Trick or Treat? Vehicles Dying for the 2023 Model Year
It’s Halloween, the time when vehicles once lauded as the best and newest enter the annals of history and are either fondly recalled or mockingly scorned.
The vehicles now entering the automotive afterlife for the 2023 model year must now be mourned. But were they a trick or a treat? Let’s find out.
Acura ILX: The Acura ILX was never as good as the Integra it replaced, and always seemed like a charlatan. Thankfully, Acura’s half-hearted attempt, now a decade old and two generations older than the current Civic, will be replaced by a new Integra for the 2023 model year.
Acura NSX: The second-generation NSX demonstrated that hybrid vehicles didn’t need to be dull. Despite its continued relevance in the car world, Acura is eliminating their hybrid supercar even as the rest of the world’s exotic vehicle manufacturers are about to release theirs.
Buick Encore: There will be no encore for the Lilliputian Encore, a diminutive subcompact SUV with a dollop of Buick luxury. This automotive tidbit once accounted for nearly half of Buick’s U.S. sales. But its desirability faded with the introduction of the larger, and less expensive Buick Encore GX, which outsold it virtually 3-to-1 in 2022.
Chevrolet Spark: A respectable small car, it was never as popular as it should be due Americans’ love of big ones. Small in size, modest in cost and big of heart, it was the least-expensive car sold in America. It wasn’t fast, but it was frugal and it didn’t cost a lot. And we could use that right about now. Too bad it’s going away.
Chevrolet Trax: Like its identical cousin, the Buick Encore, the tall narrow Chevrolet Trax is M.I.A. for 2023. But it’s merely a respite before the arrival of a new model for 2024 that’s 11 inches longer and 1.8 inches wider, but with a smaller, less powerful engine. So it’s not dying as much as it’s taking a very long nap.
Ford GT: Who couldn’t help but love Ford’s tribute to its Le Mans-winning race cars of the 1960s? But who loved its $500,000 price? Nevertheless, Ford is transforming its line-up into one powered by electrons, not dinosaur remains. So there might be a high-end electric sports car in Ford’s future, but not one fueled by, well … fuel.
Honda Insight: Possibly among the prettiest mainstream hybrid sedans ever built, it lost its justification for existing when Honda launched its latest Civic Hybrid. This rendered the Insight redundant, even though it’s a better-looking car than the Civic. Its eloquent aesthetic will be missed.
Hyundai Accent: Never as popular as the larger Elantra sedan, its spot at the bottom of the Hyundai product ladder will be assumed by the Venue SUV, which costs some $2,300 more, enough to render the model unaffordable to buyers who might have bought the Accent, and must, instead, settle for a used car.
Hyundai Ioniq: In an effort to sow confusion, Hyundai’s Ioniq-branded hybrids are being given the heave-ho for 2023. As with Honda, Hyundai is offering hybrid trims on its various models, so a distinct hybrid line is no longer needed. But the Ioniq moniker will survive as Hyundai’s all-electric sub-brand, starting with the Ioniq 5.
Hyundai Veloster: This odd little sports coupe was a final vestige of an Asian automotive archetype that finally disappears with the Veloster. Blame the debut of the Elantra N and Kona N. Since then, the Veloster’s sales have nosedived in the past two years, from 12,849 in 2019 to 2,112 in 2021.
Infiniti Q60: If you had to choose an archetypal Infiniti, which model would it be? Nothing immediately springs to mind, does it? Some would say it’s the Q60 coupe. While this is clearly Infiniti’s most fun-to-drive model, it did little to help its image as a luxury brand that for too long was sold on price, not image.
Jeep Grand Cherokee WK: The Chrysler folks have had a habit in recent years of keeping the old version of a new model in production as a lower cost alternative once a new model appears. It also helps increase sales. That’s the case here. But who wants yesterday’s news when you can get the latest?
Lamborghini Aventador: Hardly past its prime, this sexy beast will be put out to pasture as Lamborghini electrifies its portfolio. So say sayonara to this 12-cylinder supercar. While its electrified replacement will no doubt be very impressive, it’s just not going to be the same.
Mercedes-Benz A-Class: Starting at less than $34,000, this was Mercedes-Benz’s least costly model in 2022. The GLA crossover, which costs less than $37,000, now holds that distinction. Still, one wonders why a luxury brand finds it necessary to offer models with mainstream pricing.
Nissan Rogue Sport: Always overshadowed by the larger Rogue SUV and cheaper Kicks, the Rogue Sport it largely seemed unnecessary. Yet it probably is. Instead of building something that looks and acts like a Rogue that was left in the dryer too long. Something more distinctive is clearly needed.
Ram ProMaster City: If you thought this truck didn’t look right for a Ram, that’s because it’s the Doblo cargo van made by Fiat. However, given that it had strong sales, its passing might be a sign that something better is on the way.
Toyota Avalon: Retirees in Florida condominiums are in a state of mourning. The vehicle bearing the name of the island to which King Arthur’s body was transported after his death has now entered eternal life with the mythical king. It remains to be seen if they will view the new Crown to be a suitable replacement.
Volkswagen Passat: This American imposter was a mockery for those who fondly remembered and owned a European Passat. This one was truly its American cousin, oversized, perfectly serviceable and possessing a personality as bland as a dinner at Olive Garden.
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