We are saying goodbye to these affordable cars, they will not return in 2024.
It's the end of the year again. This means that we take a look back at the cars we are going to say goodbye to. There are more and more of them. This is mainly due to the transition to electric cars. Consumer tastes are also changing.
To put it bluntly, this means that manufacturers mainly make electric crossovers, simply because that market is the largest. Fortunately, more and more electric normal cars are being added and eventually enough niche models will be added.
Affordable cars that will not return in 2024
But not now: a lot of niche models are being released. And regular models. Just like in the coming years, it is once again far too much for one article. We have made a distinction between affordable and expensive models. Now these are flexible concepts, so you can also see them as less expensive and very expensive models that we will no longer see in 2023.
Ford Fiesta
This was once one of the most important cars in Europe. In the United Kingdom it was often the best-selling car. The special thing about the Ford Fiesta was that for the money you had an excellent B-segment car that drove very entertainingly.
The handling, the steering, the shifting: you just noticed that extra attention had been paid to it. Unfortunately, the margins in this segment are too small to keep the model profitable for Ford. Eternally a shame.
Honda e
The funny thing is: the Honda e wasn't such a bad car at all. On the contrary! The exterior was more old-fashioned than the concept version, but still very funny. The interior was even above average: in terms of design and materials. It was also quite fun to drive. So where did it go wrong?
Firstly, the range: it was too small. The drivetrain was particularly inefficient. Secondly, a typical Honda thing: the 'e' was simply way too expensive. The Peugeot e-208 and Renault Zoe were better (as EV) and cheaper.
Audi A5 Coupe
There is a clear cut at Audi in 2023, so you will regularly encounter the brand with the four rings in this overview (and tomorrow's). We start with the Audi A5 Coupé. This model is only in its second generation and is already no longer relevant for Audi. At least in the Netherlands, it is still available in other markets, although the car as a whole will probably not have a successor.
The new Audi A4 will be called A5 (yes, confusing) and Audi will pay more attention to the electrification of the brand than maintaining niche models. Too bad, because the A5 Coupé has always had an elegant and beautiful appearance.
Fiat Tipo
The Fiat Tipo has never really been a hit in the Netherlands and that is a shame. You got a large C-segment car with a lot of equipment for a competitive price. The problem is that the latter did not work out well in the Netherlands thanks to the CO2 emissions and therefore the extra tax you had to pay to drive such a cool Fiat.
This means that Fiat Netherlands currently only has the 500, 500e, 500X, 600e and Panda on offer. The Tipo is still sold in other markets, it is called Egea in Turkey and Neon in Mexico!
Ford Ecosport
Are we going to miss this one? The Ford Ecosport! The idea behind the car was not very strange: take a higher crossover and make it look cooler than it is. It has never really been a hit in our country, although you could sometimes spot Ford dealer-friendly seniors in one of these.
The car was developed with South America (and similar markets) in mind and was already a few years older, so it is not surprising that Ford is abandoning this segment.
Mercedes-Benz EQC
We are now stretching the concept of affordable, but there are still many more expensive cars coming out, which, as mentioned, we will review tomorrow. We were a bit surprised that the car 'suddenly' went out of production. Surely such a premium electric crossover from Germany has to sell?
It is mainly because the EQC was still based on the old GLC. In addition, technology is developing at a breakneck pace. So we have now made some progress in terms of price, operating range and charging speeds. Overtaken by time, just like the Honda e. The Audi Q8 e-tron proves that you can easily update an existing concept, but that's besides the point.
Mini Clubman
With this car, an entire segment disappears: the B-segment station wagon. Now the current model was actually a C-segment car instead of a real B-segment car, although it is a fairly small car for the C-segment. The Mini Clubman is currently still being built. This will be the case until February 2024, after which production will stop.
More important to know is that there will be no successor. That's a shame, because it's a nice car. The problem may be that it's too grown-up for a Mini and too crazy for the Golf customer. The JCW with 306 hp is surprisingly hilarious.
Audi A6 Allroad
Last year the A4 Allroad was discontinued, this year the A6 Allroad. The idea of the Audi A6 Allroad (then called Audi Allroad) was born out of necessity. Mercedes had the ML, BMW the X5 and Audi the, er, nothing. The Allroad was supposed to be an alternative for SUV customers (until the Q7 arrived).
That didn't quite work, but the car was a modest hit in Alpine countries and for people who wanted the advantages of an SUV without the disadvantages. You did have four-wheel drive and greater ground clearance, but not a larger and heavier car. The Volvo V90 Cross Country is also no longer available, but Mercedes is keeping this segment alive for a while with the E-Class AllTerrain (just introduced).
Nissan Micra
The Nissan Micra was once the first Japanese Car of the Year (in 1990). For years it was an important model for Nissan. Unfortunately, like many other brands, it was not profitable to sell a B-segment car.
That had been the case for some time, because the Nissan Micra we waved goodbye to was secretly just a Renault Clio. That Clio had long been replaced by a new generation and there will be no Micra variant. There will be an electric B-segment car, but it will not be in the showrooms anytime soon.
Audi TT
And another Audi coupe that's going out. In this case it is even worse with the Audi TT. This standalone model was a huge game changer for Audi at the time. Not only did the Audi brand receive an enormously positive image boost from the TT, but it was also very accessible.
The TT was not too expensive when new and you can still find them used for very little (fortunately). The TT became better and better with each generation, but unfortunately also more expensive. Nevertheless, we still don't understand why the TT was so unpopular in our country. A legend is no more.
This article We won't see these affordable cars again in 2024 first appeared on Autoblog.nl.
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