23rd Aug 2021, 10:07
It's exactly like Renault giving up Laguna/Talisman line, and also Citroen not giving a direct successor to the C5-2.
The generalist started by giving up the upper segment first : Granada/Scorpio, Omega, R25, 607 etc.
Now, they are giving up the level below. This is also accelerated by fact that the cars progressed a lot generation after generation; most people (or profiles) driving the upper segment 20-30 years ago are driving the one level below now and the first choices are Audi (A4) , BMW (3), Mercedes (C), then Volvo (S60 ) etc.
Peugeot refused to give up yet, that's why they designed a kind of coupe like sedan (the latest 508) instead of a classic sedan (like the previous 508, 407 or 406-405) or a classic hatchback (Laguna, Xantia , C5-1 or Mondeo/Vectra).
And they try to regain some of the lost sales with SUVs. I always said this SUV thing is imposed by manufacturers (once a few sell then everybody does because this is the "latest fashion"), and not by the client.
22nd Aug 2021, 21:59
100% agree. To be fair you could say the same about a lot of modern cars. Not much difference between a Ford Focus or Vauxhall Astra either. And in the 1990's Japanese cars had rivalry as well, I remember choosing between a Honda Accord, Nissan Primera, and Mazda 626. Now the Primera is gone as well.
Mind you, some saloons/hatchback exist in the executive market that seems to have grown, despite the motoring press saying the saloon was dead - BMW 4 series, Audi A4, etc. And for hatchbacks the Skoda Octavia still has a 1990's feel; I drive a 2014 model which I like, modern and feels similar in size and shape to a mk1 Mondeo I had back in the day. I think you and the reviewer have it spot on though, the modern version from about 2007 onwards is a good car, but feels and looks like every other car in its class.
Not a fan of crossovers either, it's like they can't decide if they want to be a 4x4 or a people carrier MPV. Certainly never appealed to me as a long term large family/executive car driver.