3 Vehicles That Students in Automotive Training Will Say Farewell to in 2019

There are many reasons why a car model is discontinued. Trends can change over time, or an unpopular design can doom a car from the start. Sometimes consumer tastes just shift, turning even once-popular cars into unwanted has-beens. The general consumer outlook for 2019 is that the public preference is shifting from passenger cars like compacts and hatchbacks to bigger models such as SUVs and crossovers, which offer a bit more space.
In order for automotive manufacturers to keep up with buyer preferences and demand, a few cars have to be taken out of production to make way for the kind of stuff buyers are more interested in. Read on to find out which cars will be cut in 2019.

1. The Final Edition Volkswagen Beetle Will Be the Last in Production

The news is true—Volkswagen has decided to end the iconic Beetle. First introduced in 1938, this model was in production for over 70 years, and revolutionized how people thought of small, reliable, and affordable cars.
The Beetle soared in popularity during the 1960s, and although it declined during the 70s—American sales were so low that production ceased completely in 1979—a resurgence in the 1990s and 2000s helped keep the Bug present. The New Beetle, however, wasn’t profitable enough to make it worth continuing, and Volkswagen made the announcement that after the Final Edition’s release in 2019, the Beetle will no longer be in global production. For graduates of automotive repair training, this car might soon become a rarity in auto repair shops.

2. Automotive Repair Professionals Won’t Be Seeing the Cadillac CT6

Cadillac’s decision to halt production on the CT6 and XTS is more complicated than just a simple reaction to poor sales. General Motors (GM), which owns Cadillac, recently made the announcement that it would be closing some of its manufacturing plants in an attempt to restructure the company after declaring bankruptcy in 2009.
One of these plants, located in Detroit, is the primary producer of the CT6 models, making this car’s demise due more to administration needs than market performance. Although manufacturing in the North American market may have ceased, Cadillac will continue to produce the CT6 in China. But while Chinese buyers will still be able to snag this car, North American audiences will be out of luck, and won’t be able to find it after 2019.

3. Chevrolet Is Cutting the Impala and Volt

In addition to Cadillac, GM also owns Chevrolet, which means a few of its cars will be on their way out the door in 2019.
The Impala—while a relatively successful, reliable car itself—has fallen out of favour in North America. Instead, buyers are more interested in the more family-oriented Traverse or Equinox models, which means this bigger, full-size sedan will soon be driving into the sunset.
The Impala also isn’t the only car to be cut. One of the first plug-in hybrid vehicles was the Chevrolet Volt, first introduced in 2011. Over the span of almost ten years, the Volt became one of the top-selling plug-ins on the market, and introduced mechanics and car repair training students to a mainstream vehicle that operated a little differently. GM’s decision to focus on producing electric vehicles (EV), however, means that the hybrid Volt, with a gas-powered generator, is being phased out of production starting this year.
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