Skip to main content

DRIVE

Get a last look at the car models that have been discontinued

Automakers edit their vehicle lineups regularly, removing slow-selling models and variants or replacing those that no longer fit their broader market strategy.

To date, this year's purge appears fairly light compared with roughly two dozen culled last year – based on Globe Drive's canvas of the major players. If you're car shopping, however, there might be bargains as dealers clear the discontinued models from their lots.

With 2018 models starting to fill dealership showrooms, we say goodbye to these vehicles, at least for now. You never know about rebirth.

Dodge Viper

FCA's raw 645-hp V-10 Viper was the answer to Chevrolet's Corvette. It actually made our list a year ago when the automaker announced this would be the two-seater's final year. But it was assured a long goodbye with no fewer than six editions, though only three appear on Dodge's Canadian website, ranging in price from $130,000 to 160,000. Well-kept Vipers are likely to become a future collectible. If you miss out, Dodge has newer offerings in the 707-hp Hellcat versions of the Challenger coupe and Charger sedan and the upcoming limited-edition 840-hp Challenger Demon.

Honda Accord Coupe

The biggest news out of Honda relates to the Accord – the demise of the coupe version and of all V-6 Accord models. Honda does not break out coupe sales in its totals for Accord, one of its big sellers. But automakers have streamlined model lineups to make room for more popular CUV/SUV variants. The optional 278-hp V-6 made Accords smooth, powerful cruisers. Accord sedans now will be offered only with 1.5-litre and 2-litre turbo four-cylinder engines used in the smaller Civic. The Civic coupe may capture some Accord coupe customers.

Infiniti QX70

Nissan's luxury sales channel is dropping its mid-sized SUV/CUV for sale in the Americas in 2018. The five-passenger, all-wheel-drive QX70, priced between about $54,000 to $93,000, is not a huge seller and Infiniti still has a mid-sized offering in the less-expensive ($48,000), three-row QX60. A spokesperson said the company is preparing for the arrival of an all-new QX50 next year and promised the spirit of the QX70 will live on in upcoming models.

Jeep Patriot

With the advent of the all-new Compass, Jeep ended production of this four-cylinder compact SUV a few months ago. Remaining inventory is being cleared out at a deeply discounted starting price of about $16,300. The Patriot is available in front and four-wheel-drive versions.

Hyundai Accent hatchback (?)

We're including this not because the Korean automaker is cutting the five-door version of its entry-level passenger car but because it's keeping it. While eliminating the model in the U.S. markets, Canadians have always expressed more of a preference for small hatches than their American counterparts, so the Accent hatch stays here. Its starting price is about $14,000.

Lexus CT200h

Lexus is dropping this compact hybrid hatchback from the Canadian market. A cousin to the Toyota Prius, the CT200h is also disappearing from the U.S. market but will still be sold elsewhere. The company wouldn't spell out why it's dropping the $33,000 hybrid but said it constantly monitors demand and adjusts its offerings to suit the needs of Canadian luxury buyers.

Mazda5

Another minivan bites the dust. Sales of the six-passenger Mazda5, which the company calls a multiactivity vehicle, have tailed off since peaking in 2008 at about 12,000, with about 1,600 sold last year according to the website Good Car Bad Car. The Japanese-produced Mazda5, with a starting price of about $22,000, has been phased out of all but its home market as Mazda focuses on its CX-3, CX-5 and CX-9 crossovers.

There are trim and equipment tweaks to the rest of Mazda's lineup but, interestingly, nothing's been announced yet concerning the Mazda6 sedan, which has also been in steady decline as consumers flock to crossovers.

Mercedes-Benz CLS

The German luxury automaker is putting its muscular four-door coupe on hiatus for the 2018 model year to await the launch of a new generation for 2019. The CLS starts at about $93,000 and ranges north of $130,000 for an AMG version. The swoopy CLS is a niche offering that never sold in large numbers compared with its similar-sized, more conventional E-Class brethren, so taking a year off won't have much impact.

Mitsubishi Lancer

The Lancer is likely another victim of the consumer stampede to sport utility and crossover models. The compact sedan, which started at about $22,000, is in its final year and Mitsubishi Canada says no replacement is planned, though it has inventory to last well the first quarter of 2018. You can also still buy a 2015 copy of the legendary, rally-bred Lancer Evolution for about $50,000. The company is adding to its SUV and crossover lineup with the Eclipse Cross and Outlander PHEV.

Mitsubishi i-MiEV

Mitsubishi is also ending its foray into the battery-powered electric-vehicle market, at least for now. The subcompact i-MiEV sedan was one of the EV trailblazers, along with the Nissan Leaf, but the Leaf has captured the lion's share of customers for what is essentially an urban runabout. I-MiEVs will be available through the first few months of 2018 with an asking price of about $28,000 before rebates.

Smart fortwo coupe/cabriolet

The tiny, two-seat city runabout built in France by Mercedes' Smart subsidiary will no longer be offered with the three-cylinder, 89-horsepower gasoline engine. The company announced earlier this year it would focus on the battery-electric version for the North American market. The fourth-generation Smart EV has yet to debut in Canada. The hydrocarbon Smart started at just over $17,000 and got 6.9 litres/100 km but needed premium fuel.

Volkswagen Touareg

The five-passenger Touareg is Volkswagen's largest SUV, smack in the middle of the highly competitive mid-size segment with a price of more than $51,000 for 2017. Sales may have been hurt by the withdrawal of the diesel model in 2015 in the wake of the emissions-cheating scandal. A VW spokesman said the German automaker has decided to focus on the seven-passenger Atlas and smaller Tiguan crossovers, both less expensive than the Touareg.

Volkswagen CC

Volkswagen's range-topping sedan (asking price about $40,000) has a coupe-like silhouette with a choice of four- and six-cylinder engines and features optional 4Motion all-wheel-drive. A VW spokesman said there's no word yet on a replacement but outside Canada it will be succeeded by the new Arteon, which has similar lines but also offers hatchback utility.

Tesla Model S 60

The luxury electric-car maker is dropping the "entry-level" 60 kilowatt/hour version of its first product, presumably to make room for the new Model 3 sedan, with its relatively low starting price of $35,000 [U.S.]. The Model S will still be available with the 75 kW/h or 100kW/h power packs providing estimated ranges between 450 and almost 600 km, starting at around $100,000.