The most important American automakers all however deserted sedans and coupes in recent times as they rushed to compete within the pickup truck and SUV markets.
Many home patrons additionally shifted towards these greater automobiles. Nonetheless, there is a marketplace for automobiles, as Japanese, Korean and German manufacturers promote tons of of 1000’s of smaller passenger automobiles within the U.S. yearly.
The resilience of the sedan market and considerations that prime costs are driving away clients have led some American automakers to rethink their lineups.
With the typical worth for a automobile hovering round $50,000, a compact sedan that begins at about $22,000 is a lovely entry level for patrons, trade specialists mentioned.
“It is all about affordability,” mentioned Orth Hedrick, vice chairman of product planning for Kia USA. Kia’s K4 compact sedan and its predecessor, the Kia Forte, collectively had been the model’s second-bestselling automobile final yr, accounting for 140,514 items bought. “It is simply been doing phenomenally nicely for us. Approach over plan, and numerous it’s affordability.”
Equally, the RAV4 crossover SUV is Toyota’s bestseller, reaching 479,288 items bought in 2025. The automaker additionally moved 316,000 Camrys and practically 250,000 Corollas final yr, or 65% and 51% of the SUV’s gross sales, respectively.
“There may be alternative for sedans to supply an alternative choice to the ocean of SUVs, and they’re sometimes cheaper than an SUV in the identical dimension class,” mentioned Stephanie Brinley, affiliate director, AutoIntelligence, for S&P International Mobility. “Sedans do supply extra alternative for compelling design and they’re sometimes extra gasoline environment friendly than utility automobiles.”
Business watchers, sellers and automaker executives have publicly expressed considerations that prime automobile costs and rising gasoline prices may trigger patrons to drag again or more and more flip to used automobiles.
Certainly, Volkswagen mentioned it has stored its Jetta sedan in its lineup for 45 years within the U.S. as an reasonably priced entry level. The model confirmed off a newly refreshed model of its full-size Atlas SUV on the New York Worldwide Auto Present in early April. But it surely additionally had its compact automobile, Jetta — and two higher-trim variations of the Golf hatchback — on the present ground as nicely.
“Jetta is considered one of our most necessary nameplates,” mentioned Petar Danilovic, senior vice chairman of North American product advertising and marketing for Volkswagen. “Each automobile has a special position within the portfolio. And the Jetta, for instance, is in fact necessary to additionally appeal to entry clients. So hopefully to have the ability to develop them within the model from a Jetta possibly to a Tiguan to an Atlas. So that is additionally the logic behind it.”
“Reasonably priced choices are important for bringing newer and youthful patrons right into a model,” mentioned Rebecca Lindland, a managing director at Allison Worldwide. “Many Gen Z and youthful Millennials merely cannot, or do not wish to, stretch to the standard SUV or crossover fee.”
SUVs have been rising in reputation for many years and shot up in reputation within the 2010s, whereas gross sales of smaller automobiles shrank. Sedans had been nearly 40% of the market in 2015, in accordance with Edmunds. As of 2026, they had been solely 15%, in accordance with the auto web site.
The SUV provided numerous these patrons a change from the automobiles they had been accustomed to. Now, their rarity is likely to be giving sedans the identical impact.
“Loads of it’s this new technology that grew up within the again seat of an SUV,” Hedrick mentioned. “They do not wish to drive an SUV. They like one thing totally different. So to them, a sedan is new. For the remainder of us who grew up with sedans on a regular basis, it is previous hat. However for brand new patrons, they just like the look. They like the thought of doing one thing totally different.”
American automakers
Regardless of their pullback, American automakers nonetheless make just a few sedans and coupes.
Common Motors’ luxurious model Cadillac is discontinuing the CT4 sedan in 2026. The bigger CT5 will depart the market briefly, however will return, the corporate confirmed in an e mail.
GM additionally makes the high-end Corvette sports activities coupe.
A report from Automotive Information, citing an nameless supply, mentioned GM is planning to construct a Buick sedan in a Michigan plant. GM spokesperson Kevin Kelly advised CNBC in an e mail the corporate doesn’t touch upon product plans.
“We do not see sedans recovering a decade-old heyday,” Brinley mentioned, “however getting again into the phase could also be an excellent transfer for GM and others contemplating the chance.”
Ford’s solely conventional silhouette is the Ford Mustang, which many insiders — together with CEO Jim Farley — have known as the “soul of the corporate,” although the F-150 pickup truck is its largest vendor by far and the Mustang is outsold by most of Ford’s SUVs. Nonetheless, it is the best-selling coupe within the U.S. as of April 2026, in accordance with Edmunds.
Farley mentioned on the Detroit Auto Present that the corporate would “by no means say by no means” to bringing again extra conventional passenger automobiles.
Stellantis‘ Dodge at present makes the Charger sedan in two- and four-door configurations.
The most effective-selling sedan by an American automaker is the Tesla Mannequin 3, in accordance with Edmunds. It is the one sedan Tesla makes now that it has discontinued the full-sized Mannequin S.
Electrical automobile maker Lucid Motors additionally makes the high-end Lucid Air sedan, however is planning a midsize SUV for its subsequent product.
Others say they don’t seem to be giving up on the phase.
“Clearly, the trade has moved in direction of SUVs and light-weight vehicles away from passenger automobiles,” Dave Christ, group vice chairman and normal supervisor at Toyota Motor North America, mentioned. “However we nonetheless imagine in passenger automobiles, so we will proceed to spend money on passenger automobiles. Even when the trade is 20% passenger automobiles, that is over 3 million automobiles a yr.”
