There are cars that have reached their twelfth generation and have been on the world market for almost 60 years, becoming classics, such as the Toyota Corolla. There are also vehicles that have been in production for 25 years without any significant changes, such as the Peugeot Partner/Citroën Berlingo.
While these examples demonstrate long-standing and commercial success, the auto industry sees models disappearing from production for a variety of reasons, not necessarily due to their lack of success.
According to journalist Pablo Ortega, an expert in economics and technology, there are three cars in the local market that may be close to saying goodbye: Toyota Etios, Chevrolet Cruze and Logan/Sandero/Stepway sedan/hatchback.
The Toyota Etios is produced at the Japanese automaker’s plant in Sorocaba, São Paulo in Brazil, exclusively for supply to Argentina and Peru. In early 2021, it stopped being sold in the neighboring country.
Toyota recently announced a $340 million investment to build a new hybrid model at the same plant starting in 2024, possibly the recently unveiled Yaris Cross SUV. Signs from Brazil suggest that this new model will replace the Etios.
Although Toyota has yet to confirm the end of Etios production in both countries, the absence of a new generation and the arrival of a new model at the Brazilian plant supports the idea that the Etios is Toyota’s most affordable car in Argentina. Have an uncertain future.
The Etios was introduced in 2012 as an entry vehicle for emerging markets and has been successful in Brazil and other countries in the region. During the first four months of this year, 8,753 units of the Etios in its hatchback and sedan versions were patented, a 48% increase compared to the same period in 2022. In 2022, it was the fifth best selling car with 18,141 patents. ,
The Chevrolet Cruze, a mid-size model made by General Motors at the Alvear, Santa Fe plant, is in a similar situation. The Santa Fe factory is the only one in the world that continues to produce this model, and the brand has no known plans for a new generation, raising doubts about its continuation in the coming years.
It should be recalled that the Cruze came off the assembly lines of Argentina in 2016 as a global model. Apart from hatchback and sedan versions, it currently offers special variants like Midnight and RS with exclusive specifications.
When asked about rumors of discontinuing the Cruze in 2024, General Motors responded that “production is still unchanged”. It is speculated that if Cruze is discontinued, it could be replaced by the Chevrolet Montana, a compact truck that the brand will launch this year and is already in production in Brazil.
During the January to April period, the Chevrolet Cruze registered a total of 3,466 units, representing a 35% decrease as compared to the same period in the year 2022. Despite this, the Cruze was ranked sixth among best-selling cars last year with 15,221 units, and led the mid-size vehicle segment.
The decline that sedans have experienced worldwide due to the growing popularity of SUVs among buyers is one of the arguments used in the sector to justify the need to replace the Cruze.
As for the Logan and Sandero/Stepway, they are currently manufactured at the Renault plant in Santa Isabel, Córdoba, but their continuation is also uncertain. The Rhombus brand is expected to launch a new crossover model in Brazil with SUV styling based on the European Stepway, which will be launched in 2024 and is expected to replace the existing model. In addition, Renault will set up a new platform in the province for the production of a new export-oriented compact van.
Everything indicates that this is the new generation of the Aurochs, which will also have a sister model to its ally Nissan, following a similar approach to the Frontier and Alaska midsize trucks.
Renewed
On the other hand, there are other models that have already confirmed their new generation, unlike the Etios, Cruze and Logan/Sandero. Among the trucks manufactured in the country, the Ford Ranger will soon be the first truck to feature its new familiar contours.
Volkswagen is working on a deep facelift of the Amarok, which doesn’t get a generational leap like other markets, and will be ready by 2024. It hits the market in 2025. The recent unveiling of the new Tacoma in the United States hints at the design that the next Japanese truck built in Zarate may adopt.
Another Toyota model, the Yaris is also undergoing a generational refresh. Last year, the new generation of the Yaris sedan, known as the Yaris Active, was introduced in Asia, which is likely to be manufactured in Brazil, where the current Yaris is produced.
In Renault’s case, its B-segment SUV, the Duster, is nearing its generational change. In Europe, camouflage images have already been seen of the new generation of the Dacia Duster (the brand under which it is sold on the European continent), which will be launched in 2024, and is expected to arrive in South America with a design. Dimension same.
