Many little ones
These cars left us last year
The automotive industry is in a state of upheaval. Economically on the one hand, and in terms of drive systems on the other. Many models left us completely last year.
In the summer, the Fiat 500 said arrivederci after 16 years of production. As the company lacked the money for new developments, the model was kept fresh over the years with many special editions. With success: over 3.2 million units were sold worldwide, including the promise of "Dolce Vita". But the sweet life was coming to an end. The costs were too high to adapt it to the regulations that have been in force for all new cars since the summer. These include ensuring data security and enhanced safety features such as emergency lane departure warning, reversing assist and speed assist. Especially as the Italians have an alternative in their range in the form of the electric 500e.
The safety and data protection regulations and the Euro 7 standard, which is due to come into force in mid-2025, not only mean the end for the Cinquecento, but also for other micro and small cars. Another vehicle that already had a few years of production under its belt: the Mazda2. The third generation of the Japanese small car was launched in 2015, and various facelifts also brought it up to date both visually and technically. Customers can still order a Mazda2, but the model with the suffix Hybrid has nothing to do with the discontinued model. The Mazda2 Hybrid is a clone of the Toyota Yaris Hybrid.
Suzuki sidelined three models at once. The 3.65 meter short off-roader Suzuki Jimny had long had problems complying with emissions regulations and was only available as a two-seater in a commercial vehicle version. The 3.70-meter-long Ignis was one of the few subcompacts to offer all-wheel drive as an option, while the 3.85-meter-long Swift Sport brought a little more oomph to the Swift range with its 129 hp turbo petrol engine, wider fenders, thick tailpipes and carbon-look trim.
The Mitsubishi Space Star was unable to offer either all-wheel drive or sporty ambitions, but it repeatedly made a name for itself with its affordable entry-level prices. Alongside the Dacia Sandero, the approximately 3.70 meter short five-door model was one of the cheapest new cars in Austria. Production was discontinued. At present, there are still some cars still available that have already been produced.
The Renault Twingo was no longer one of the cheapest cars. The French subcompact had grown up over the years, also in terms of price. The third generation, which was developed in cooperation with Smart, was unable to achieve the cult status of the first Twingo (1993 to 2007), but was technically the significantly better car. However, the Twingo will not disappear completely from the automotive scene. Like the R4 and R5 before it, Renault is also reviving the Twingo as an electric model - presumably from 2026 - and thus using the appeal of its cult models for the transformation into the electric age.
The Renault Zoe, on the other hand, has reached its last hour of production. The small electric car, which shook up the market for small e-cars from 2013 and topped the bestseller list for years, has to make way for the new R5, which is expected to be around a third cheaper to produce and offer better technology.
The Kia e-Soul and Kia e-Niro also had to make way. The edgy Soul van has only been available in an electric version since 2019. The second generation of the Niro was launched in 2022 as a plug-in hybrid, full hybrid and electric model. The electric version of the compact model was particularly well received by customers. However, the new, equally compact EV3 is a modern successor to the electric models.
The replacement for the discontinued Opel Crossland, on the other hand, is somewhat larger. The 4.22-metre-long crossover, which debuted in 2017 as the successor to the Meriva, will not have a successor. Instead, the electric and 4.38-metre-long Frontera will step into the breach.
The safety and data protection regulations have not only hit and continue to hit the small cars hard. Niche vehicles such as convertibles are also affected. It was often no longer worth adapting models that were about to be replaced. This was the case with the Porsche 718 Boxster and its closed Cayman counterpart.
The Audi Q8 e-tron is another example of how technical progress is affecting existing models. The large electric SUV, which can no longer be configured on the Audi website, is coming under pressure from the new Q6 e-tron and A6 e-tron models, among others. The new models are based on the PPE (Premium Platform Electric) architecture, which allows charging capacities of up to 270 kW using 800-volt technology. They are also cheaper with a comparable amount of space.
Seat sorted out the large SUV Tarraco. The sister model to the VW Tiguan Allspace had been available since 2018. There is no successor for the seven-seater. The Spaniards offer an alternative with the Cupra Terramar, but this is smaller and can only be ordered as a five-seater.
Maserati retired its first SUV, the Levante. As if that were not enough, the Ghibli business saloon and the flagship Quattroporte were also discontinued. It will be some time before an electric successor is ready for the Levante and Quattroporte. The Ghibli, on the other hand, has been discontinued without replacement.
This fate also befell the combustion-powered versions of the Renault Megane and the Volvo S60 and Peugeot 508 mid-range saloons. Ferrari also had to pull back its chair. The Roma Coupé is disappearing. The Italian company's entry-level model is now only available in the open Spider version.
Jaguar has not only said goodbye to the F-Type, but also to all cars with combustion engines. In the meantime, the British company is getting by by selling off its existing model range and new cars that have already been produced. The relaunch with electric cars is set to follow in 2026, with which the brand intends to position itself more strongly in the lifestyle and luxury world in future.
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