Sedans Are Making a Comeback in America

The Comeback We Didn’t Expect

For the most part, American automakers have all but abandoned sedans in the home market. Ford doesn’t have anything to offer in that class, while GM has only Cadillac to sell these four-door cars. As for Stellantis, its lone offering is the Dodge Charger. You can literally count all the American sedans sold stateside with one hand.

The irony is, GM and Ford are still selling sedans outside the U.S. GM’s Chinese operations still have loads of them, while Ford has a model in select markets. Sure, crossovers now dominate the sales charts in America, but we can’t help but think that American automakers gave away all their potential sales to rivals.

Lately, though, there has been a turnaround. With rising average new-car prices, Ford and Stellantis, in particular, are looking to either reintroduce or introduce more sedans to their respective rosters. Even GM wants in on the fun, by the looks of things.

So, with all major American automakers considering these at the very least, it looks like the American sedan will soon stage its comeback. Exciting times, indeed, especially for those with crossover and SUV fatigue.

Chrysler’s Much-Needed Second Model

Sure, the Pacifica is the nation’s best-selling minivan, but a car company cannot survive for long with just one model in the range. Chrysler desperately needs a second vehicle, and recently, it hinted at a sedan revival that will be ‘unlike anything seen before.’

There was mention of the possibility of it ‘blending segments,’ so it might be a lifted sedan of sorts, since people can’t get enough of crossovers these days. It’s a bolder, riskier approach, but it still doesn’t rule out the possibility of it looking more traditional. A Charger-based 300 could work and help bring back Chrysler to its Halcyon days, provided it makes the right noises.

Ford’s Plan

CEO Jim Farley had made it clear that sedans are back on the table. However, what he didn’t say is what kind of sedan the company could release down the line. Subcompact and compact sedans seem out of the picture, so there might be a chance we’re looking at a mid-size or even large sedan in the future.

As mentioned, Ford has the Taurus and Mondeo for China and the Middle East. So far, the Taurus has been doing consistently well, and the Mondeo has been steady. Both are effectively the Fusion had Ford not discontinued it in 2020, and it’s not just a reskin of the old car. Another possibility is for Ford to use the rear-drive Explorer platform to build a large sedan. Maybe they can call it Crown Victoria, but we’re just thinking out loud.

GM to Give Buick a Sedan?

While there’s no word from GM, there’s a good chance that at least one of its brands is set to receive a sedan. There have been recent reports that Buick is adding a sedan to its lineup after years without one. It could be derived from the Cadillac CT5, a model that’s underpinned by the Alpha 2 platform.

There’s also the possibility of GM tapping into its resources in China to bring in the Lacrosse from there. The Lacrosse was discontinued in the U.S in 2019, but continues to thrive in China. The Chinese Lacrosse is likely the most cost-effective solution if GM wants to give Buick a sedan as soon as possible.

The question now is whether these planned and rumored future American sedans can still appeal to customers. It’s one thing to say that people want one, but it’s a totally different matter when it comes to actual purchasing. The cars can’t be cookie-cutter sedans if these automakers want any chance against well-established rivals. It won’t be easy, but it might be worth a shot.