Most car fanatics are accustomed to bringing up their successes, but it can be much more difficult to accept our failures. The late Fiat Chrysler Automobiles CEO Sergio Marchionne had to do just that after the discontinuation of the Chrysler 200. The five-passenger midsize sedan began production in 2010, but it never had its shining moment. What was it that made the Chrysler 200 fail?

The Chrysler 200 was the “younger brother” of the Chrysler 300

The Chrysler 200 had a relatively short life spanning from 2011 to 2017, per TrueCar. Further, it was marketed as a midsize sedan falling between the Sebring and the popular Chrysler 300 in the automaker’s car lineup. The first-generation Chrysler 200 hit the road as a four-door sedan or a 2-door convertible. Moreover, by naming it the 200, FCA was able to let the vehicle ride on the coattails of the successful 300. It was similar in style and features but was a midsize sedan versus the 300’s full-size category.

In 2015, the Chrysler 200 underwent its first (and only) redesign. FCA got rid of the convertible option and reclassified it as a compact four-door sedan. It boasted new infotainment equipment as well as safety features like adaptive cruise control and blind-spot monitoring. Still, with all of those improvements, where did the Chrysler 200 go wrong?

In 2017, FCA discontinued the Chrysler 200

In a press conference in 2017, Marchionne spoke about the reasoning behind discontinuing the Chrysler 200, per Autoblog. Stating that it had “run its course,” the Chrysler 200 was simply not cost-effective for FCA moving forward. Sales had declined since 2015. Marchionne called it one of the “least financially rewarding enterprises” in FCA over the previous eight years.

What’s more, the Dodge Dart went out of production alongside the 200. Marchionne said, “I don’t know one investment that was as bad as these two were.” Neither vehicle topped its class, making it hard to compete with others and possibly forcing FCA to rethink its production.

What was the reasoning behind the Chrysler 200’s fate?

Marchionne also said that part of the company’s decision to discontinue both the Chrysler 200 and the Dodge Dart was based on predictions that consumers would be switching away from coupes and sedans in favor of SUVs and trucks. This prediction back in 2017 turned out to have some truth behind it.

Many automakers are shifting away from sedans in favor of SUVs and crossovers. Furthermore, Marchionne stated that the sedan market was oversaturated and “might not pay off” in the long run.

More recently, Chrysler announced it would discontinue the 300 after the 2023 model year. Consumers are indeed favoring larger vehicles, like SUVs and trucks, and the market continues to change to reflect that.

Editor’s note: Jenny Whaley contributed to this article.