When Ford announced that it would cease its production of sedans in North America to focus on crossovers, SUVs, and trucks, that decision was met with a wave of controversy. Today, many are still puzzled by the move, even though other automakers are seemingly headed in the same direction. And the latest victims of America’s crossover fever are the Kia K900 and Candenza sedans.
2020 Kia K900
Both the Kia K900 – a large luxury sedan – and the Cadenza – a full-size mainstream sedan – will not be making a return for the 2021 model year, the automaker has announced. The decision to ax both sedans isn’t terribly surprising, however, as neither sold in any sort of significant quantity. Kia moved a mere 305 K900s last year, and just 1,265 Cadenzas.
The luxurious K900 made little sense in Kia’s lineup as well, given the fact that the automaker’s luxury brand – Genesis – has a similar offering in the G90. But even that model didn’t win any battles in the showroom, with total sales of just 2,072 units in 2020. Of course, Kia still has a handful of sedans on sale even after these discontinuations, including the Rio, Forte, K5, and Stinger, which is really a hatchback.
2020 Kia Cadenza
Unsurprisingly, Kia blamed the K900 and Candenza’s demise on customer preference for crossovers and SUVs. Thus, it will be interesting to see if the remainder of the automaker’s sedan lineup will survive in the coming years. Ford wasted no time chopping its entire sedan lineup in a short time, discontinuing the Ford Fiesta, Focus, Taurus, Fusion, and Lincoln MKZ instead of delaying the obvious.
2020 Kia Cadenza
Since then, other automakers including General Motors have followed suit, discontinuing the Chevrolet Impala and Chevrolet Cruze recently, though it still sells the Malibu.
We’ll have more on the future of the sedan very soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for 24/7 Ford news coverage.
Comments
Looks and naming of most sedans play into a big part of the slow sales of sedans. Truth is some sedans like the Ford Fusion, Lincoln MKZ and Chevy Malibu where still good seller but pushed out to Force customers into SUVs which cost more. Tesla model 3, Toyota Camry, Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger are all over the place. Taurus got no body changes from 2010 to 2020 , The rear of the Continental was ugly while the front looked like the MKZ. The sedan market was neglected in favor of higher costing SUVs when gas hit 3.50 or higher that will change
What great evidence you bring! A bunch of rental Dodges and Toyotas make Ford’s decision wrong. Yes, they could too fluff up car sales with no-profit rental fleet sales, but they chose not to.
Sedans have been in decline for years. Nobody forced anyone to decide on crossovers as the best solution for them, the market has overwhelmingly spoken. Honda, Toyota, Hyundai/Kia Volkswagen, and Nissan have all seen their sedan car/sales fall drastically, and most have killed several sedans/hatchbacks in the past few months to a year. Nissan is the only one who has yet to cull, but the writing is on the wall and cuts are on the way.
Tesla sales went up 63% in California when the crossover version of the Model 3 went on sale. The model y is nothing but a crossover version of the model 3. I guarantee that if both were launched simultaneously, the Y would be grabbing the headlines while the 3 gets the leftovers. Its certainly shaping up that way now.
But. Its NAMES, and I see dead Chargers rolling, blablabla. When you can run a successful multi-billion dollar business better than Ford, GM, Toyota, VW, Honda, Hyundai/Kia or Nissan (wait, the last one…nevermind), you can come back and tell us the secret to successful sedan sales.
There ain’t No rental cars sitting at Toyota Truck Plant, Grocery Stores ,Shopping Centers, or Neighborhood where I alive. But there are A Helluva lot of Toyota Camry’s, Chrysler 300,Dodge Chargers and Challengers.,Ford Mustang Fusion, Lincoln MKZ, Mercedes BMW and Audi are not having no problem selling sedans in my area either. If you pay Attention, Open your eyes and look Real close, You will be able to tell the difference between a rental car and A car someone Owns. My point is everybody’s not renting vehicles some of Us buy them
So far, Daimler and BMW haven’t given up on sedans and wagons.
Daimler, Audi, BMW, VW, Peugeot, Renault, Alfa Romeo, Tesla… All of them sell sedans successfully. Not everyone like SUV,s and crossovers or is even willing to buy one no matter what. This SUV and crossover cancer will not last forever and those brands who pushed their customers to other brands looking for a sedan, may have lost them as they will become familiar with other brands. At least one sedan shall be kept in their lineups by those who commit the nonsense of forcing their customers into SUV’s and crossovers since they will not succeed with every customer.
I totally agree because Am Not Buying No SUV PERIOD…
‘Ford Authority’? Why don’t y’all change the name to Kia Authority, or, how about ‘Everything else Authority’?
Sheesh people git-a-clue.
I doubt I will ever again buy a new GM, Ford, or Stelantis vehicle regardless of what type of vehicle. Cost cutting and poorer quality and poorer quality control has turned me from buying new GMs and Fords into a Honda owner. I would consider Toyota and Mazda as well. This is not to say that Honda, Toyota, and Mazda don’t have their own issues but they seem to have better quality and less issues. Water pumps enclosed with timing chains and belts makes for more expensive repairs and more chances of engine failure.
If Ford still has a relationship with Kia, the K7 and K9 would be great platforms for the MKZ and Continental.Solid platforms and they wouldn’t have to invest too much money into it, other than tune the chassis for US driving dynamics. It’s too late now. I am getting older and I am not a fan of the crossover/SUV models. It just seems odd that a luxury brand like Lincoln is sedan free. I might be wrong, but I think that it is short-sighted.
AND GET OFF MY LAWN!
What will rental counters do? Less Korean brand cars? The lots will be empty
Interested in KIA900 ’20 or ’21