You Won’t Believe How Many Cars Died In 2018 – And If You Don’t, Here’s a Reminder [Video]

Thanks to major shifts by two major automakers, the car landscape will look a bit more barren in 2019.

Let’s face it (as if we haven’t already): people are buying crossovers and SUVs. Passenger car sales have been slipping for awhile now, and automakers are keen to move away from slow-selling models. Even former titans of sedans like the Ford Taurus are catching the ax thanks to Ford’s recent decision to scrap most of its cars. Save the Mustang, the only Fords you’ll be able to buy from 2019 onward are crossovers, SUVs and trucks. When you tally up how many cars died in 2018, Ford accounts for five – count them, five – different models.

Yep, the Ford Fiesta, Focus, Fusion, Taurus and C-Max will inevitably go away. Production for some have stopped already, while others like the Fusion will see a stay of execution for a little while longer. However, as Ford officially killed the Fusion in 2018, we’re counting it as part of our “RIP 2018” list.

That’s not all

Then we head over to General Motors. Their decision to close five North American plants and effectively cease six passenger car models is, in a word, massive. It’s a decision that will affect the existence of cars like the Chevrolet Cruze, which still sells relatively well, if not as strongly as its rivals. So, too, will it impact thousands of hourly and salaried employees at the Lordstown, Ohio plant among others. Other cars on the chopping block include the Chevrolet Impala, Volt and City Express, the Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac CT6, XTS and the ATS sedan.

Alfa Romeo will drop the 4C coupe, while Volkswagen finally says auf wiedersehen and goodbye to the Beetle. To find out even more cars that aren’t making it to 2018, check out the video above.