General Motors will discontinue the compact Chevrolet Sonic, The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday. The move is the latest sign of the dwindling importance of small cars in the portfolios of American automakers.
Built at GM’s Orion – pronounced or-E-un – Assembly Plant in Orion Township, Michigan alongside the Bolt EV, the Sonic started life with strong sales but has stalled in recent years as American buyers increasingly favor crossovers and SUVs. This is despite the Sonic being among the more competent small cars on the market.
Its compact size, thrifty 1.4-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder engine, emotive styling, affordable price, and impressive feature set have made the Sonic a critical hit, even as sales declined. In the car’s place, Orion Assembly will likely add another battery-powered vehicle – the facility is responsible for Bolt EV production, so the infrastructure required by electric cars is already in place at the sprawling facility.
The Wall Street Journal is also reporting that Ford will kill the Fiesta sub-compact and Taurus full-size sedan. Both vehicles have been seen as likely casualties of Ford’s push into crossovers and SUVs – aside from mild facelifts and modernization, the two cars have remained largely unchanged since over the past several years.
A General Motors spokesperson had no comment on WSJ's report. Ford did not respond in time for publication.
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