General Motors said Wednesday it will stop producing the Chevrolet Malibu, the last affordable sedan in its U.S. model lineup and a venerable nameplate introduced in the 1960s when the company was a dominant force in the U.S. economy.
For years, American drivers have preferred sport utility vehicles over sedans, compact cars, and hatchbacks. GM's Detroit rivals Stellantis and Ford Motor have also eliminated most of their cars in the United States.
Foreign automakers like Toyota, Honda and Hyundai still sell hundreds of thousands of sedans and compact cars each year, but far fewer than in previous decades, when the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord ranked among the most popular vehicles on American roads. Last month, Japanese automaker Subaru said it would stop producing the Legacy sedan next year.
GM produces the Malibu at its plant in Kansas City, Kansas, and plans to continue producing the car until the end of the year. The plant plans to reorganize to produce new versions of the electric vehicles Chevrolet Bolt and Cadillac. Luxury SUV, XT4
Consumers have moved from cars to roomier SUVs and pickup trucks to transport children and recreational equipment like bikes and kayaks. Automakers have helped this trend by offering more full-size vehicles that generate greater profits than sedans or compact cars.
The Malibu and its sporty muscle car version, the Malibu SS, were released in 1964. GM discontinued Malibu production in 1983 as foreign competition increased and the company downsized. Although the Malibu was relaunched in 1997, the model almost always lagged behind the Camry and Accord in sales.
GM has sold more than 10 million Malibus units since launch. However, sales have been sluggish in recent years. In 2023, GM sold 130,000 Malibus units, with deliveries down 47% in the last three months of the year. A decade ago, GM typically sold about 200,000 Malibus per year.
In 2023, GM announced that it would discontinue production of the sports car Chevrolet Camaro. We continue to build the Chevrolet Corvette. The Cadillac brand plans to make two gasoline-powered sedans and begin selling luxury electric vehicles this year. Every other model GM makes for the U.S. market is now a truck or SUV.
A few years ago, Ford eliminated sedans from its lineup. The Mustang is the only car Ford makes for the American market. Chrysler owner Stellantis is currently primarily focused on trucks, SUVs and minivans, but the company has said it will begin building an electric version of the Dodge Challenger muscle car in 2025.
Of course, the Malibu may return as an electric vehicle someday. Automakers often revive and repurpose older model names, especially ones that buyers remember fondly.