5 Car Brands Aiming To Bring Back Rear-Wheel Drive Sedans

For decades, the four-door, rear-wheel-drive sedan with an internal combustion engine up front was a core part of the global auto industry. Whether it was a plush American luxury sedan or an athletic European sport sedan, rear-drive sedans were once a ubiquitous sight in dealer showrooms and on the streets.

Today, though, the rise of SUVs and EVs means that the traditional rear-drive sedan has fallen out of favor among many automakers. As an example of this, look no further than Lexus, which killed off its GS sport sedan in 2020 and its flagship LS luxury sedan in 2026, with only the smaller Lexus IS sedan still hanging on for now.

However, it’s not all bleak news for lovers of the rear-drive sedan. Brands like BMW have kept their traditional sedans alive despite the SUV boom, and it now appears that other brands are intent on following the German marque’s lead. Some of these cars are expected to be revivals of discontinued models, while others would tread new ground entirely. Below we’ve rounded up five potential rear-drive sedan revivals that we’re especially excited about. 

To say that Buick’s current lineup offers little to car enthusiasts would be a bit of an understatement. This is unfortunate, because Buick is the brand that once brought us iconic performance cars like the 455-powered GSX muscle car of the early ’70s and the turbocharged Buick Grand National of the 1980s. Even Buick’s more recent Regal GS models of the 2010s are quite exciting compared to what the brand sells now.

The only vehicles that Buick sells as of mid-2026 are crossover SUVs, but it seems like that might be changing — and in a big way. General Motors is reportedly developing an updated version of its rear-drive Alpha 2 platform, which will underpin, among other things, a new Chevrolet Camaro. What’s just as exciting, though, is that the platform will also be used for a new Buick sedan model. 

It’s been a long time since Buick has sold a rear-drive passenger car of any type: the last was the full-size Buick Roadmaster from the 1990s. Right now there isn’t any solid info about which engine(s) this new Buick will have or what it will be called. If it’s using the well-regarded Alpha platform, though, we’re expecting something worthy of Buick’s 20th-century performance heritage. After all, who wouldn’t want a four-door Camaro with some Buick badges and a more upscale interior?

Mazda is a brand that’s well regarded by car enthusiasts, with the lovable and iconic MX-5 Miata considered one of the world’s most enjoyable sports cars. When it comes to sedans, though, Mazda’s current lineup is pretty lacking, with the entry-level, front-drive-based Mazda3 being the only sedan it sells.

Mazda discontinued its mid-sized Mazda6 sedan in 2021. Since then, there have been on-again, off-again rumors about a more upmarket, rear-drive sport sedan replacement. Mazda already has the platform to build it, with its CX-80 and CX-90 crossovers using the company’s new rear-drive-based platform, complete with inline-6 engines. At one point, Mazda was fully planning for a next-generation Mazda6 to use this new platform, but the company later backed off that plan to focus on SUVs.

Mazda, however, has maintained the stance that the rear-drive, inline-six sedan could come back on the table if the market calls for it. While a new Mazda sport sedan has yet to become reality, and we aren’t sure exactly what form it would take, it’s clear the company is still taking the idea seriously. This is evidenced by recent concept cars like the rotary-powered 2025 Vision X-Coupe — which, despite the name, actually has four doors.

Ford made headlines in 2020 when it axed its sedans to focus on SUVs, but the company has more recently expressed some interest in getting back into the sedan game. This time, however, rather than competing with the Camry and Accord, a new Ford sedan would likely be a more sporty, upmarket product. Speculation has this new car sharing a platform and perhaps its branding with the Mustang, with Mach 4 hinted at as a possible name. 

Ford expanding the internal combustion Mustang family to include a sedan makes a lot of sense. The latest Mustang is a fantastic performance car with lots of throwback appeal, but the 2020s haven’t been kind to the Mustang sales-wise. Branching the platform out into a sport sedan would likely expand its appeal to buyers who need something more practical than a two-door coupe with a tiny back seat.

To see how well this could potentially work, look no further than the previous generations of the Dodge Challenger and Dodge Charger. These cars took the same LX rear-drive platform and made it available in both coupe and sedan styles with great success. Would purists be upset if Ford were to use the Mustang name for a sedan? Maybe, but we don’t see how that’d be any more egregious than using the name for an all-electric crossover SUV, which Ford has already been doing for several years with the Mustang Mach-E.

Over the last 20 years, the Cadillac brand has made big strides in the car enthusiast space. It started with models like the CTS-V from the mid-2000s, with the torch passing to fire-breathing sport sedans like the CT4-V Blackwing and the incredible CT5-V Blackwing, with its 668-hp supercharged V8. 

Cadillac, however, is in a bit of an uncertain situation, with the current CT4 and CT5 leaving production after 2026. Without these two internal combustion sedans, Cadillac’s lineup would consist only of crossovers, SUVs, and electric vehicles, and there was some concern that Cadillac was done with gasoline sedans completely.  

Fortunately, it seems the CT5 won’t be gone for long. Industry sources have said that a new version of the Cadillac CT5 is one of the models GM will build on its updated Alpha 2 platform. Not much is known about the powertrain options the next-gen CT5 will have, but the high-end CT5-V Blackwing is likely to return packing big power. There have been rumors that even the non-Blackwing CT5-V will get a naturally aspirated V8 and a manual transmission, a combination that enthusiasts have long been clamoring for.

Nissan has done a commendable job in keeping its legendary Nissan Z sports car alive in a market that isn’t always easy for two-seat sports cars, but the Z isn’t the only historic nameplate that Nissan is focusing on right now. In a 2026 preview of future products, Nissan confirmed it’s working on a new Skyline sedan for the Japanese market, which should share the current JDM Skyline sedan’s rear-drive layout.

While Nissan doesn’t sell the Skyline in America, it did make its way to these shores as the now-discontinued Infiniti Q50. It appears, though, that rather than being taken away for good, the Q50 has only been on hiatus. Industry sources say the Q50 is coming back soon, likely with rear-drive and even a manual transmission. It makes sense then that the next-gen Q50 and this recently-teased JDM Skyline would again be the same car with different names.

It remains to be seen whether the new sedan will use an all-new platform or be a heavily updated version of the old one. After all, despite getting a new engine and updated styling, the newest Nissan Z actually isn’t too much different from the previous generation Z beneath its skin. It’s very possible that Nissan could go a similar route with the new Skyline and Infiniti Q50.

We compiled this list based on official manufacturer announcements and industry reporting. Some of these vehicles have yet to be officially announced by automakers, while others have merely been hinted at or mentioned as part of broader product plans. As with all news gathered from anonymous sources, it’s important to have some degree of skepticism — but, as of now, these brands are indeed bringing the classic RWD sedan back. We also focused specifically on front-engine, rear-drive sedans with internal combustion engines, and not battery electric vehicles.