All the cars discontinued after 2019

Models come and go like a revolving door every year in the automotive industry. Ideas don’t pan out, tastes change, and car companies run out of time or money. There are tons of reasons for certain models to be retired, and this list contains plenty of them.

Newer cars and even much older models made to the exits this year. Some of them make us sad, while others make us shrug. And even though crossovers are such a hot commodity, there are plenty eliminated in 2019. Sedans and cars got the worst of it, but even a poorly conceived crossover can’t succeed in the highly competitive market we have today. Go ahead and click on the first slide to start the slideshow.

Audi: TT, A3 Cabriolet

We’ll start with a heartbreaker. The Audi TT’s disappearance makes us as sad as any car on this list. Every version of the TT was fun, but the turbocharged five-cylinder TT RS was the best of the bunch. Throughout its many years of production and transformation to the modern world, the TT remained true to its two-door sports coupe self. The Audi lineup won’t be the same without its presence, but we hope an electric alternative fills in the space soon.

The other notable Audi you won’t be able to buy next year is the A3 Cabriolet. This little droptop will still be available to buy in sedan format, but low demand for the cabrio is the likely culprit here. A3 sales in general have experienced a decline in recent years, but we don’t know the split between sedans and convertibles. One can only guess the Cabriolet has suffered, especially in colder states.

BMW: 3 Series Gran Turismo, 6 Series Gran Turismo

BMW offed the last of the 6 Series in America this year, and the strangely shaped 3 Series Gran Turismo is following suit. These Gran Turismo cars never really knew what they were, and consumers were likely confused by them, too. Adding a hatchback to a regular sedan is great for utility, but they never looked quite right. Buyers are much more into crossovers in America, and these tall-ish sportback things don’t quite fit any sort of mold. We’re not too broken up over their short deaths, as BMW has plenty of other models that serve the same purpose in its lineup.

Buick: Cascada, LaCrosse

The Buick brand is officially going away from sedans entirely. The Regal isn’t on this list because it’s sticking around in the 2020 model year, but Buick has promised its coming death also. Two cars that won’t see daylight in 2020, though, are the Cascada and LaCrosse. These two sell in low volumes, and can’t compete against the demand for Buick crossovers. The Cascada looks like a neat proposition from the surface, but it ended up being a disappointing and lazy driver in the end. We’ll shed half a tear over the luxurious LaCrosse, but there are plenty of other nice sedans to choose from out there we’d take before the Buick.

Cadillac: CTS, ATS, XTS … CT6

These cars were announced dead a while back, but they’re leaving the Cadillac lineup for real after 2019 ends. The CTS and ATS are being replaced by the CT5 and CT4 respectively, so there won’t be much of a lapse in Cadillac sedan selection. We will be patiently waiting for the V performance variants.

Cadillac has nothing in the hopper to directly replace the XTS. And then there’s the CT6. Production for the CT6 is officially slated to end in January 2020, so there will be some 2020 models available for sale. The CT6 has gone through a range of fates, but it looks like things are finally going to be settled with the plant shutting down. It’s a real shame to see such a fantastic car with brilliant tech be led out the door, but that’s Cadillac’s reality today.

Chevrolet: Cruze, Volt, Impala, Malibu Hybrid

There are plenty more GM products taking the spotlight and their final bows in 2019. This gaggle of Chevys won’t see 2020 model years, and the Volt is the biggest loss. We’ve spilled plenty of ink over the Volt’s abrupt and sad discontinuation, but it doesn’t get any easier with time. This car was meant to pave the way forward for GM’s electrification efforts. Upon its death, we have the Bolt and a promise of more to come.

We’ve known about the Cruze and Impala, but it’s worth noting that 2019 is officially the end of the line for those two. Chevy also trimmed its Malibu lineup for 2020, eliminating the Hybrid variant.

Fiat 500

The Fiat 500 hatchback, convertible and 500e electric are all exiting America after 2019 is done. They’re small city cars in a large SUV kind of world, and the larger versions of the 500 (500X and 500L) are the only two that’ll continue onwards in 2020. Our personal favorite — the Abarth — is also driving off into the sunset. We’ll miss its throaty growl and delightful handling once it’s gone. All we have left to say is Arrivederci!

Ford: Flex, Fiesta, Taurus

Ford’s lineup cull continued in 2019. This year is officially the last one for the Ford Flex, an old but still lovable vehicle. The Fiesta and Taurus are finally going to see production end as well, though their deaths were announced a while back. New Fords are on the way to fill the lineup with crossovers and SUVs, but we’ll miss the perky Fiesta and fantastic utility from the Ford Flex.

Hyundai Santa Fe XL

Hyundai kept most of its lineup intact this year, but the new Santa Fe (pictured above) and Palisade teamed up to push the Santa Fe XL out the door. If you need three rows in a Hyundai today, the answer is officially Palisade. The new Santa Fe is another great option if you need something larger than the Tucson but the Palisade is overkill. We’re definitely still splitting hairs when it comes to Hyundai’s crossover lineup, but the death of the Santa Fe XL was a necessary one to usher in the company’s newest products.

Infiniti QX30, Q70

Infiniti ended production of the QX30 this year, which means that the little crossover has no chance of seeing the light of day in 2020. The car was simply a re-badged Mercedes-Benz GLA, so we have no hard feelings seeing it go. Another Infiniti that left us this year is the Q70. That’s the biggest sedan in the lineup, so Infiniti doesn’t have a flagship sedan any longer. We’ll just consider the gargantuan QX80 the brand leader at this point. Expect to see a new luxury sedan show up with electric power eventually, though.

Jaguar XJ

Here’s another sedan we’re sad to see go. However, it’s not entirely buried yet. Jaguar told us the XJ name will continue, and the automaker said it would “be replaced by a like-size” car. It also looks like the new XJ will be an electric flagship sedan. We’re completely behind doing exactly that, especially after experiencing how fun the Jaguar I-Pace is from behind the wheel. Unfortunately, we have no idea when such a replacement vehicle will hit the road. Jaguar has already proved itself capable of producing an EV (even before others), so it’s most likely just a matter of time.

Mercedes-AMG SL 63

The Mercedes SL lineup loses its halo AMG SL 63 variant after 2019, which means the SL 450 and SL 550 will be the only two available in 2020. Mercedes has never sold this SL in high quantities, but it’s sad to see this super quick AMG model go away. As things stand today, Mercedes has the S 63 Cabriolet and AMG GT Roadster available for anyone wanting a fast droptop. If one of those cars don’t fill the void for you … maybe drive them again. They’re truly fantastic in their own separate ways.

Lincoln: MKC

The Lincoln MKC has been completely replaced by the new Lincoln Corsair. The alphanumeric names are out, and the creative real names are in over at Lincoln. Lincoln built the MKC off the Escape platform, and that continues in 2020 as the new Corsair is built off the redesigned Escape bones. There isn’t much to be sad about here, as the Corsair is a much better car and name than MKC ever was. Plus, the Corsair adds electrification options where the MKC had nothing to offer.

Nissan: 370Z Roadster, Rogue Hybrid, Versa Note

Nissan eliminated a few unnecessary models that won’t be produced into 2020. The 370Z coupe carries on unchanged, but the Roadster is gone. We’d buy the hardtop anyway, so eliminating the Roadster is fine. Then there’s the Rogue Hybrid. This one seemed like a smart move when it was launched a few years ago, but cheap gas and relatively meager efficiency gains have left it treading water. The Rogue lineup wasn’t too compelling before, and this move doesn’t help. Lastly, there’s the Versa Note. Nissan launched a new Versa sedan this year, and it didn’t find it necessary to bring the hatchback body style along in the new generation. We were mildly surprised at how nice the Versa sedan is to drive compared to the previous car, so we’ll forgive the Versa Note for heading to the exits.

Smart Fortwo

Ah, the Smart Car. Perhaps it was too smart for its own good. Or maybe it was just a bad fit in America from the beginning. It was definitely the latter. The Smart EQ Fortwo was the last one left in America, and unlike Europe, it fits next to nobody’s lifestyles. Our most recent review titled it: The saddest way to spend $25,000. That is still true in 2019. And if you were wondering, yes, we managed to find some new 2019 Smart Fortwo Electric Drives for sale on the internet. Don’t do it.

Toyota Prius C

The Prius C was the cheapest Prius money could buy. It’s also the slowest and worst to drive. If you’re a frequent user of Uber and Lyft, these cars are most likely the bane of your existence. They’re tiny and uncomfortable, but they’re cheap and get great gas mileage. The Prius C going away also brings the Prius lineup back to where it started after Toyota rapidly expanded things with the Prius V and Prius C variants. We have the plug-in Prius Prime today, too, but it’s back to just one body style for Toyota’s venerable hybrid.

VW: Beetle, Golf SportWagen, Golf Alltrack

Volkswagen broke our hearts 2019, eliminating the Beetle from the brand’s lineup. Not only that, but it also took away two wagons. The Golf SportWagen and Golf Alltrack are both vehicles we’d recommend to anyone open to the idea of a longroof, but now they’re going away for 2020. We can thank the Mk8 Golf’s appearance onto the scene for this snub, but even the regular Golf hatchback is questionable for U.S. consumption — we know the GTI and Golf R will be arriving eventually, though. 

We wrote an ode to the Beetle when the news was announced. And we also went down to Mexico to drive the last one. It may be a flawed vehicle in some ways, but there’s no making up for the history and personality that comes along with the name and shape of Volkswagen’s most iconic car.