What cars are getting discontinued in 2024? Say goodbye to the Maxima, Charger, more
Corrections & Clarifications: Due to a typo, an earlier version of this story misstated the total U.S. sales of the Kia Stinger. The automaker has sold more than 65,000 Stinger sedans in the U.S. since the model's launch.
Automakers are putting the brakes on several popular cars after the 2023 model year.
Muscle cars like Dodge's Charger and Challenger are hitting the end of the road. So are sedans like the Nissan Maxima and Chrysler 300.
The shift comes as carmakers ramp up their electric vehicle production and condense their lineup to please an SUV-obsessed U.S. market, according to Nick Yekikian, senior news editor at Edmunds.
"If it's not an SUV, it probably won't sell in the American market," he said.
Dodge Charger and Challenger
Dodge will stop making Chargers and Challengers – two popular muscle cars – before the end of the year, according to a July statement from parent company Stellantis.
The models experienced enormous success over the years, with the Challenger named the No. 1 muscle car in the country in 2021. Dodge brand chief executive officer Tim Kuniskis said the end of the cars’ run signals “the start of a bright new electrified future” as Stellanis aims to have 50% of its passenger car and light-duty truck sales in the U.S. come from electric vehicles by 2030.
“This is a really sort of big moment. It's a pretty famous American muscle car that's making the leap from gas to electric,” Will Kaufman, news editor at car research site Edmunds, told USA TODAY in July.
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Audi R8 and TT
Audi’s R8 and TT are also heading out the door as Audi works toward becoming a fully electric company by 2033.
The R8, which was unveiled in 2006, will no longer be available in the U.S. at the end of the year, according to Audi of America spokesperson Mark Dahncke. There is no electric successor to the car, but Dahncke told USA TODAY in July that Audi is "investigating options of what that could be.”
“For now, the RS e-tron GT fully electric performance car is the halo of our e-tron lineup but it is not a replacement for the R8,” Dahncke said in an emailed statement.
The TT, which premiered in 1998, will be phased out by the end of the year as the compact two-door coupe and roadster segments shrink worldwide.
“In some markets, particularly where demand for all-electric models already exceeds that of combustion engines, we are already no longer offering the Audi TT,” Dahncke said. “In the coming years, we want to focus our Technical Development and Audi Design capacities entirely on expanding the battery electric and hybrid models.”
Kia Stinger
Kia will end production of the Stinger, a fastback sedan first introduced in the U.S. as a 2019 model, after the 2023 model. More than 65,000 Stinger sedans have since been sold in the country.
"While it may be the end of the road for Stinger, its legacy lives on through our innovative products, both current and forthcoming,” Kia America Chief Operating Officer Steven Center said in an April release.
Nissan Maxima
Forty-two years after its debut, Nissan is halting production of the Maxima in 2023.
Spokesperson Ashli Bobo said the decision comes from Nissan’s decision to prioritize electric vehicles, with 40% of Nissan vehicle sales expected to be fully electric by 2030.
“It makes sense for them to focus more on electric SUVs at the moment,” Kaufman said. "The Maxima wasn't selling very well. The Altima and Sentra handily outsold it. Large sedans on the whole have been disappearing as buyers gravitate towards SUVs."
Mazda MX-30 EV and CX-9
Mazda will discontinue the MX-30 EV and CX-9 SUV for the U.S. market after the 2023 model year.
Spokesperson Tamara Mlynarczyk said the automaker is axing the MX-30 subcompact electric vehicle because its current electrification efforts in the U.S. are focused on large platform plug-in hybrid electric vehicles like the 2024 CX-90 PHEV and upcoming CX-70 PHEV "to address the specific needs of the U.S. market."
As for the CX-9, Mlynarczyk said the SUV "proved to be a very capable family vehicle paving the way for Mazda’s next generation of vehicles, like the first-ever 2024 CX-90."
Jeep Renegade
The Jeep Renegade subcompact SUV will hit the end of the road in the U.S. market after the 2023 model year.
A statement from Jeep said the Compass will now be the brand's entry model in the U.S. and Canada, with a starting U.S. MSRP under $30,000.
"Additionally, the Jeep brand continues to electrify its portfolio in the region," the statement reads. "Two new, fully electric mid-size Jeep brand SUVs – the Jeep Wagoneer S and Jeep Recon – will be shown to the public next year, and the Jeep brand’s entire North American lineup will offer an electrified variant by 2025."
Production of the 2024 Jeep Renegade will continue in Italy and Brazil, and the vehicle will continue to be sold in Mexico, Europe, South America and the Asia Pacific region.
Jeep Cherokee
Production of the most recent Jeep Cherokee ended when Stellantis idled the Belvidere Assembly Plant in Illinois in February, citing the transition to vehicle electrification.
A statement from the company said Jeep is focused on expanding its midsize SUV segment, noting that it recently announced two fully-electric midsize SUVs that will begin production in 2024: the Recon and Wagoneer "S."
"We will make an announcement regarding the next generation vehicle in due course," the statement reads.
Chrysler 300
The Chrysler 300 was first introduced in 1955 as one of the first American muscle cars, with the 300C variation making its introduction two years later.
The last of the special-edition 2023 Chrysler 300C – made to commemorate the Chrysler 300's nearly 70-year history – rolled off production lines at a Brampton, Ontario assembly plant earlier this month after a limited-production run. Chrysler parent company Stellantis said final production of the 2023 Chrysler 300 will end no later than Dec. 31.
“As we celebrate the last HEMI-powered 300C off the line with our Brampton team members, we’re also excited to work together as Chrysler brand moves forward to a sustainable all-electric future as part of the Stellantis Dare Forward 2030 strategic plan," Chris Feuell, Chrysler brand chief executive officer, said in a Dec. 9 statement.
Lincoln Aviator Grand Touring hybrid
The hybrid version of the Lincoln Aviator is coming to an end. In the 2024 model year, the Lincoln Aviator will only be offered with a 3.0L twin-turbocharged V6 gas-powered engine.
"Note that we are launching the all-new 2024 Lincoln Nautilus early next year, which will be available in gas and hybrid powertrains," spokesperson Anika Salceda-Wycoco said in an emailed statement.
After 2024: the Chevy Camaro
Chevrolet in March announced plans to retire the sixth generation Chevrolet Camaro after model year 2024, with the final sports cars coming off the assembly line in January.
“As we prepare to say goodbye to the current generation Camaro, it is difficult to overstate our gratitude to every Camaro customer, Camaro assembly line employee and race fan,” Scott Bell, vice president of Global Chevrolet, said in a statement. “While we are not announcing an immediate successor today, rest assured, this is not the end of Camaro’s story.”
Luxury brand models
High-end automakers are also discontinuing car models for 2024.
McLaren ended the production of its 720S supercar last year to make room for the 750s, with customer deliveries scheduled for the fourth quarter.
Porsche's Panamera Sport Turismo will no longer be sold in the U.S. Spokesperson Calvin Kim said the model's sedan variations are more popular, while the Sport Turismo ‒ its station wagon variation ‒ plays only a "minor role" in the U.S. market.
"For this reason, we have decided to discontinue this model variant with the launch of the new generation," he said in an email.
Ferrari confirmed to USA TODAY that it would not be delivering any F8 Tributos or Portofino Ms in 2024.
And Mercedes-Benz is axing a whole slew of vehicles. The company will end the lifecycle of its CLS nameplate in August and is also cutting off production for the C-Class Coupe and Cabriolet and the E-Class Coupe and Cabriolet this summer.
“In their place, we will continue our long tradition of sporty, elegant dream cars with a new, independent model series – the Mercedes-Benz CLE,” spokesperson Andrew Brudnicki said, noting that the new CLE Coupe and CLE Cabriolet will deliver more space, dynamism and sportiness.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Cars being discontinued in 2024: These models are going to be axed
