1 best of : Confirmed: Buick Verano Will Die in U.S. After 2017 Model Year

If you are one of the few buyers interested in the Buick Verano, you’d better scurry on down to your local Buick dealer before it’s too late. A new report from Automotive News claims that parent company GM confirmed the rumored cancellation of the compact luxury sedan following a small-batch run of 2017 model years.

According to AN, GM announced the Verano nameplate will be discontinued in the U.S. after a short run of 2017 model-year cars, putting an end to five model years of production. Earlier this month we heard about the fate of the small Buick sedan, with slow sales amid customers shifting to crossovers cited as the primary cause.

A GM spokesman backed that up, telling AN the Verano discontinuation is a result of a permanent change in market trends away from sedans and toward SUVs. As such, the entry-level Buick becomes the small Encore compact crossover with the departure of the Verano. Looking at the figures, it’s not hard to spot the Verano’s struggles; last year, sales of the sedan slipped 27 percent, down to 31,886 units moved. This is down from the sedan’s peak sales in 2013 of 45,527, when compared to the Encore SUV moving 67,549 units in 2015.

With the departure of the Verano and the full introduction of the new Envision SUV, Buick head Duncan Aldred confirmed to AN Buick sales will be comprised of 70 percent crossovers and SUVs.

The Verano name will live on in China, where the Chinese market enjoys a Cruze-based Buick compact sedan.

Source: Automotive News (Subscription required)