I remember when station wagons ruled the world. I grew up in them. Ford Country Squire wagons, a Nissan Maxima wagon, and even Ford Pinto wagons.
Then along came the minivan. At the height of popularity almost every manufacturer had one, and annual sales were close to 1.5 million units. Families loved them and they did well until the SUV appeared.
Minivans were then anointed with the soccer mom stigma, and that led to a rapid decline. Only five manufacturers offer one now, including the new VW ID Buzz, an all-electric model.
I’ve owned two minivans in my past, and I didn’t even have kids. It was great for road trips with all the extra space. Minivans are seeing a sales jump this year, but it will never reach the heights they once did.
Which brings us to sedans. These four-door champions ruled the roost for a century, but as the SUV gained in popularity, sedans were reduced to a lower status on the automotive totem pole.
Every now and then people ask when the sedan is coming back. I don’t think it will ever regain status here, but there are still a few available from brands who refuse to let go.
Hard to believe, but there are still 20 manufacturers who have sedans for sale. A handful of them are the uber luxury brands like Rolls-Royce and Maserati, and about a third of the sedans are EVs.
If you eliminate vehicles under $40K, the selection is much more limited. The staples in the segment are the Honda Civic and Accord, Toyota Camry and Corolla, Nissan Altima and Sentra, and Volkswagen Jetta and Golf.
These nameplates have been around for decades and have a loyal following. They are reliable, affordable, and offer the same features as an SUV but with a trunk.
Expect to see even more sedans fall of the list. Lexus just announced the end of the LS sedan after 2026, the nameplate that started the brand, which is a big giveaway that even the most venerable of vehicles will be riding off into the sunset eventually.
