FRANKFURT — The good migration from automobiles to mild vehicles is claiming one other casualty. Volkswagen will drop the Passat sedan within the U.S. and Europe because the automaker prioritizes electrical and utility automobiles, firm sources aware of the plans stated.

In Europe, VW will maintain solely the Passat station wagon when a brand new era of the midsize automotive arrives towards the top of 2023, sources informed Automotive Information Europe. The wagon will proceed in markets corresponding to Germany, the place the physique fashion is in style.

U.S. gross sales of the Passat elevated 25 p.c throughout the first three quarters, in keeping with VW of America information, however had been low at simply 16,190 items.

Whereas it by no means significantly challenged the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord, U.S. gross sales of the Passat did attain simply over 100,000 as not too long ago as 2012 and 2013.

The Passat is Europe’s No. 1-selling midsize mannequin, with a quantity of 88,478 by way of October, in keeping with JATO Dynamics.

Administration has no plans to exchange the present U.S. model due to the continued shift from sedans to crossovers, such because the Atlas.

The U.S. model of the Passat is constructed at VW’s plant in Chattanooga, the place the automaker additionally produces the Atlas — the VW model’s No. 3-selling mannequin within the U.S. after the Tiguan and Jetta. Atlas gross sales fell 37 p.c to 37,927 within the first three quarters of this yr. VW tallied an extra 17,990 gross sales of the newly launched Atlas Cross Sport over the identical interval.

U.S. patrons have turn into even much less enthusiastic concerning the midsize sedan section, sealing the destiny of the Passat. U.S. gross sales of midsize automobiles, as soon as a cornerstone of trade quantity, have steadily dropped in recent times, with quantity down 27 p.c within the first three quarters of this yr, after dropping 8 p.c in 2019.

Some manufacturers — notably Ford, Chrysler, Buick and Dodge — have already deserted the section.