30 cars set to become extinct in the next decade

Ready to disappear

The Vauxhall Frontera has made a comeback after nearly two decades in the wilderness. But the original version is heading rapidly towards extinction.

Insurance specialist Adrian Flux has crunched the numbers and compiled a list of 30 cars that could soon vanish from British roads.

Based on analysis of numbers registered with the DVLA, and their decline in recent years, Adrian Flux has even predicted a potential date for each car’s disappearance.

Here, we have listed the top 30 cars that could soon be a forgotten sight in the UK, starting with those that have the longest expected lifespan…

2005 Chrysler 300C – Q1 2034

The first car on the list has almost a full decade before its predicted extinction date. However, the reasons for the Chrysler 300C’s expected demise aren’t hard to understand.

The overwhelming majority of these all-American saloons sold in the UK came with diesel power, with only a handful powered by the thumping Hemi V8.

During the past four years, the number of 300C models registered in the UK has decreased by more than 1,500 cars. Chrysler exiting the British market, combined with diesel fuel’s nosedive in popularity, are both likely factors behind this decline.

1983 Austin Maestro – Q4 2033

By the end of 2033, Adrian Flux believes the final example of the Austin Maestro will have finally left for the scrapheap in the sky.

The data distinguishes the Austin-badged Maestro from the later Rover version, which actually appears later on this list.

There are only 31 fewer Austin Maestros on the roads compared to four years ago, but with total numbers barely into three figures, this represents a notable drop.

2005 Mercedes-Benz ML-Class – Q4 2033

Set to disappear at the same time as the Austin Maestro is the second-generation of the Mercedes-Benz ML-Class. Launched in 2005 during the final throes of the failed DaimlerChrysler experiment, this follow-up to the first Mercedes-Benz SUV isn’t highly prized.

Indeed, almost 12,000 examples have disappeared from the DVLA database in the last four years. Like many of the newer cars on this list, an overdependence in diesel power won’t have helped the cause of the ML-Class.

1990 Rover Montego – Q3 2033

Although Adrian Flux believes the Rover version of the Montego will be gone by 2033, the numbers suggest it could vanish far sooner than that.

Based on the latest figures, fewer than 50 examples of the Montego are licensed for use on UK roads. An additional 500 cars are parked up with a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN).

This is a world away from the 88,000 Montegos registered by the time production of the affordable family car ended in 1995.

1988 Vauxhall Cavalier – Q2 2032

It seems hard to believe the Vauxhall Cavalier was once one of the most popular cars in the UK, with some 1.8 million sold across two decades. When production ceased in 1995, and the Cavalier was replaced by the Vauxhall Vectra, 1.2 million examples were still registered.

Today, the famous repmobile has declined by a staggering 99.9 percent, with just 1,200 examples left on British roads.

The Mk3 Cavalier, launched in 1988, accounts for the majority of the cars still remaining. But even this has dropped by 486 cars during the last four years.

1993 Jeep Cherokee – Q4 2031

The XJ-generation Jeep Cherokee was the first version to be officially sold in the UK, following personal imports of left-hand-drive examples.

Wearing the famous Jeep badge, and offering genuine off-road ability, the Cherokee proved to be a relatively popular SUV throughout the 1990s.

Time for the Cherokee is running out, however, with more than 6,500 examples making their exit in the last 48 months.

1990 Rover Metro – Q3 2031

Ten years after its introduction as an Austin in 1980, the Metro evolved into a Rover-badged model in 1990. Despite appearing relatively similar on the outside, suspension updates and new K-series engines made it competitive with other superminis.

Although the Metro never topped the sales charts, it managed to achieve some success before being rebadged as the Rover 100 from 1995 onwards.

Close to 300,000 Metros were on the road at that point, a figure that has tumbled to just 471 today. This British institution could be gone completely before the end of 2031.

2003 Subaru Legacy – Q2 2031

The Subaru Legacy was a niche choice throughout its time on sale in the UK. It appealed primarily to those who needed its asymmetrical all-wheel-drive system to cope with bad weather or driving off-road.

The launch of the fourth-generation Legacy in 2003 coincided with the height of its popularity in the UK. Sadly, it has been downhill ever since, especially as the growing trend for SUVs has made traditional estate cars like the Legacy less popular.

With 2,500 examples vanishing in the last four years, this seems unlikely to be a lasting Legacy.

1998 Suzuki Grand Vitara – Q2 2031

For much of the 1990s, the Suzuki Vitara was the lifestyle SUV to have, with ‘Fatboy’ body kits and convertible models giving it something of a cult following.

With the launch of the Grand Vitara in 1998, Suzuki aimed to reposition it as a serious off-roader. However, continuing with a frivolous soft-top did little to help the car’s credibility.  Compared to a rival such the Land Rover Freelander, the Grand Vitara was never going to generate the same level of interest.

Numbers are falling fast (by more than 11,000 cars in the last four years), so the Grand Vitara is heading for potential extinction by the middle of 2031.

1993 Fiat Cinquecento – Q2 2030

Even starring in The Inbetweeners sitcom hasn’t been enough to prevent the decline of the Fiat Cinquecento.

Existing as the go-to first car option for an entire generation of young drivers, the diminutive Fiat was on sale until 1998. This saw it hit a peak of 48,000 examples on UK roads.

The scrappage scheme in the late 2000s coincided with a major drop in the number of remaining Cinquecentos. A further 169 have disappeared during the last four years, leaving just 265 still being driven, plus 1,200 placed on SORN.

1990 Rover Maestro – Q2 2029

We have now reached the cars that Adrian Flux believes could disappear before the end of the 2020s, meaning time really is really running out for these models.

The Austin-badged version of the Maestro appeared earlier on this list, but the later Rover variant faces extinction several years sooner.

Soldiering on into the 1990s, the Maestro was offered as a budget model in the Rover range. More than 80,000 were still around when production ceased, but barely more than 100 can still be spotted on the roads today.

1999 Volkswagen Lupo – Q1 2029

The Volkswagen Lupo proved that Germans could have fun, delivering an entertaining and high-quality city car on the same platform as the Seat Arosa.

Despite this, time seems to be running out for the Lupo, with 4,431 examples leaving our roads in the past four years. Just over 5,600 now remain registered with the DVLA.

The desirable Lupo GTI, which evoked memories of the original Golf GTI but never sold in big numbers, is even harder to find. Japanese imports have brought new cars into the country, but only 800 Lupo GTIs exist here.

2000 Suzuki Wagon R – Q1 2029

The Suzuki Wagon R+ was something of an oddity when launched, and it remains so today. Practical and economical, its Japanese ‘kei car’ origins resulted in tiny dimensions and unusual styling

Despite receiving a lukewarm reception, at its peak there were almost 35,000 examples of the Wagon R+ registered in the UK. This has now shrunk to just under 7,600, with the tiny Suzuki on a decidedly downward trajectory.

It could leave a (rather small) hole in the UK’s automotive landscape within just four years.

2005 Chevrolet Matiz – Q3 2028

Is anyone likely to pine for the Chevrolet Matiz after it vanishes? We suspect not, as the budget-conscious Matiz was a purchase decision made very much with the head, not the heart.

Low running costs and economical engines were a major part of the car’s appeal, as was a generous level of standard equipment.

Almost 20,000 have dropped off the roads since 2014, leaving around 9,600 remaining. At this rate, the Matiz will have vanished for good by 2028.

1999 Jaguar S-Type – Q2 2028

Jaguar is currently undergoing a dramatic rebrand, with a new logo and starkly modernist styling, but the late 1990s saw the British marque pursue a retro-inspired vision of the future. Revealed at the 1998 British Motor Show, the Jaguar S-Type was intended to take on the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class.

Despite initial enthusiasm, the S-Type has now become a largely forgotten saloon car. Even the tyre-shredding supercharged S-Type R isn’t regarded as highly as the contemporary BMW M5.

Seeing the S-Type truly vanish by 2028 seems hard to imagine, but the numbers remaining mean it could happen.

1999 Lexus IS200 – Q2 2028

Perhaps one of the lessons to be learned from this list is: don’t try to take on the mighty German manufacturers in the executive saloon market.

The IS200 was an unashamed pastiche of the BMW 3 Series, even down to its choice of straight-six engines and rear-wheel drive layout. Perhaps the less said about the ‘Lexus-style’ tail lights, the better…

Around 5,000 examples of the IS200 have vanished during the last four years, leaving only 6,000 left registered for road use.

2003 Lexus RX300 – Q2 2028

The second-generation Lexus RX300 aimed to atone for the rather forgettable first attempt by the Japanese brand at a premium SUV. With exquisite build quality, and a luxurious, tech-laden cabin, the RX300 held plenty of appeal.

Being relatively expensive meant the Lexus RX300 was never destined to be a big seller. Fuel economy from the large naturally aspirated engine pushed running costs to the higher end of the scale, too.

Today, the UK has just 3,300 RX300s remaining, and the number of examples vanishing could see it disappear for good in 2028.

2005 Peugeot 1007 – Q4 2027

You have to admire Peugeot for having the guts to put the 1007 into production, despite the concept version being almost universally panned. Even the talents of Pininfarina were not enough to make grafting a pair of electric sliding doors onto a dumpy supermini look appealing.

Unsurprisingly, sales never hit the stratosphere to begin with, reaching a height of just under 7,500.

Some 2,000 have disappeared in the previous four years, leaving only 1,900 still being driven. Other than as an example of oddball curiosity, we cannot imagine many people looking to save a 1007.

2001 Jaguar X-Type – Q3 2027

The Jaguar X-Type was good enough for the late HM Queen Elizabeth II, and was once the potential saviour of the British marque. Aimed directly at the BMW 3 Series, Jaguar had high hopes for the X-Type, but it could never come close to sales predictions.

Retro-inspired styling made the X-Type divisive with younger audiences. A front-wheel-drive platform shared with the Ford Mondeo also upset purists, even if it made for a fine-driving car.

Values today are very cheap, and more than 25,000 have vanished from our streets since 2020 – leaving around 23,000 remaining.

1999 Rover 75 – Q2 2027

The late 1990s and early 2000s were seemingly ripe for retro-styled Brits. One prime example was the Rover 75, revealed alongside the Jaguar S-Type at the 1998 British Motor Show.

Created during BMW’s troubled ownership of the Rover brand, the 75 had an original sales expectation of 140,000 cars each year. Later revised to 100,000, annual production never exceeded 54,000 cars.

According to Adrian Flux, the 75 could be extinct in just over two years, acting as a footnote in the Rover brand’s long history.

1989 Rover 200 Series – Q2 2027

The second-generation Rover 200 helped establish the British brand in the modern era. Acting as a hatchback-only replacement for the Maestro, its Honda-supplied platform was clothed with a body by Roy Axe.

A third generation continued the Rover’s popularity, which saw a peak of almost 711,000 in the UK by the turn of the millennium. Questionable reliability from the K-series engine, and a decidedly dated image, have not helped the 200 win many fans since.

Although there are a substantial 8,500 cars currently SORN’d, just 1,700 others are being driven. As a result, they could soon vanish from our roads.

1991 Peugeot 106 – Q4 2026

Forever in the shadow of the epochal Peugeot 205, the 106 had a lot to live up to when launched in 1991. Performance models such as the Rallye and GTI helped secure it an enthusiast following, but the regular models still proved to be fun to drive.

Peugeot’s error was leaving the 106 in production for too long, when newer superminis from Ford and Volkswagen began to make it look decidedly old hat.

Fewer than 5,000 are currently being driven, an incredible decline from a peak of almost 350,000 cars in the early 2000s.

2000 Chrysler PT Cruiser – Q4 2026

A homage to classic Chryslers from the 1930s and 1940s, the retro-styled PT Cruiser was decidedly ordinary beneath its flamboyant bodywork. It had a plasticky interior, along with sensible four-cylinder petrol engines instead of a growling V8.

The PT Cruiser was crowned North American Car of the Year in 2001, but European buyers were lukewarm towards the quirky Chrysler.

Fewer than 2,500 PT Cruisers can now be found on UK roads. Other than holding appeal for collectors of Americana, a departure date by the end of 2026 seems almost inevitable.

1998 Mitsubishi Challenger – Q3 2026

Hands up if you remember the Mitsubishi Challenger even existed. Launched as a more affordable version of the Shogun Sport 4×4, the Challenger was on sale for only a handful of years.

Using a traditional ladder frame chassis, the Challenger was capable on rough terrain, but decidedly less refined on the road. And despite its relatively large dimensions on the outside, interior space was limited.

Never finding popular appeal when new, there are now only 90 examples remaining. Mitsubishi’s exit from the UK will surely have hastened the Challenger’s demise.

1990 Rover 400 Series – Q3 2026

A variant of the Rover 200, the 400 earned a following from those who preferred a traditional four-door saloon.

Like the Rover 200, the 400’s popularity peaked just before the year 2000, and it has been in perpetual decline ever since.

There are fewer than 700 cars on the road today, with the clock ticking on the Rover 400 going the way of the dinosaurs.

1998 Fiat Multipla – Q2 2026

It’s hard to believe the Fiat Multipla ever made it into production in the first place, yet alone remaining on sale for 12 years. But while it pushed the boundaries of design, the Multipla did boast a clever three-abreast seating setup.

The interior design was just as wacky, but it provided plenty of adjustment to deliver a very versatile MPV experience.

Even after a restyle in 2004, intended to make the Multipla more popular, sales remained low. With over 1,000 leaving the streets during the past four years, the Fiat’s end is surely nigh.

1996 Citroen Saxo – Q2 2026

A relative of the Peugeot 106, the Citroen Saxo became an automotive icon of the late 1990s. Thanks to low prices and other ownership incentives, such as free insurance, the Saxo was a top choice for young drivers.

Many examples, especially of the performance VTR and VTS versions, ended up in the Max Power world of modifications. Others may have gone backwards into hedges, thanks to the Saxo’s lively handling.

While once there were almost 230,000 examples in the UK, today around 3,300 are still being driven. Other than for reasons of nostalgia, there seems to be little chance of the Saxo being a survivor.

1993 Nissan Terrano II – Q1 2026

Developed in collaboration with Ford and produced in Spain, the Nissan Terrano II was intended to capture sales in the burgeoning family SUV market of the 1990s.

Available with a choice of three- or five-door body styles, the four-wheel drive Terrano II continued on sale all the way until 2006. This saw it out-sell and out-live its Ford Maverick counterpart.

Compared to newer SUVs, the Terrano II has fallen rapidly from favour, but stronger initial sales might see it outlast the Ford. Just.

1993 Ford Maverick – Q4 2025

While the Nissan Terrano II should make it until the start of 2026, the Ford Maverick could potentially depart this world just 12 months from now.

The Maverick represented the first 4×4 SUV to be sold in Europe wearing a Ford badge, although the Nissan partnership meant it had little of the usual Blue Oval magic sprinkled upon it.

Unlike the Terrano II, which is still in four figures for numbers registered on the road, the Maverick is down to 341 examples. Act now if you want to save a 1990s Ford SUV from automotive annihilation.

1991 Vauxhall Frontera – Q4 2025

Initially launched as the Isuzu MU, this four-wheel-drive SUV soon became a global model, sold under banners ranging from Honda to Chevrolet. However, it was as the Vauxhall Frontera that it entered the UK market in 1991.

Released to coincide with the growing lifestyle SUV sector, the Frontera offered a choice of three- and five-door designs. Continually developed throughout the 1990s, the rugged Vauxhall remained on sale until 2004.

Just as an all-new Frontera returns, the original version is heading for extinction by the end of 2025. Less than 700 are still registered.

Perhaps the UK is only big enough for one type of Vauxhall Frontera to exist?