CATastrophe: Every Jaguar Is Discontinued, Minus F-Pace

If you want a new Jaguar, now might be the time to act. Every model, minus the F-Pace (top left)
is headed to the big car graveyard in the sky.

When was the last time you’ve seen a new Jaguar on the road? If your answer was “I’m not sure”, I’m with you. And apparently that’s the case for most of the rest of the population too, as Jaguar is officially euthanizing every model in its lineup besides the F-Pace SUV.

What's the Plan?

If you aren’t aware of what models the British automaker has on offer for 2024, currently you can get the XE sedan, XF sedan, XF Sportbrake wagon (Europe), F-Type sports car, E-Pace compact SUV, F-Pace midsize SUV, and the I-Pace EV SUV. According to Jaguar’s CEO, Adrian Mardell, these models (minus the F-Pace, presumably) make no money for the company. The last F-Type has already been built. Jaguar had previously said that by 2025 they would be an all-EV brand. It doesn’t appear as if the company will make that milestone, but transitioning by the beginning of the next decade is still within reach. Currently, there are new models in development - a luxury gran tourer and a large SUV.

The JLR conglomerate wants Jaguar to eventually compete with Bentley - which seems slightly ambitious to me since currently, most of Jaguar’s cars are more “entry or midrange luxury” in classification vs. “exclusive high-end luxury”. Under the new JLR strategy, Jaguar would sell less than 50,000 cars annually, making them fairly niche.

So… do you think this is a wise move for Jag? Personally, I’m just gonna say no. The brand is already very niche as is, and with other automakers with a larger footprint (GM, Ford, VW etc.) now rethinking their “all-in on EVs by 2030” strategies, I’m not sure why JLR is convinced that Jaguar, of all brands, can compete by flying even more under the radar with a smaller footprint and even more expensive EV models and one ICE SUV… Time will tell. I drove the I-Pace EV several years back as part of my product development research and walked away mostly impressed. Jaguar is a brand with a rich heritage of performance and racing, we will see if they can build a new legacy looking ahead.

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We Are Losing Two More Sedans

Both the Chevrolet Malibu and Subaru Legacy will be driving into the sunset soon. Both
vehicles are two of the longer running nameplates in the midsize sedan class - Malibu being one of the originals.

The sedan battle is still cooling off, and as a result we’re losing two more. Subaru has announced that the Legacy will come to an end after the 2025 model year while Chevrolet has also announced that the Malibu will end production in November 2024. The Legacy will not be replaced. I’m surprised that the Malibu will be discontinued, however, as its sales figures actually INCREASED vs. last year. Currently, Malibu is actually the third best selling Chevrolet model behind the Silverado and Equinox, respectively – moving over 130,000 units per year.

Legacy's Story

The Subaru Legacy’s… well, ‘legacy’… Dates back to 1989 in the United States. It was largely responsible for putting Subaru on the map vs. competing brands back in the 90s. However, nowadays the Legacy appears to be more of an afterthought in the minds of buyers, as only just over 25,000 units were moved last year. These days, Subaru is committing themselves to SUVs and electric vehicles, meaning that low sellers such as the Legacy cannot stick around. The Impreza compact sedan and WRX seem to be safe right now. The Legacy’s primary selling point, being the only non-rally/outdoorsy themed vehicle in Subaru’s lineup besides the Impreza, is the fact that it came with standard AWD vs. other vehicles. However, we see now that even standard AWD can’t save you from the “sedanapocolypse”… In the past, you were able to get some pretty sporty versions of the Legacy, however. Modern Legacy play the role of a traditional sedan more than anything else.

Malibu's Story

Malibu has a much longer history. The nameplate was first introduced back in the 1960s as an upscale version of the Chevelle, then became its own standalone model later. After being originally discontinued in 1983, the Malibu name returned in 1997 as a replacement for the Corsica and was sold alongside the Lumina until the 2001 model year, shortly after the Impala was reborn to replace the Lumina for the 2000 model year. Most recently, the Malibu was redesigned for the ninth-generation in 2016 and received a refresh in 2019. An often forgotten about hybrid Malibu was sold until the 2019 model year. You could also get a pretty potent 2.0T engine up until 2022, but now the Malibu only gets a 1.5T engine with 163 HP and a CVT vs. a 6-speed automatic transmission. The Malibu has been produced at the Fairfax Assembly plant in Kansas City, alongside the Cadillac XT4. However, the plant will be retooled to build the Ultium-platform based Chevrolet Bolt in 2025.

I’m not terribly surprised the Legacy is going away, given Subrau’s brand focus and its sales numbers. Its also not a particulary interesting car vs. even many SUVs, if we’re being honest. The Malibu, is a surprise and I’m finding myself rather sad actually. I used to dislike the Malibu when I was a kid, growing up in the 90s and 2000s. It just always looked so “basic” to me… My first car before my Aura was actually a 2005 Malibu Classic, that was actually pretty quick. But to think that the Malibu is the last mainstream American sedan standing and now it’s going away is sad. I suspect it’s because manufacturers make bigger profits on SUVs and trucks, so it of course makes more sense to invest in something that’s going to turn a profit vs. something that will take longer to pay off the development costs. I think a “Gen. 10” Malibu SS with AWD and the GM 2.7 Turbo Max engine would’ve been interesting. 

Nonetheless, will you miss the Legacy or Malibu? The sedanapocolypse rolls on…

Good Car Bad Car sales figures for midsize sedans: https://www.goodcarbadcar.net/2023-us-midsize-car-sales-figures/

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Gone With the Wind: Kia Rio Discontinued in N.A.

The Rio represents what Kia initially stood for - affordable transportation. Nowadays, Kia is trending more upmarket.

It has been officially announced by Kia that the subcompact Rio sedan and hatchback line will not return for the 2024 model year. The also-small, but slightly larger Kia Forte will soldier on as the brand’s lone compact sedan offering (it may be called the Kia K4). The Kia Soul also appears to be safe as the brand’s other entry-level offering.

I figured this news was coming soon, as the Rio’s sibling vehicle, the Hyundai Accent, was discontinued last year. I also remember hearing talks while I worked at Hyundai/Kia about dropping the subcompact sedans to focus on electrifying the lineups and on SUVs. The compact sedan segment in particular has shrunk significantly in the last several years.

While not necessarily the saddest loss in the automotive world, this is noteworthy, as “inexpensive cars” are essentially what put Kia on the map back in the 90s. Now granted, those were not particularly good cars in those days vs. today… The current Rio is a solid, affordable entry level car. However, it really highlights a change in consumer tastes and that Kia feels it’s ok to now walk away from their “old bread and butter” to embrace what’s coming. Unfortunately for consumers, what’s coming is more expensive cars…

Like I mentioned previously, if you’ve been paying attention, the compact sedan segment has virtually disappeared in recent years in favor of SUVs. Some have taken the Hyundai route and converted their least expensive offerings into crossovers/SUVs (Venue). There are fewer and fewer new cars that can be had for around $20,000. Couple that with a tough used car market and high interest rates, and buying a car could be a tough task right now…

My advice is to always do your research. Know which dealers are doing markups and what your needs in are. Also, don’t be afraid to negotiate! Especially on cars that might be ending production or slow-sellers, like the Rio.

Farewell Rio - hopefully we won’t have to say goodbye to all affordable cars too soon.

Here's probably one of the last new Kia Rios you'll see on a car lot!

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Say Goodbye to the Mercedes CLS

Production of the CLS will officially end on August 31st, 2023.

Mercedes-Benz has officially confirmed that the CLS will end production after the 2023 model year. There’s only one CLS model you can choose from in the lineup: the CLS450, which has a 3.0L inline six-cylinder engine making 362 HP. If you’re wondering why the CLS is going away, just ask yourself, “when is the last time I’ve seen one of these on the road?” Mercedes is clearly taking this opportunity to focus more on their SUV line and EQ electric vehicles.

I remember when the CLS came out originally back in the 2000s. The styling was very aggressive and elegant - personally, I believe it inspired all of the “coupe SUVs” we see rolling around these days, as well. This car won’t be replaced once it ends production in late August, so if you have the spare change, snag one while you can.

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