I am eagerly awaiting the loss of life of the seda...

One of many highlights of the 2025 New York Worldwide Auto Present was the Kia EV4, at the moment because of attain the US in early 2026. It was notable for a couple of causes: uncommon styling, twin 12.3-inch touchscreens, and as much as 330 miles (531 kilometers) of vary for those who pay for the Wind trim. It even has a brand new voice assistant capable of refine its responses and command recognition, so hopefully, it will not by accident set off itself whenever you’re jamming out to

Spotify
. Thoughts you, Apple says the identical factor about

Siri
.

It ought to — by all rights — be a stable

electric car
for the individuals who need one, however it additionally made me notice one thing — I’ve completely zero curiosity in sedans anymore, irrespective of how well-built or futuristic they’re. Certainly, the format appears to be on its manner out, and for as soon as I am truly supportive of the way in which the world goes, so long as reasonably priced choices stick round too.

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Why sedans ought to disappear

A development already in progress

Honda

After I was rising up in Canada (and visiting the US) throughout the ’80s and ’90s, sedans had been in all places. On reflection, they had been the “default” automotive for North America — you solely purchased one thing else to accommodate area of interest calls for. Should you needed ample cargo area, you obtain a van, a truck, or a station wagon; for those who needed to save cash, you obtain a compact hatchback. Even plenty of highschool youngsters ended up getting used sedans as starter automobiles.

You’ll be able to nonetheless purchase new sedans, however in North America they have been eclipsed in recognition by SUVs, vehicles, and crossovers. Whereas it is troublesome to trace down up-to-the-minute information, in 2019, SUVs accounted for 47.7% of US gross sales (per a New York Times report) versus simply 22.1% for sedans. Even some sports activities automotive manufacturers have added SUVs to their lineups. I see Porsche Cayennes on the street on a regular basis — irrespective of that purchasing an SUV for efficiency is akin to purchasing a Bowie knife to cut up dinner greens.

A sedan is smart for those who’re a house owner who’s largely touring forwards and backwards to work, often shuttling youngsters round, taking holidays, or having an evening out. However for those who’re repeatedly transferring from house to house — like many millennials and Gen Zers — a sedan cannot match that many bins, not to mention giant items of furnishings. And even as soon as you have settled right into a home, there is a good likelihood you will be happening weekend runs to shops like Dwelling Depot, Greatest Purchase, or IKEA. Few issues are extra irritating than carting a TV or stack of lumber out to your automotive solely to understand it will not match.

Youngsters exacerbate the state of affairs. My spouse and I solely have one youngster, however like many individuals lately, we do not have handy kinfolk or babysitters close by. Our son and his booster seat have to come back together with us on many errands, shrinking the quantity of cargo area even additional. In that sense, I actually cannot blame dad and mom for getting full-sized SUVs, even when most of them do not want a Nissan Armada or Chevy Tahoe to take their youngsters to judo classes.

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The street forward

Adapting kind components for the 2020s

Chevrolet

When my spouse and I purchased a brand new automotive in 2022, we selected the Hyundai Venue, which is a compact crossover SUV. It is the best format for us — extra cargo area than a sedan, however nonetheless sufficiently small to be reasonably priced and slot in a single-car storage. We nonetheless run into area issues typically, however it’s often nothing some inventive seat manipulation cannot repair. I am unable to think about attempting to do the identical issues with my previous Buick Regal.

In that regard, I really feel that crossovers and different small SUVs are rightfully taking on, particularly since they permit sufficient area for bigger batteries on EV fashions. The Chevy Equinox EV (above) is spectacular to me as one thing below $34,000 with a 319-mile (513-kilometer) vary. I would like to see 300-mile ranges on compact hatchbacks, too, however the tech in all probability will not be there till solid-state batteries arrive round 2030.

There are some points of this trajectory I do not like. Many SUVs are nonetheless unnecessarily large, blocking lanes and sightlines in visitors, and naturally posing a extra critical risk in the event that they hit one thing. The identical can be stated of many vehicles, which frequently do not even carry cargo. In locations like Alberta and Texas, it looks like lots of people get one simply to slot in with the native cowboy tradition, and/or to really feel powerful on the streets.

Will sedans disappear fully? I doubt it, no less than till robotaxis and different totally self-driving vehicles are an omnipresent actuality. They do serve a goal. However each the constructive and destructive developments in place appear to be urgent laborious, and I would somewhat issues skew within the path of practicality than fake we’re all well-off professionals who get the whole lot huge and heavy delivered by white-glove companies.

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The affordability concern

One ultimate thought

Honda

I do have one different concern, and that is pricing developments. Even compact crossovers are typically dearer than sedans, so there’s the danger that our buying habits will inadvertently push some folks out of the auto market, notably if firms cannot work out a technique to construct a worthwhile EV equal of sub-compacts just like the Honda Match. The business goes to go all-electric, eventually.

I am comparatively optimistic on that entrance, just because expertise retains evolving, and buyer demand is sure to maintain issues in test. There’ll at all times be somebody contemporary out of school who wants an affordable trip — the business cannot fake that everybody is able to shell out $40,000 or extra for his or her ultimate do-it-all-mobile.

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