What GM cars are being discontinued?

General Motors GM,-2.78%will trim two of its smallest vehicles from the lineup after the 2022 model year, according to a new report. GM Authority was first with the news that both the Buick Encore and Chevy Trax will be canceled at the end of their current production run.

Neither development is shocking. But they reflect a growing trend — the end of affordable small cars in the U.S. market.

Both face competition in their own showrooms

The Trax is Chevy’s smallest and least expensive SUV, and it’s known for… well… not much. Our reviewer explains, “The 2022 Chevrolet Trax is a reasonably priced subcompact SUV/crossover with generally good outward vision. If this sounds like faint praise, it is.”

With a starting price of just $21,400 and available all-wheel-drive, the Trax is affordable transportation under warranty that sticks to the road even in foul weather. But it lacks the polish of more refined competition like the Hyundai HYMTF,-1.68%Kona and Honda HMC,-1.57%HR-V.

The Chevy Trax is one of Chevy’s best options for bargain hunters.

It’s not even the best subcompact SUV on Chevy lots. The newer Trailblazer takes that honor easily — and its starting price is only $200 more than the Trax.

The Trax may briefly be the least-expensive Chevy. The company recently announced plans to cancel its Spark subcompact car – the least expensive new vehicle in America this year — with a starting price of $13,600. At the time, a spokesperson pointed us to the Trax as Chevy’s best option for bargain hunters. It’s now unclear which of the two will disappear from Chevy showrooms first.

The Buick Encore is essentially a Trax with sound-deadening materials, more upscale cabin appointments, and a more refined suspension. Its $24,600 asking price makes it the least-expensive Buick product. But, like the Trax, it faces competition in its own showroom. The similarly-named Buick Encore GX is more appealing in almost every way and not terribly much more expensive at $25,800.

Few are likely to mourn the loss of either vehicle. But their loss adds to a trend few are celebrating. The average new car price in America continues to grow, and manufacturers are trimming the least-expensive options from their lineups.

The average new car in America sold for $46,085 in February. That’s a slight decrease from the month before, but still about $5,000 more than one year before. Many factors have contributed to the rise.

Some were decisions automakers made — a global shortage of microchips left automakers unable to build as many cars as they’d like. They used the chips they could get to build more expensive models that brought them higher margins.

But car shoppers shaped the trend, too. Americans have been buying more luxury cars than ever before and avoiding affordable small models like the Trax and Encore.

Is the entry-level vehicle dying? Perhaps not. Ford F,-3.46%last year introduced a new bargain model to its own lineup, with an unusual twist. It’s a truck. The Ford Maverick, with a starting price just under $20,000, won KBB’s Best New Model award with its practical nature and great value. Ford sold every Maverick it could build. The trucks are now back-ordered into next year, even as competitors cut the lower end of their lineups.

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Perhaps there’s a lesson for other automakers in the Maverick’s success.

For now, all we can say is that Chevy is eliminating its least expensive car, and its cheapest SUV and Buick counterpart may not be far behind. Under ordinary circumstances, we’d advise buyers that it’s often possible to talk a dealership into a deep discount on a discontinued car. But, in today’s sales climate, that may not be true.

With 2022 model year production coming to a close and 2023 models entering the picture, it's time for another round of the RIP list — models that will not return for the 2023 model year. Surprise, surprise, it's another list chock-full of sedans and enthusiast models, but there are a few unexpected entries on this year's list too. Let's dive right in. 

The end of the road

Acura ILX

Acura's entry-level nameplate is toast, but the formula will live on in its replacement, the newly revived Integra. Acura's smallest sedan never really caught on with enthusiasts, so we're not too surprised to see it put out to pasture. Whether the Integra has the nostalgia juice to right the ship remains to be seen. 

Acura NSX

This one hurts more than ILX. Like the new Integra, NSX represented a revival of a then-retired nameplate when it was resurrected in 2016. The new car tossed out its old mid-engine, RWD layout in favor of a hybrid system and all-wheel drive, but as a halo model, its sales never set the world on fire. It's still an impressive alternative to the C8 Chevrolet Corvette, and the development of its hybrid technology will continue to pay dividends in Acura's mainstream offerings. 

Chevrolet Malibu

Yes, the Malibu still exists. Even though GM announced years ago that it was bailing out of the small car and sedan segments in favor of profit-friendly CUVs, SUVs and trucks, the Malibu is still being built and sold today, but not for long. If that's a surprise to you, this next one's going to be a whopper. 

Chevrolet Spark

Chevy's tiny hatch-thing was among those designated for termination in GM's massive small-car slaughter, but like the Malibu, it still had its role in GM's broader lineup. In this case, we're guessing it existed to allow GM and its dealers to advertise a very cheap new car. No longer. 

Ford EcoSport

Like the Chevy Spark, the EcoSport's best attribute by far was its price point. This crossover-hatch was already old and outdated when it was first imported here in 2018; in 2022, it's an eggcrate on wheels with Bluetooth connectivity. Nobody will miss it (cue the hate mail). 

Hyundai Veloster N

Hyundai's hot hatchback is far and away the best bang-for-your-buck performance deal, especially if you need something practical. The more expensive Volkswagen GTI is more comfortable and refined, sure, but its cabin (long the Volkswagen's advantage against other sporty compacts) suffered from a massive downgrade after its latest redesign. RIP Veloster. At least we have Elantra N.

Infiniti Q60

Remember the Q60? Infiniti's luxury coupe shares its underpinnings with the Q50 sedan and the Nissan 370Z, the latter of which was just replaced with a heavily revised sports coupe. Infiniti's two- and four-door offerings have been adrift for several years; the Q60's sinking will likely go unnoticed by most car buyers. 

Mercedes-Benz A-Class

The departure of the A-Class likewise won't make too many ripples, especially since the CLA-Class (based on the exact same architecture) isn't going anywhere. The crossover-y GLA will now be the brand's cheapest offering. 

Nissan Maxima

The 4DSC ("Four Door Sports Car") has turned its last lap ... around the neighborhood, anyway. The era of the internal combustion Maxima is over. Given the nameplate's long history, we expect it will return on something electrified. Perhaps it's time for the 4D-EV-SC?

Toyota Avalon

We've reached the end of the road for Toyota's large Camry-based sedan. We expect its role to be filled by variants of the new Toyota Crown, which will arrive here first as a crossover-like liftback thing packing an electrified powertrain. 

Volkswagen Passat 

VW entered 2022 with three sedan models and will exit with just two. The long-running Passat will take a bow and leave the spotlight to the more expensive (and interesting) Arteon, while the Jetta will soldier on as the budget-friendly offering for those who want a larger compact or smaller midsize sedan. 

The chopping block 

Chrysler 300

The 300 appears to be dead-dead as soon as 2023, and unlike its Dodge siblings (see below), this will likely be the end of the line. Chrysler's Airflow concept should give you a good idea exactly how the company plans to evolve its passenger-car lineup. 

Dodge Challenger/Charger

Dodge has made it clear that the days of its current LX-platform coupe and sedan are numbered (ostensibly no higher than "2023"), but by all accounts, they will be replaced by a new platform. While both have sold reasonably well, coupe and sedan popularity has been waning and it's unclear whether the Charger and Challenger will return side-by-side, or be consolidated into a single model. Plus, Stellantis is notorious for extending the life of "dead" models, so take this one with a grain of salt until it's all said and done. 

Ford Transit Connect

Like the Mercedes-Benz Metris, the Transit Connect is getting the axe. Sources suggest it will happen some time in 2023, so if you're looking to expand or refresh your small delivery fleet, you may want to move now before your options start drying up. 

Hyundai Sonata

This freshly redesigned midsizer will be the last to wear the nameplate, but exactly when it will make its departure still remains to be seen. We expect it to depart by mid-decade. 

Kia K5

The K5 is the Sonata's platform mate and will likely be discontinued at the same time. 

Kia Stinger

Rumors of the Stinger's demise have been circulating for the past year. It is expected to be discontinued at the end of this model's life cycle, but exactly when that will be still remains a bit of a mystery. The latest rumors suggest it'll make its exit some time in 2023 or 2024. 

Maserati Ghibli

Rumors have been swirling about the Ghibli's fate for quite some time. Earlier in 2022, we heard it wouldn't see another model year. Now, it's looking like 2024 will be the final model year for Maserati's mid-priced experiment. 

Mercedes-Benz Metris

Small vans are in trouble, it seems. Like the Ford Transit Connect, the Metris is marketed to smaller outfits and urban delivery services that put a premium on space efficiency rather than outright capability. This niche hasn't expanded in the United States the way manufacturers initially hoped. 

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