It hasn’t been a good year for new car sales. Registrations of 140,945 vehicles in October resulted in the worst performance in the month since 2011, and things are not expected to improve before next year. So-called scrappage schemes are being used by manufacturers to tempt you into parting with your cash. You could save thousands off the price of a new car, as the details of the latest scrappage deals reveal.
What is a scrappage scheme?
A scrappage scheme is a way to encourage motorists to part exchange their old, polluting vehicles for new, eco-friendly models. The UK government ran an official scrappage scheme from April 2009 to to March 2010. Anyone trading their old car (10 years or older and with their name on the V5 for 12 months or more) would be given a guaranteed £2,000 towards a new model (£1,000 from the government and £1,000 from the manufacturer of the new car).
The scheme proved controversial among environmental groups and classic car enthusiasts, as it dictated all cars traded in through the scheme must be scrapped – even if they were in road-legal condition. In total, more than 390,000 vehicles were scrapped as part of the scheme.
Although the government has ruled out plans to bring back an official scrappage scheme, a number of car manufacturers have launched similar schemes as concerns around air pollution continue to rise.
Citroen – save up to £5,000
The Citroen Swappage Scheme 2020 offers a discount of up to £5,000 across the entire range of cars, from the C1 city car to the SpaceTourer large MPV. The amount you save depends on the car in question. For the maximum discount, you’ll need to trade in your old car for a Citroen Grand C4 SpaceTourer.
- Grand C4 SpaceTourer: £5,000
- C4 Cactus: £4,000
- C3, C3 Aircross, C5 Aircross, Berlingo and SpaceTourer: £3,500
- C5 Aircross: £3,000
- C1: £2,750
Qualifying vehicles must be first registered in the UK before 1 January 2014. You must have owned the car for a minimum of 90 days. Cars must be ordered and registered by 31 December 2020.
- Citroen Swappage Scheme
Dacia – save up to £750
The Dacia New for Old Scheme provides a discount of up to £750 when you swap your old vehicle for a new Duster. There’s a smaller £250 discount available on the Sandero and Sandero Stepway. The Logan MCV has been discontinued.
You must have owned your car for at least 90 days to take advantage of the offer. The new Dacia must be ordered by 15 December 2020 and registered by 31 March 2021.
- Dacia New for Old Scheme
Hyundai – save up to £5,000
Hyundai is billing its offer as a Scrappage and Emission Reduction Scheme. Your car is eligible for a discount of up to £5,000 if it was registered before 1 July 2012 and you have owned it for at least 90 days.
The company says that Euro 1-3 emission standard cars will be scrapped and removed from UK roads. Euro 4-5 cars can also be traded in.
- Tucson (hybrid diesel) and Santa Fe: £5,000
- Tucson (petrol): £4,000
- i30: £3,500
- Ioniq: £3,000
- Kona (non-electric), i30 N Line, i30N and Tucson N Line: £2,500
- Kona Play and Kona Hybrid: £2,000
- i20: £1,700
- i10: £750
Kona Iron Man and Kona Electric models are not available with the scrappage discount. Cars must be registered by 31 December 2020.
Kia – save up to £2,500
Kia is offering a scrappage discount of up to £2,500 on selected models. The new car must be registered by 31 December 2020 and originally registered on or before 31 December 2013. You must have owned the car for at least 90 days.
- Stonic, Sportage, Niro hybrid and plug-in hybrid: £2,500
- Picanto and Rio: £2,000
Lexus – save up to £4,000
If your car was registered before 1 October 2012 and you have owned it for at least six months, you’re eligible for the Lexus Scrappage Scheme. A discount of up to £4,000 is available, with the amount varying according to the model.
- ES, NX, RX and RX L: £4,000
- CT and UX: £3,500
The new Lexus must be ordered by 15 December 2020 and registered by 31 December 2020.
Mazda – save up to £4,000
Mazda is offering a scrappage incentive of up to £4,000 off a new sub-161g/km CO2 car. Your old car must have been registered on or before 31 December 2011, but the offer is open to petrol and diesel vehicles.
Part-exchanged cars will be scrapped and removed from the road by CarTakeBack. The new Mazda must be registered by 31 December 2020.
- Mazda 6 and CX-5: £4,000
- Mazda 3: £3,500
- Mazda 2, CX-30 and MX-5: £3,000
Nissan – save up to £6,000
To qualify for Nissan’s Switch Up Scheme, your old car needs to be registered before 31 December 2013. Discounts of up to £6,000 are available.
- Qashqai: £6,000
- X-Trail: £4,200
- Micra: £3,300
- Leaf: £2,000
Renault – save up to £3,000
With Renault’s New for Old Scheme, you could get a discount of between £750 and £3,000 when buying a new car. The car must be ordered by 15 December 2020 and registered by 31 March 2021.
- Kadjar and Zoe GT Line: £3,000
- Zoe (others): £2,500
- Megane plug-in hybrid, Captur plug-in hybrid and Clio hybrid: £1,250
- Captur and Megane diesel: £1,000
- Megane petrol and RS: £750
- Clio and Koleos: £500
Toyota – save up to £4,000
A discount of between £2,000 and £4,000 is available when you trade-in any car or commercial vehicle registered before 30 September 2012. You must have owned the car for at least six months. The new car must be ordered before 15 December 2020 and registered by 31 March 2021.
- Hilux and Supra: £4,000
- Proace and Proace Verso: £3,000
- Aygo, Corolla, C-HR, RAV4, Prius, Camry, GT86 and Land Cruiser: £2,000
Details correct at the time of writing. Check current lockdown restrictions before travelling to a car showroom.