Vehicles On The Chopping Block
Chop. Chop.
No, not the kind you make in the kitchen, nor when you are trying to get someone to hurry up, but rather the type when things are on the chopping block. So what is being cut, you ask? Looks like a few vehicles from the Honda line and several from Mercedes Benz. Last week Honda announced that they would be discontinuing the Fit, Civic coupe, and the 6-speed manual Accord sedan. And now this week Mercedes Benz claims they will also drop about seven vehicles from their lineup.
What is going on? Why are these manufacturers getting rid of their cars? As for Honda, they will be concentrating more on their core, or more popular models. With the Civic Hatchback growing in popularity, sales for the Fit and the coupe have declined. Last year, the new generation Fit, also known as the Jazz, made a debut in Europe but not the US. This vehicle became a hit overseas as a hybrid model, but here in the US, if consumers want a hybrid, they look for bigger vehicles.
Interest in small two-door cars and manual cars is declining in popularity in the US, which brought the coupe and manual Accord to its demise. Yes, auto enthusiasts are committed to particular styles and stick shift vehicles, but most models don’t have a strong following. On the bright side, the Civic manual in sedans, hatchbacks, Si, and the Type R is still available. My very first car was of a similar family – the Integra GSR in manual, and I always thought one day I would go back to the Honda/Acura family, so hopefully, manuals will still be available in the future. Growing up, when you think of Honda, the Civic or the Accord generally comes to mind, and they want to concentrate on these models. With that being said, the Civic will be redesigned for 2022, and the Accord will have a refresh for 2021.
As for Mercedes, they want to reduce their vehicle segment due to the rise in popularity of SUVs and crossovers instead of sedans. In the US, consumers tend to lean towards bigger, roomier cars versus consumers in Europe. I, for one, will most likely always drive a coupe or sedan of some type, since I like small cars, so this news kind of makes me a little sad. USA CEO Nicholas Speeks announced to dealers in a webinar in June that they plan on dropping seven vehicles in the US market. He did not specify which models exactly, however, sources did state that there is a possibility for more than seven to be cut and that the vehicles being considered, are the coupe and convertible variations of the S-, C-, and E-class, the CLS coupe, and one GT model. I have never owned, or driven, a Mercedes Benz before, but it’s sad to see some of these cars go! (If it’s true).
Some of those models are absolutely beautiful to look at.
Honda and Mercedes aren’t the only ones slimming down their lineup. Toyota will be dropping the Yaris after the 2020 model year; Chevrolet will end the Sonic after this year, and the Hyundai Accent will be replaced by their new Venue crossover.
Studies show that the demand for cars in the US has decreased, and in the luxury car market, sales have declined 37% in the past five years. On the other hand, there has been a 73% increase in sales in luxury crossovers in the same time period [Automotive News Data Center]. Either way, it looks like most consumers are looking for SUVs rather than sedans, and honestly, when I look at all the vehicles on the road, I can see that as the truth.
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No, not the kind you make in the kitchen, nor when you are trying to get someone to hurry up, but rather the type when things are on the chopping block. So what is being cut, you ask? Looks like a few vehicles from the Honda line and several from Mercedes Benz. Last week Honda announced that they would be discontinuing the Fit, Civic coupe, and the 6-speed manual Accord sedan. And now this week Mercedes Benz claims they will also drop about seven vehicles from their lineup.
What is going on? Why are these manufacturers getting rid of their cars? As for Honda, they will be concentrating more on their core, or more popular models. With the Civic Hatchback growing in popularity, sales for the Fit and the coupe have declined. Last year, the new generation Fit, also known as the Jazz, made a debut in Europe but not the US. This vehicle became a hit overseas as a hybrid model, but here in the US, if consumers want a hybrid, they look for bigger vehicles.
Interest in small two-door cars and manual cars is declining in popularity in the US, which brought the coupe and manual Accord to its demise. Yes, auto enthusiasts are committed to particular styles and stick shift vehicles, but most models don’t have a strong following. On the bright side, the Civic manual in sedans, hatchbacks, Si, and the Type R is still available. My very first car was of a similar family – the Integra GSR in manual, and I always thought one day I would go back to the Honda/Acura family, so hopefully, manuals will still be available in the future. Growing up, when you think of Honda, the Civic or the Accord generally comes to mind, and they want to concentrate on these models. With that being said, the Civic will be redesigned for 2022, and the Accord will have a refresh for 2021.
As for Mercedes, they want to reduce their vehicle segment due to the rise in popularity of SUVs and crossovers instead of sedans. In the US, consumers tend to lean towards bigger, roomier cars versus consumers in Europe. I, for one, will most likely always drive a coupe or sedan of some type, since I like small cars, so this news kind of makes me a little sad. USA CEO Nicholas Speeks announced to dealers in a webinar in June that they plan on dropping seven vehicles in the US market. He did not specify which models exactly, however, sources did state that there is a possibility for more than seven to be cut and that the vehicles being considered, are the coupe and convertible variations of the S-, C-, and E-class, the CLS coupe, and one GT model. I have never owned, or driven, a Mercedes Benz before, but it’s sad to see some of these cars go! (If it’s true).
Some of those models are absolutely beautiful to look at.
Honda and Mercedes aren’t the only ones slimming down their lineup. Toyota will be dropping the Yaris after the 2020 model year; Chevrolet will end the Sonic after this year, and the Hyundai Accent will be replaced by their new Venue crossover.
Studies show that the demand for cars in the US has decreased, and in the luxury car market, sales have declined 37% in the past five years. On the other hand, there has been a 73% increase in sales in luxury crossovers in the same time period [Automotive News Data Center]. Either way, it looks like most consumers are looking for SUVs rather than sedans, and honestly, when I look at all the vehicles on the road, I can see that as the truth.
Helpful Links:
Author: Christine P.
Date: Jul 29, 2020