These Cars Were Once Top Performers but Aren't Around Much Today
Just a few years ago, some car brands used to rule the roads. Now, they’re barely hanging on or are gone completely. These names were once everywhere, but not anymore. Join us on a trip down memory lane and see what happened to 15 once-dominant car brands that you barely see today.
Pontiac
Pontiac used to be absolutely everywhere. Remember the Firebird and GTO? They were legends. Sadly, GM pulled the plug on Pontiac in 2010. Sales dropped, and the brand just couldn’t keep up. Now, it’s just a cool logo on old muscle cars.
Oldsmobile
Your grandparents probably drove an Oldsmobile. The Cutlass Supreme was a big deal back in the day. But by 2004, GM said goodbye. People moved on to flashier cars, and Oldsmobile quietly rolled into the history books and old car shows.
Saab
Saab made safe yet quirky-looking cars like the 900 Turbo. People loved them or hated them - there was no in-between. But Saab ran into money trouble, and even GM couldn’t bail them out and save the day. These days, spotting one feels like finding a unicorn.
Saturn
Saturn promised its customers a different kind of car company where affordability was the name of the game. That came with no-haggle pricing and plastic body panels. The Ion and Vue were popular for a while, but GM shut them down in 2010.
Mercury
Mercury lived in Ford’s shadow for years. Cars like the Grand Marquis had a loyal following, but not enough to keep things from fizzling out. Ford stopped making Mercurys in 2010, and to be honest, most people barely noticed that it was gone.
Plymouth
Plymouth gave us the wild Road Runner and the fun little Neon. But, over time, its cars got lost in the crowd and sales plummeted. Chrysler eventually dropped the brand in 2001. The Road Runner still turns heads at car shows, but the brand is long gone.
Hummer
Hummer came in like a tank. And, suddenly, it was everywhere you looked. The H2 was massive, but when gas prices soared and the economy tanked, people just weren’t into driving military-style SUVs. GM axed the once-popular brand in 2010.
AMC
American Motors Corporation (AMC) made the Gremlin, the Pacer, and the Jeep before Jeep was cool. It was the scrappy underdog of car brands. But bigger companies like Chrysler swallowed the brand, and now AMC is just a fun trivia answer for car lovers.
Rover
Rover made classy little British cars like the Rover 75. They had cute charm, sure, but not much reliability - and that’s what people want in a car most. The company changed hands a lot before finally collapsing in the mid-2000s.
Peugeot
Peugeot was a pretty big name in Europe, and gave the U.S. cars like the 505. Sadly, American drivers just didn’t connect with the brand. It quietly left the U.S. in the early ‘90s and was never seen again. It’s still huge overseas, though.
Daihatsu
Daihatsu was responsible for tiny, fuel-friendly cars like the Charade. Super practical? Yes. Super exciting? Not so much. Toyota owns the brand, but in many places - like the U.S. - you won’t find one on the road anymore. Turns out they just couldn’t compete in bigger markets.
Isuzu
Isuzu once sold cars like the Impulse and Rodeo SUV in the U.S. But, by 2009, it ditched passenger cars altogether and focused more on trucks and commercial vehicles. If you’re looking for a new Isuzu sedan, all we can say is good luck!
DeLorean
Thanks to movies like Back to the Future, DeLorean was a bit of a household name. But the once iconic company flopped after just a few years. They made cool cars, and had a cool story, but even the best ones have to come to an end sometime.
Lancia
Lancia built super stylish, super fun cars like the Delta Integrale. It was a rally legend! Outside of Italy, though, the brand faded fast, and people just weren’t lining up to buy them. Poor sales and bad reliability sealed its fate, and today Lancia only sells one car model in Italy.
Suzuki
Suzuki brought us affordable, small cars like the SX4 and the cute little Sidekick. But, in the U.S., it never really found its groove, and sales numbers were at an all-time low. They left the American market in 2012. Suzuki is still alive and well in other countries, but not in the U.S. anymore.
