What Car Models Are Being Discontinued for 2023?
Even as the car industry is moving toward electrification in the name of carbon neutrality, it’s paradoxically moving away from small, efficient cars. The SUV wave that began almost a decade ago is still going strong and as Americans continue to favor large vehicles, automakers continue to offer them. For 2023, all but one of the discontinued car models are either sedans or SUVs too small to compete, including the Chevy Spark, Honda Insight, and Toyota Avalon.
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- Acura ILX – When it launched in 2013, the ILX was intended to be an affordable luxury car. But it never really stuck and hasn’t received any major updates since. The automaker has instead seen it fit to revive the Integra nameplate, which will become the new starting point for shoppers seeking a more premium, high-performing Honda.
- Buick Encore – Also introduced in 2013 to attract young buyers, this compact SUV is not going to get its encore. Sales have been steadily declining, in part because the Buick Encore GX is already more popular. It doesn’t make sense to have them compete for the same customers.
- Chevrolet Spark – For a long time, the Spark ranked among the cheapest new cars you could buy. But that came at a major cost to features. For the price, you’d have been better off buying a well-equipped used car instead of this awkwardly-styled subcompact SUV.
- Ford EcoSport – The EcoSport didn’t last very long. It launched in 2017 as Ford tried to capitalize on the SUV market craze, but as it turns out, SUV shoppers want spacious rides — not small ones. It’s on its way out and not getting replaced.
- Honda Insight – Before Honda began electrifying its whole lineup, the Insight made sense. It was named the 2019 Green Car of the Year and gets impressive mileage. But it now competes with the Civic Hybrid and we all know who would win that particular showdown.
- Hyundai Accent – The pattern continues. Even as new car prices rise, Hyundai is eliminating its most affordable model in the Accent. Shoppers seeking the cheapest Hyundai will now have to look to the small Venue SUV, which has a few more standard features.
- Lexus RX L – This is the largest vehicle on the list. Introduced in 2017 as the three-row version of the Lexus RX luxury SUV, the RX L has always felt like a half measure. It is likely to be replaced by a separate, dedicated three-row SUV.
- Toyota Avalon – The second longest-running nameplate on this list is the Avalon, one of the last full-size sedans. It will get replaced by the new 2023 Toyota Crown, which doesn’t quite fill the same space in the segment. It’s an unusual cross between a sedan and a crossover.
- Volkswagen Passat – After a run of more than 30 years, the Passat is on its way out with no replacement planned. It’s strange to think that a car I rode in as a kid is getting the axe. But like many automakers, Volkswagen would rather focus on SUVs.
Car models get discontinued all the time and often only temporarily. We wouldn’t be surprised if, at some point in the future, when sedans and small SUVs come back in vogue, the more popular of the above listed models make a comeback.
Kurt Verlin was born in France and lives in the United States. Throughout his life he was always told French was the language of romance, but it was English he fell in love with. He likes cats, music, cars, 30 Rock, Formula 1, and pretending to be a race car driver in simulators; but most of all, he just likes to write about it all. See more articles by Kurt.