The Cars We Lost in 2021

At the end of every year car manufactures crunch the numbers and conclude that some models just aren’t pulling their weight. Twelve of them didn’t make the cut for 2022. Some of the passings will induce tears, others cheers. A couple might warrent a “I didn’t know they were still making those things.” Well now they aren’t. Here are R.I.P.s in no particular order.

We rented one of these on vacation a few years back. Three suitcases overwhelmed the trunk, and I’ve driven lawn mowers with more giddyup. We began calling it the Mushroom-mobile because that’s what it kinda looked like - certainly not because they were sprouting up everywhere.

Ford EcoSport

This one is a shock yet not a surprise. Toyota introduced the Land Cruiser in 1951, and its been sold in the U.S since 1958. But the company also sells the Sequoa which they build in Texas along side the Tundra full-sized pickup. The Sequoa is similar in size - but not capability - to the Land Cruiser and costs considerably less. This favorite of U.N peacekeepers everywhere was redundant here in the states.

Toyota Land Cruiser

Polestar is Volvo’s all-EV brand. The Polestar 1 grand tourer was their first offering. Being a 2-door, it was never meant to be a big seller…and it wasn’t.

Polstar 1

Hyundai’s first EV will not be its last. The Ioniq Electric will be replaced with the Ioniq 5. I saw the 5 at last month’s LA auto show and came away thinking, this is an EV I might actually buy.

Selling cars in an SUV market is hard enough. Try selling cars with only 2 doors that cost over half a million dollars each. But don’t worry about the viability of Rolls Royce. They are still racking in the dough on every massive Cullinan SUV they sell.

Rolls Royce Wraith and Dawn

Sometimes called Golf, sometimes Rabbit, it has been on the US market since 1975. But no more. With buyers abandoning cars in droves for SUVs, it was just a matter of time. At least you can still get a GTI or Type R.

VW Golf

VW has been trying to convince Americans to buy their midsized sedans since the 1974 Dasher, but to no avail. This year they finally called it quits.

VW Passat

The problem with shooting for avant garde is that if you miss, its a bloody mess. I thought BMW stopped making these things a couple of years ago. Maybe they did stop making them, and its taken this long to unload the back inventory. Few hankies will be soiled at this funeral.

BMW i3

Honda must have taken one look at the gorgeous new hydrogen powered Toyota Mirai and just thrown in the towel.

Honda Clarity

This one baffles me. SUVs are in, and the CX3 might be the best looking of them all. Did Mazda not want to caniblize sales from their slightly sportier but not as attractive CX-30? Why not just cancel the lesser vehicle? I had visions of getting my daughter one of these when she turns 18. I will now have to get other visions or go the used route.

Mazda CX3

A crime against humanity! The Mazda6 is a work of art. I own 2 of them! While the most recent update was not quite as sublimely beautiful as my 2014 - you cant improve on perfection - it is still hands down the best looking sedan on the market today…well, yesterday. I will just have to face it, Americans are choosing to pay a premium for SUVs over sedans to get worse handling, braking and gas milage, and to drive around in a much less attractive vehicle. The days of the sedan are numbered. I might just have to add a third 6 to my collection before it’s too late.