These Cars Are Out of Production and Discontinued for 2022

BMW’s redesigned 2-series two-door arrives in coupe form only for 2022. It’s still possible an open-topped variant returns to the 2-series lineup in the future, but there won’t be one for the 2022 model year.

BMW brings a redesigned 2-series two-door to its model line for 2022. Notably missing from that lineup, though, is a full-bore M2. This omission shouldn’t last long. We wager the automaker will unveil a new M2 coupe for the 2023 model year.

It’s a little awkward for brands such as Chevrolet and Ford to tout EV range numbers while simultaneously marketing high-horsepower models like the 670-hp Corvette Z06 or the 760-hp Mustang Shelby GT500, but no one is feeling the electric heat more than Dodge. The Durango Hellcat was the most powerful SUV sold in 2021, but its 710-hp supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 is bad at hiding its drinking problem. With an EPA-estimated 13 mpg, it’s no surprise Dodge is killing its fastest three-row after the 2021 model year. Fear not; the 475-hp V-8 Durango is sticking around and remains the most powerful entry in the three-row SUV segment for the 2022 model year.

The outgoing Jeep Grand Cherokee shares its platform with the Dodge Durango, which is why the 475-hp Grand Cherokee SRT and 707-hp Grand Cherokee Trackhawk could be seen as redundant. The Trackhawk was the greatest of Grand Cherokees, built with a stronger transmission, beefier transfer case, and using a reinforced rear driveshaft, half-shafts, CV joints, and differential. Now that there’s a new-generation Grand Cherokee, the SRT and Trackhawk models are waved off. Nothing has been confirmed yet, but knowing Jeep, an electrified version of the new Grand Cherokee with loads of horsepower and torque will rear its beautiful head in the coming years.

The Honda Clarity EV was discontinued in 2020, killing the only fully electric Honda on the U.S. market. And now, the remaining plug-in-hybrid and hydrogen-fuel-cell versions are gone, too. Honda says the Clarity will be available as a lease through 2022, with Clarity FCV leases limited to California. The Clarity’s departure leaves the Hyundai Nexo and Toyota Mirai as the only two FCVs available in the U.S. And by that, we mean only in California. Although Clarity sales nearly matched the Chevrolet Bolt EV in 2019, 2020 wasn’t as fruitful with just 1617 units moved. The Clarity FCV qualifies for up to $5000 in California Clean Vehicle rebates, an HOV lane pass, and a fuel card for $15,000 worth of hydrogen fueling from Honda. The silver lining here is that Honda is likely making room for new models as part of their plan to sell only battery-electric and hydrogen vehicles by 2040.

While Hyundai’s Ioniq hybrid and plug-in-hybrid models continue on for the 2022 model year, the automaker is—figuratively—pulling the plug on the battery-powered Ioniq Electric. The fate of the electric hatch is not surprising given the fact that Hyundai only sells the Ioniq Electric in 11 states. Plus, the model’s 170 miles of EPA-rated driving range pale in comparison to those of other electric vehicles, including Hyundai’s own Kona Electric and new-for-2022 Ioniq 5. The former model packs an EPA-rated driving range of 258 miles, while the latter offers up to 303 miles of range on a full charge.

The compact-car segment loses another player to Team SUV. Hyundai’s beloved three-door hatchback is outta here. Although one of the cheapest cars sold today is leaving us, the 275-hp Veloster N lives on (at least for another year) while the Korean automaker shifts focus to its more popular Kona and Venue SUVs. And we’ll remind you that the Veloster N, equipped with the eight-speed dual-clutch transmission we tested last year, was the second-quickest front-wheel-drive car we’ve ever tested. Just 2205 Velosters were sold in the first six months of 2021. That pales in comparison to Kona’s sales (50,996). The Venue moved 15,050 units, outselling the Accent and the Ioniq. Now that Hyundai is busy engineering new rides for its all-electric E-GMP platform, there’s not much room for models that don’t sell. Next year there will be just four cars in Hyundai’s 10-model lineup.

Kia kills the Sedona nameplate following the 2021 model year and instead christens its new-for-2022 minivan (or MPV, as Kia calls it) the Carnival. Despite its different nomenclature, the Carnival is, by all accounts, the Sedona’s successor. Still, we’re pouring one out for the Sedona name, which served the Korean brand well for 20 model years.

The Lotus Evora GT is the only vehicle in the British automaker’s lineup for the 2021 model year. And now it’s dead. The Evora GT provides a fantastic analog driving experience with power from a transversely mounted, Toyota-sourced 3.5-liter V-6 to which Lotus bolted a supercharger. The result is a 416-hp mid-engine torquey turtle that produces wonderful mechanical feedback. While the Evora nameplate is gone for 2022, its basic formula is set to return to the Lotus line in the form of the upcoming Emira.

Back in 2015, we fit six all-wheel-drive subcompact crossovers into a former staffer’s backyard because they were toylike and, well, his backyard was a big playground. The Mazda CX-3 won big in that snack-size comparison test. It beat the Jeep Renegade, Honda HR-V, Kia Soul, Fiat 500X, and the Chevrolet Trax. Unfortunately, in 2022, the CX-3 is the loser. Even in a package with less cargo space than its smallest sedan and hatchback, Mazda’s suspension tuning was optimized for low body roll without turning the ride into a pogo stick. The CX-3’s biggest fault was that there wasn’t more of it, but that’s been solved by the larger CX-30, which carries the torch as the best subcompact crossover sold today.

We suspect Mazda will bring its mid-size sedan back as quickly as it made it disappear. The Mazda 6, which competed against the Honda Accord and Hyundai Sonata in the family sedan segment, is taking some time off. A funny thing about the sedan from Japan: Unlike the Accord, the Sonata, or the Toyota Camry, it didn’t offer a hybrid trim. Instead, its 187-hp base engine delivered an impressive 37 mpg during our highway fuel-economy test. It wasn’t obvious by driving the 2021 Mazda 6 that it was an outgoing model. Shoot, they even gave it an extra 10 lb-ft of torque and a special Carbon Edition trim—the old “give it black wheels and some dark paint” trick. The available 250-hp turbo engine is a delight yet lags behind both the Accord Touring and Sonata N Line in performance. If the Mazda 6 returns, it will likely use an inline-six with a 48-volt hybrid system and rear-wheel drive.

McLaren Elva, we barely knew ya. The roofless Elva calls it quits after its lone 2021 model year. No surprise, really, given its limited 399-unit run. Even so, we still think this short-lived McLaren model deserves a proper eulogy. After all, it’s not every day that an automaker builds and sells an 804-hp sports car with neither a roof nor a windshield (the latter, however, was available as an option). Goodbye, Elva. You were here for a good time, not a long time.

Mercedes-AMG’s A35 calls it quits after the 2021 model year. It’s a loss that will not likely impact many consumers, as the swoopier, similarly sized, and mechanically identical Mercedes-AMG CLA35 continues on.

Mercedes-AMG sells a number of six-cylinder mid-size models, so it’s no surprise the brand opts to clean up some of this clutter by ditching the slinky CLS53 for the 2022 model year. Its powertrain- and platform-mates, the Mercedes-AMG E53 and Mercedes-AMG GT53, remain available for those looking for a 429-hp thrill in either a more traditional sedan or fastback form.

The Mercedes-AMG GT brought new levels of power and performance to the German automaker’s model line, but it has been overshadowed by newer models such as the four-door GT and the redesigned SL-class convertible. We expect Mercedes to eventually release a replacement for the two-door GT, but its future is murky at this point.

Nissan’s days of selling full-size vans in America are officially over. The Mississippi-built Nissan NV pulls out of a segment that’s otherwise dominated by the Ford Transit, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, and Ram ProMaster. The NV was a rugged rear-wheel-drive van that shared its body-on-frame platform with the Nissan Titan. The NV1500 had the lowest payload rating of the group at 2650 lbs and was offered with either a 241-hp V-6 or the 375-hp V-8 from the Titan. The NV2500HD was also offered with those powertrains, but it could be ordered with a higher roof.

In 2011, New York City chose the Nissan NV200 as the replacement for its go-to taxicab, the Ford Crown Victoria. Despite excellent legroom, a taller greenhouse, dual sliding doors, and modern amenities, including USB charging ports, New Yorkers complained about the van’s bumpy ride and operating costs. In order to combat increased competition from Uber and Lyft, the Taxi & Limousine Commission allowed a slew of other new vehicles the go-ahead to become eligible for taxi service in New York City and ending the NV200’s potential monopoly on the NYC taxi market. With less payload capacity and cargo space than rivals such as the Ford Transit Connect and Ram ProMaster City, the NV200 struggled to find success among more traditional commercial buyers (think contractors and the like).

A brain child of partners Volvo and Geely, the Polestar 1 came out swinging with a combined 619 horsepower and an estimated 3.9-second launch to 60 mph. It was a peek at Polestar’s fully electric plans. The genuine elegance of a plug-in hybrid comprised mostly of painted carbon-fiber body panels in a coupe with twice the energy capacity of a Chevrolet Volt is totally Swedish. The Polestar 1 uses a supercharged and turbocharged inline-four with a 71-hp integrated starter-generator up front and a pair of 114-hp electric motors for the rear wheels. It was intended to be a limited-production model anyway, and Polestar created a Special Edition model finished in matte gold as a going-away present.

The idea of a Rolls-Royce convertible exemplifies decadence, but the Dawn won’t haunt your richest dreams any longer. We think that an eventual replacement is on the way, and it will likely have a battery-electric powertrain. Rolls has stated its intention to create a lineup of electric vehicles by the end of the decade, and we won’t be surprised if the automaker launches a convertible version of its upcoming Spectre electric coupe in the near future.

Rolls-Royce recently introduced a new generation of its Ghost sedan. Since the Wraith is essentially a coupe version of the prior Ghost, this aging Rolls leaves the lineup for the 2022 model year so a new model can take its place as a more modern analog to the redesigned four-door Ghost. The forthcoming Rolls-Royce Spectre will effectively serve as the Wraith’s replacement, as the brand’s new battery-electric model is also a coupe with rear-hinged doors. The Spectre will surely share the Wraith’s elegant presence, too. But Rolls-Royce’s electric coupe won’t arrive until the 2023 calendar year, so the British luxury brand will have to do without a two-door model in its lineup for the time being.

The Subaru WRX is redesigned for 2022. Alas, a new STI is notably absent from the WRX line. We wager this won’t last long, though, and fully expect Subaru to reveal the run-of-the-mill WRX’s more powerful sibling for the 2023 model year. Expect that model to pack more than 300 horsepower, likely from a variant of the turbocharged 2.4-liter flat-four that motivates the 2022 WRX.

The name’s been around for 70 years, and throughout its lifetime Toyota Land Cruisers have donned more snorkels than Scuba Steve. A monument of off-road capability, early Land Cruisers spent their life reaching parts of the world thought unreachable. From the Amazon to Australia, the Land Cruiser is just as capable in the Sahara as it is in the parking lot of a California Pizza Kitchen. In December 2020, Toyota announced that in the U.S., it would be burying the Land Cruiser in the sand forever. Then its popularity boomed. More Land Cruisers were sold in January 2021 than in any other month in the last decade. A new-generation Land Cruiser was announced for the rest of the world and will be offered with both a 409-hp twin-turbo V-6 and a 204-hp twin-turbo V-6 diesel engine. We won’t get it, but it could make a return as a Lexus LX.

Volvo swinging the axe on its V60 and V90 wagons is a tough pill to swallow. Like paying taxes and getting a flat tire from a pothole on your way into work, it feels like a personal injustice. But for as useful, beautiful, and well controlled as the options in the wagon segment are, not enough fish are biting on them. Unless it’s the Subaru Outback, wagons such as the Jaguar XF Sportbrake don’t do well enough to stick around. For now, Volvo will keep selling the taller, more SUV-like V60 Cross Country and V90 Cross Country models, aligning with Audi A6 Allroad and Mercedes-Benz E450 All-Terrain.

Volkswagen brought the Passat to the U.S. in 2011 hoping to soak up sales from the Honda Accord and Hyundai Sonata, which were selling nearly 480,000 units combined annually. The Passat didn’t exactly steal the show; its bestselling year, in 2012, was 117,023 units. That’s roughly how many Accords have been sold in the first six months of 2021. To celebrate its finale, Volkswagen is offering a Passat Limited Edition with subtle references to Chattanooga, Tennessee, where the Passat has been built for the past decade.

Supply-chain issues are affecting Mercedes in a big way, with the automaker pulling a number of its V-8–powered vehicles from our shores for the 2022 model year. While V-8 S-class models are due to survive for 2022, most others will not. Admittedly, we have yet to get a clear answer from the brand regarding the status of its other V-8 models for the 2022 model year.

Regardless, even if a few additional V-8 Mercedes vehicles are shipped to the U.S. bearing the VIN marker of a 2022 model year vehicle, it’s clear the company has no intention of replenishing supplies of many of these vehicles once inventory falls. We’ll update this list once Mercedes offers a clearer picture as to which of its V-8 models are forgoing the 2022 model year entirely.