If you’re a fan of sedans, you may want to snap one up while you still can. It looks like they might be going the way of the Roman chariot. With the rise of SUV and truck sales, cars sales are taking some hard hits. and automakers like Ford and Chevy are giving sedans the boot. Fan favorites like the Focus and Cruze could become history soon.

Recent data from Edmunds shows that there may be some wisdom to this decision. Let’s check out the facts, and try to figure out if there is any hope for the fading sedan.

What prompted Ford and Chevy to drop sedans

Unfortunately, it all boils down to money. It just isn’t there. Ford is bleeding money due to poor sedan sales, and only the F-Series trucks are keeping the American automaker afloat at this point. Some are even speculating that Ford may be headed for bankruptcy. It’s too early to tell, but things aren’t looking too hot. 

The Wall Street Journal reports,

“Ford is shifting its U.S. lineup to almost exclusively SUVs and trucks, along with its Mustang sports car, part of Chief Executive Jim Hackett’s plan to revitalize the company and spark profit growth. Ford generates the most of its global profit from F-series pickup sales, analysts estimate.”

Over 2019, Ford’s sedan sales fell a shocking 28%. On the flip side, truck sales rose 8.8%, and in an even stranger turn of events, van sales rose 12%. When’s the last time you heard someone say they bought a new van? Whoever would have thought they’d make a comeback.

Chevy seems to be holding its own, especially since it released the 2020 Chevy Corvette, which nearly sold out just weeks after being released. Other car sales are not going so smoothly for Chevy, however, and cars like the Chevy Cruze are being phased out.

If you check out page four of the Edmunds report, you’ll see that many drivers are trading in their Ford Focus for the Escape and EcoSport. Some Cruze owners who are trading in their old model are opting to buy a new Cruze.

That may seem like it should have been enough to save the now discontinued Cruze, but even more owners chose to go with the Chevy Equinox. Now that Chevy has stopped production on the Cruze, owners who loved their sedan may have to switch brands in order to buy another car.

The rising popularity of SUVs and trucks

Consumers used to be reluctant to buy SUVs or trucks due to poor fuel economy, but times have changed. Now we have electric trucks, SUVs that don’t guzzle gas, and hybrid vehicles. Soccer moms have traded in their minivans for vehicles that can haul groceries as easily as it hauls children, and trucks are no longer just for construction workers and farmers. 

Ford is trying to up its game, and hopefully save itself from joining defunct automakers like Oldsmobile and Pontiac by building more trucks and SUVs. 

According to Autoblog, Ford plans to release new SUV models like the Bronco and the Baby Bronco. In the electric division, Ford will release the Mustang Mach-E. 

Does this mean cars like the Chevy Cruze are done for?

Let’s be honest-It’s not looking very good for sedans. Ford and Chevy may have made the heaviest cuts, but they’re not the only automakers cutting back on cars. According to Autoweek, BMW, Alfa Romeo, Buick, Cadillac, Volkswagen, and Toyota are discontinuing some very popular cars. 

Still, trends tend to come and go, so it’s only a matter of time before sedans come back into style. Until then, if you have a beloved car that has been discontinued, you might not want to trade it in just yet. Someone else may snap it up, and you won’t be able to buy a new model.