Car Brands That Might Go Extinct Soon

Some cars seem destined to live in the spotlight forever. Some shine bright and burn out quickly. Others still are lost in time before they ever even reach the public eye. However the decline, not all car brands are destined to survive in this highly competitive market. Often, manufacturers fail to read their market accurately, and fall victim to ill-understood fads or poor timing. Whatever the reason though, here are a few such car brands that might go extinct soon.

Chrysler Town & Country

The Chrysler Town & Country was an overwhelmingly popular minivan during its early heyday. For a car brand that might go extinct soon, it was no short-lived fad, either. Just between 2007 and 2018, over a million were sold. That number doesn't even include earlier iterations, beginning in 1990. However, only 579 of the once ultimately popular minivans were sold in the United States in 2017, after the discontinuation of the line. However, fans should not lament this decline as too tragic, as Chrysler's new minivan, the Pacifica, is projected to take its place.

Volvo S80

The evolution of Volvos is a long and interesting one; and in the two decades since its debut, the Volvo has sold a dismal few of the Volvo S80. Since 2012, fewer than 2,000 of the model have been sold, in fact. Their sales are down from the 2015-2016 year by a full 66 percent. However, Volvo has no need to worry. The S90 that replaced it, as well as their other recent releases, have shown positive developments in sales. So it's alright that the occasional model should disappear into the history of automobiles every now and again.

Buick Verano

Since their rebranding, General Motors has found great success in the American marketplace. That doesn't mean, however, that their releases are always well received. The Buick Verano debuted in 2011, but was discontinued in the American market last year. Its failure is largely one of overcommitment, as the "entry-level" luxury vehicle simply attempted too much in a market with decidedly conservative preferences. Not fancy enough to entice the high-flyers, too fancy for your average Joe, this is decidedly one car brand that might go extinct soon.

Scion tC

In the age of SUVs, crossovers, and electric cars, the previously popular sedan has had a rough go of it. As a result, the somewhat pricey Scion tC has not demonstrated popular success in any of its projected markets. Originally debuted in 2004, this car seemed, at first, to be a potential success. In fact, it was Scion's top selling vehicle for a brief time. However, by 2010, its sales had dropped drastically, and the line was ultimately discontinued. From 2011-2013, a second generation was produced with moderate success, but it appears this car will soon join the rest of Scion cars amongst the many car brands that might go extinct soon.

Mitsubishi I-MiEv

Everyone wants to save the planet and save on gas, hence the recent popularity of electric cars. However, the trade-off in power and longevity has meant that the most successful electric vehicles have been those with the design to compensate for these natural trade-offs. Furthermore, the electric cars that meet with the most success in today's automobile market are those with a comparable and competitive design. This Mitsubishi model, though arguably reasonable within a niche, simply does not have the design and appearance to compete with comparably priced and powered electric cars, much less the non-electric leaders in the market.

Infiniti QX70

If you look out your window on your daily commute, you'll quickly realize that crossovers are the current market favorite. That doesn't mean that any car company's crossover release is guaranteed to be met with success in the current year. Case in point: the Infiniti QX70. In fact, it seems the QX70 fell victim to this exact belief, but failed to take into account the reasons for the recent growth in crossover popularity; namely, the increase in space without a comparable decrease in performance and luxury. The QX70, compared to its contemporaries, simply did not fill the niche it needed to in order to meet a successful return.

Fiat

Fiat Chrysler, the parent company of Fiat and five other popular car brands, is in no immediate danger. Fiat proper, however, does not appear to have a promising future in the American marketplace. Research groups regularly place this brand at the bottom of safety and reliability lists, and its sales reflect the same. Its compact design does lend it more credibility in other markets, especially European ones, but the overall quality reports reflect a marked dislike in the United States, and declining sales tell the same story. Unfortunately, this means that Fiat is one of the car brands that might go extinct soon entirely.

Volkswagen Touareg

Much like the Infiniti QX70, the Volkswagen Touareg is a prime example of the kind of car that attempted and failed to fill a niche it just didn't quite understand. The popularity of crossovers is inarguable, and there's certainly a market for luxury vehicles in this vein. However, the population of crossover-buyers simply is not in the game for extremely pricey, luxury vehicles that don't offer the added storage and space benefits that made these crossovers so popular in the first place. The hefty price tag simply did not match the competition or the market demands when the Touareg was first debuted in the United States, and it has not fared any better since.

Hyundai Equus

Hyundai is one of the most successful car manufacturers, and their Equus was intended to be a competitor amongst the higher-end car options internationally. However, the Korean manufacturer has not met with expected success in this market, and the Equus is now looking to be one of the car brands that might go extinct soon. In part, its failure in the US auto market may be a result of relatively superior options in same price range, and it seems the Equus fell victim to the cutthroat competition of European sports cars that are comparatively more popular with those who can afford it.

Dodge Dart

The Dodge Dart's 2013 release was ill-timed. While car companies like Ford and Toyota have maintained a moderate amount of success with comparable cars, such as the Corolla and Focus. The Dart fell victim to this difficult competition, as well as a car buying climate that increasingly favors the best small SUVs over the formerly popular sedan. Though the recent release of this car means that it is still found more commonly than many other cars on this list, its projected sales show a dismal future for this particular model, and it will join a number of Chrysler's other failed, and now discontinued, sedans.