malibu from a Impala, from a Cadillac.
So put the V-6 back in the Malibu and see them move off the sales floor!
The Itty-bitty 3’s and 4″s are for motorcycles and ICECREAM VENDERS!
Pedal cars look like the future with present GM DESIGN as led (?) by Management!
At least give it a bigger 4. Two liters? You can get a 2.5 in a Mazda3.
The Mazda 2.5L 186 HP and 186 lbs feer of torque. Why does GM need a bigger engine. Here are the GM specs.
GM 2.0 Liter Turbo I4 Ecotec LTG Engine.
Type:2.0L I-4ApplicationsHorsepower hp (kW)Cadillac ATS:272 hp (203 kW) @ 5500 rpm SAE CertifiedChevrolet Malibu:259 hp (193 kW) @ 5300 rpm SAE CertifiedApplicationsTorque lb.-ft. (Nm)
Facts don’t mean anything here.
Who would have thought, support American manufacturing and buy a Honda or Toyota sedan, support communist China and buy a Buick
I drive a ’98 Malibu. I am the original owner, am a 52 y.o. man. I had my Malibu painted a non-metallic dark green, which I find very handsome/pretty. I like elegant looking SEDANs, like the early ’90s Buick Park Avenues. I find the Ford Fusion to be a good looking vehicle too. I will get another SEDAN when my current vehicle gives up the ghost. I would prefer a GM or Ford vehicle, but they seem to think everyone wants a cross-over of truck. Which is not the case. I like vehicles with some square corners to them. I liked the Chevy S10 Blazers of decades ago. Not all vehicles need to look like an enlarged bar of soap. Maybe give vehicles some elegance & put effort in on good design details, again, and your sales might improve. A number of people moved away from Volvo after the firm was bought by the Chinese. Their vehicles might still be produced in Sweden, Belgium, etc. But the mother company is Chinese. And Volvos might be well made vehicles but are quite pricey. And they have lost it a bit – no longer are inovators in auto design language, like they once were.