At least 10 car models in South Africa will no longer be available by the end of 2024.
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According to TopAuto, the country has introduced several new vehicles this year, with more to come. A number of models have already been removed from showrooms, with more scheduled to disappear in the coming months.
Earlier this June, it was confirmed that the Nissan Qashqai, after 17 years on the market, is being discontinued, likely due to low sales.
Similarly, the Mazda BT-50 was discontinued as it failed to thrive in South Africa’s competitive bakkie segment, dominated by Toyota, Ford and Isuzu.
The BT-50 wasn’t the only double-cab struggling to find a customer base. VW has dropped the entry-level 110kW powertrain for the Amarok, leading to a significant increase in the vehicle’s base price.
An exception to this trend is the Nissan NP200 compact bakkie, which is being retired despite its popularity with South African buyers due to its ageing design.
Another significant departure is the Suzuki Vitara, pulled because its SUV line-up is now covered by newer models like the Fronx and Grand Vitara.
Other models cancelled in South Africa this year include the Honda WR-V, replaced by the new Elevate, and the Kia Rio, which is no longer produced for right-hand-drive markets.
Additionally, the Citroen C3 has been quietly removed from showrooms due to a major overhaul of the carmaker’s line-up.
Stellantis, Citroen’s parent company, is repositioning the brand as an entry-level option in South Africa, aiming to price all its cars under R400 000.
As a result, the existing catalogue is being replaced with more affordable units, though Citroen is retaining the same names for these models for simplicity.
Thus, the old C3 hatchback has been replaced by a R200 000 crossover with the same badge. A similar strategy is planned for the C3 Aircross and C5 Aircross.
The new C3 Aircross is expected to arrive before the end of this year, meaning the existing model (priced at R438 500) will inevitably be replaced.
Finally, the Mitsubishi ASX might be discontinued this year to make way for the new Xforce, though this is still unconfirmed.
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Picture: Sjoerd van der Wal / Gallo Images