5 cars we’ll miss in 2024—and 5 we won’t
As 2023 winds to a close and we turn our attention to what lies ahead, a moment of reflection is due for cars that won’t see another year. In true end-of-year fashion, we’re feeling a bit dismayed about a few vehicles that are making their way to the big parking lot in the sky. We’re also happy to show a handful of vehicles to the exit.
Presented here, in no particular order, are five cars that we’ll miss come 2024—and five that we most certainly won’t. Be sure to join us in the comments: Which of our choices do you agree with? What other vehicles should have made the list?
We’ll miss:
Chevrolet Camaro
We’ve already covered the Camaro’s demise in extensive detail, from the last sixth-gen to roll off the assembly line (a manual ZL1 1LE) to four unique models that time forgot. But to say we’ll miss the Camaro remains an understatement.
Over six triumphant generations, the Camaro stoked the pony car wars to ever-increasing heights. With no word yet from Chevy on any sort of succession plans, there’s an Alpha-platformed hole in our hearts. The sixth-generation car was a genuine performance masterpiece, gifting the Camaro with a superb chassis that finally matched (or even exceeded) the heroic powerplants found under the hood. Pour one out, folks: The loss of this one stings.
Dodge Challenger/Charger
If the Camaro was the athlete of the Detroit muscle crowd and the Mustang was the icon, then the Dodge Charger and Challenger siblings were the ones you wanted to hang with at a party. Their boisterous demeanor and ability to meet buyers at seemingly any price point meant that there was a Mopar solution for everyone.
While there are rumblings of a new gas-powered Challenger on the horizon, and Dodge snuck a new vehicle silhouette into a holiday ad, such a vehicle will likely ditch the rumbling Hemi V-8 in favor of a twin-turbo inline-six. The Challenger and Charger names may endure, but their ethos will change significantly. For that reason, we mourn the demise of the Mopar twins.
Audi TT
When Freeman Thomas sketched out the first lines for the Audi TT, few could have predicted the impact the car would have—not just on Audi’s trajectory, but on the entire world of automotive design. When the Mk1 TT hit the streets in 1998, it was an immediate success. Early examples are now starting to find a place within the collector-car zeitgeist.
The TT spanned three generations over 25 years, but it will not see the calendar turn over again. Little sports cars like this are a hard segment to survive in, but the TT managed to do so without ever sacrificing the avant-garde styling that made the first one such a revelation. The gorgeous green going-away present pictured above is one of 50 Final Edition cars, all of which are coming to the U.S. The TT departs this world with its head held high—for very good reason.
Kia Stinger
The shapely proportions of a four-door liftback, a 365-hp twin-turbo V-6, all- or rear-wheel-drive, and genuine sporting intent … from a Kia? That was the thought clanging around much of the automotive world when the Stinger arrived in 2017.
Kia wanted to use the Stinger to change the public’s perception of the company from rental-fleet-chic to something a bit more aspirational. The success of the Stinger in that regard is up for debate—the Telluride did more of the heavy lifting—but the fact that the Stinger was a genuinely interesting machine is fact. Like the Pontiac GTO—yes, we went there, figuratively and literally—the Stinger was an attempt to get buyers to pay attention. Unfortunately, the Stinger was always in for an uphill battle, and 2023 marks the year it finally waves the white flag.
Audi R8
Over two generations, Audi’s mid-engined supercar shone as the brand’s most aspirational product. It may have been overshadowed a bit by the Lamborghini Huracán, with which it shared a platform and engine, but the R8 was no snoozer.
After a few years of coasting down the depreciation curve, first-gen R8s are starting to catch the eyes of collectors. Heck, we put it on last year’s Bull Market List (though, one year on, it hasn’t ascended to the heights we thought it might.) Perhaps the second-gen cars will experience a similar fate one day. This author certainly hopes so, because he has a bit of a soft spot for the R8. Way back when I first left college 10 days early to start my first job at Car and Driver, the Audi R8 was the first car I was allowed to drive—very slowly, through the parking lot of Virginia International Raceway over to the gas pumps. Still counts.
We won’t miss:
Fiat 500X/Jeep Renegade
We won’t miss either of these two, but our distaste for each stems from different places. The Fiat 500X and the Jeep Renegade were basically two adaptations of the same basic platform and drivetrain by two different brands.
We’d consider the Jeep the more appealing of the two, because, well, Jeep, but neither model wowed the American buyer. The 500X always felt quite compromised and uninspired, with European styling that failed to translate to our shores. The Renegade, while cute, is a spendy (just shy of $30K) proposition that’s also priced too similarly to the Compass ($27,495), a more spacious offering. Sales for the Renegade have plummeted in recent months, while sales of the 500X never really took off.
Mazda MX-30
Sold exclusively in California, the Mazda MX-30 was kind of destined to be a flop. With a 35.5-kWh battery and a meager, EPA-estimated electric range of 100 miles, this thing was handily outgunned by the competition by the time it arrived. Small and cramped, with a rear-hinged second-row door that opens like those on older extended-cab pickups, the MX-30 felt like the bizarre answer to a question almost nobody asked. That it won’t survive another year might just be in the best interests of everyone.
Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
For a while there, the Mercedes-Benz order catalog reminded us a lot of the menu at The Cheesecake Factory: We’re sure many of the offerings on hand are quite tasty, but the sheer volume of options triggers paralysis by analysis.
The CLS-Class was initially pitched as a style-forward tweener that employed the E-Class chassis and a copious amount of sweeping bodylines. (It also fell into that silly camp of “four-door coupes” at which we loved to roll our eyes.) When Mercedes announced in 2022 that it would begin trimming its product lineup to focus on core offerings, we knew the writing was on the wall for a few of these go-betweens. For 2024, the CLS-Class is no more—not that most will notice.
Jeep Cherokee
Let’s make one thing clear here: We do miss the Jeep Cherokee. We just won’t miss this Jeep Cherokee.
Revived in 2014 for a lower-rung model situated below the costlier Grand Cherokee and above the Renegade, the Cherokee nameplate has, for the better part of a decade, come to denote a unibody crossover SUV that never could quite hack it against the competition. The nine-speed automatic gearbox was a consistent disappointment and the interior always lagged behind the competition in terms of finish, design, and quality.
Maybe we can all just forget this thing ever happened and agree to envision the loveable, boxy XJ when we talk about Jeep Cherokees. What do you say?
Kia Rio
Normally, we’d lament the demise of yet another affordable car that could be had new with a warranty for under $20,000. But in the case of the Kia Rio, we’ll hold our tongues. Ask gearheads to explain what they picture when you say, “Kia Rio,” and you’ll quickly hear jokes about engines flying through the hoods and tales of generally terrible build quality.
The current Rio is a fine car, but fine doesn’t cut it in a segment where the profit margins are thin and sales trends are only pointing down. In reality, there’s probably room for two, maybe three offerings in the subcompact sedan segment these days in America, and Nissan’s Versa and the Mitsubishi Mirage will carry this banner into 2024.
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The Camaros are horsepower/handling monsters, no question. But the design? Uglier then 10 days of rain. This was the “reborn” car that was going to outsell the new Mustangs. Never happened. The Challenger, minus that hideous 4 door Charger, really hit the nail on the head. The rest? Pretty much “also rans” in my book. The newest version of the Mustangs are grotesque, also Camaro hideous. Hopefully, better things will come our way this coming New year. The newest Vettes are gorgeous, but who can afford one? Happy Holidays! Bill
Maybe I’m in the minority but I love my Charger (2012 R/T ‘Max’). Good power, comfortable, reasonably roomy and it has every option available in 2012 (adaptive cruise, heated and cooled seats, heated steering wheel, heated and cooled cupholders, etc.).
Not completely trouble free but still a solid car.
The Charger replaced a Mercury Marauder, which replaced a Dodge Dakota R/T, which replaced an Eagle Talon Tsi… Maybe it’s me… Everything I buy tends to go away…
Having owned two Pontiacs, four Plymouths, and an Olds, I feel your pain.
…and my car prior to the Talon Tsi was a ’77 Grand Prix
i agree with all of those %100
All of these are ok cars if you take really good care of them. They all fit the same category. MADE TO THROW AWAY! Too many computers to fail and so on. There isn’t one car made today that would be a good classic or cool car in 25 years. The antique vehicle tag will be no more in a few years. Once all the grandchildren inherit and sell the market will be flooded and there will no longer be value in them.
I mostly agree. The loss of the Camaro, Charger and TT will be sad.
The Audi R8, Kia Stinger and Challenger could easily go on my “Won’t Miss, Not Even One Bit” list, joining all the other cars you mentioned on that list.
That’s the spirit. Make sure to give everyone a hug for xmas
It’s still absolutely worth nothing that the Stinger got the public’s curiosity, even if the Telluride would eventually demand our attention.
Clearly people that hate on the Stinger blindly don’t know what they’re talking about. If you’ve ACTUALLY driven the car and then there’s something you don’t like, then fine. I understand that not everybody has the same opinion and that’s fine. My credit was fine when I bought my Stinger, 780 to be exact. I definitely agree that the car was made too little too late as most car buyers have moved away from sedans. Also, I’ve plenty of negative stories of the Kia dealer experience. I personally didn’t have an issue but I bought my car at a place that sells Chevy, Dodge and Kia somehow.
I came from GM, mostly Pontiac until I bought the Stinger. Owned numerous Bonneville, Grand Prix, Firebird/Formula/Trans Am. The Stinger is faster, more reliable, has more cargo space and has awd btw. Maybe if I didn’t live in MN, I’d look at daily driving a Camaro? Nah, the interior is trash and the 6th gen is plain ugly. Pontiac woulda done it better. My point is that it is far and away better than ANY GM product that I’ve ever owned. In fact, it’s the most reliable car we’ve owned in awhile and we currently have a Mercedes (not for long) Jeep and a Ford. I ended up buying the Stinger cuz I missed out on the Pontiac G8 when new and I couldn’t find a good low mileage Chevy SS for a decent price at the time. The Stinger brand new was 36k. That was a heck of a deal imo. I keep my cars (if reliable) for years so trade in value doesn’t apply to me, never traded in a car. I’m sure a run of the mile Audi could be bought that’s viewed as “technically” better but I know plenty of people with those, none of which are both cheap to buy and reliable. Would never spend my money on a boring ass Cuv/Suv so it was between the Stinger gt, Wrx, Maxima, Camry Xse, Dodge Charger was axed once I drove a few and then I found out that they stopped making awd with the V8 years ago.
I glad I didn’t let the Stinger pass me by like the GTO, G8, Chevy SS. Sad to see it go in a way as I wouldn’t have minded seeing either a V8 version or a 4.0tt version. At least I got mine. It’s not for everyone and that’s cool with me, I get compliments on the car daily, which is weird. Seems like everybody likes the car but NOBODY knows what it is, which is the running joke among us Stinger owners, haha.
Merry Christmas!
Well, spoiler alert. I’m of the demographic of old car guy. I will only miss the names Charger, Challenger and Camaro. A world without those names is like shopping at Walmart instead of Macy’s. I haven’t been interested in new cars in over 15 years. Not one. Even the good looking Challenger would only interest me if it was a pre-2016 model. Even the latest Mustangs are just plain gaudy to me. A great car must be pleasing to the eye. Everything today looks like an egg or a reject from a children’s toy box.
Now, my full opinion is that with the fading of great styling and the focus firmly on what kind of information system is installed to distract the driver, the day of the automobile is mostly done. It’s now homogenized. I’m glad I grew up in an age of automotive design without government oversight.
I don’t think that government oversight is responsible for the baroque and interchangeable styling of recent cars (e.g., the latest Mustangs — gaudy is a kind way to describe them). Chalk that up, rather, to corporate culture — including management with a laser focus on this quarter’s bottom line, willing to sacrifice good design on the altar of penny-pinching. The US government has messed up quite a lot of other aspects of the automotive world, including unwitting encouragement of gas-guzzling SUVs and high-performance ‘passenger pickups’ exempt from passenger-car fuel economy standards. There is enough to blame on government without imagining that they have somehow messed up the aesthetics of car design…
So Ford is going to continue building Mustang Mach E’s? What everybody needs. A 4 door EV Mustang.
I had a couple of 4th generation Camaros. A ’97 V6 which was an underpowered boor and a ’00 Z28 which was a great car. The ’00 with its LS1 would consistently pull down 22 mpg in a daily 52 mile round trip commute in heavy traffic and ran a best 13.44 @ 107.43 mph at the local drag strip in stock form save a K&B air filter. This was a 4 speed automatic with a 2.73 rear end.
Have a 2015 Cherokee Sport, 4 Cyl. Bought it with 18,000 miles on it, Trans had been replaced at 4,000 Miles. Now has 152,000 + miles. Comfortable, no issues, one of the nicest driving vehicles i’ve had in my 81 years. Would buy another if I had to. Just as solid and rattle free as when new. Great vehicle.
Too bad about the Rio, especially if the mediocrity-defining Mitsubishi Mirage continues (and what a waste of a cool name, “Mirage”). Even Consumer Reports considered the Rio to be a poor excuse for a car; I seem to recall that they said its engine sang a “raspy chorus of lament”, and recommended buying a good late-model used car with warranty instead.
Sad to see the TT go, for sure. I love convertibles, and another one bites the dust.
The Stinger certainly had the performance, but the styling always looked a bit odd, especially around the C-pillar. The closely-related Genesis G70 was far better-looking, if a bit smaller inside, and had the same engines.
The Camaro? Sad to see a performance car go, but its “function follows form” terrible visibility out, and cave-like feeling while seated within, were deal-killers for many.
Worst of all to see go? The Challenger and Charger, both still very attractive cars after all these years in production. I drove two Scat Pack Challengers with 6-speeds, and still wish I had bought at least one of them. Blunt instruments on the road? Perhaps…but they certainly had their place in the automotive world.
I can’t believe you did the Kia Rio dirty like that. I had the same opinion until I met a girl driving one, decided I liked it, and went out and bought one with a 6 speed. When I got rear-ended and had to drive a new Corolla for two weeks, I couldn’t WAIT to get my Rio back. I’d have bought another last year, but they dropped the manual…
Still, a great car, better than what Toyota puts up against them.
To be frank I could care less about all 10.