Every year we see new car launches and new generations of models being released by manufacturers across the board. At the same time, many cars are discontinued for reasons of low sales, emission norms, lack of safety features and costs regarding their upgrade. Many vehicle manufacturers have cars discontinued in India 2022 because of a change of strategy, to make way for a different breed of models and to offer a contemporary choice for the buyer.
2023 has paved the way for modern automobiles as older models reach the end of their life cycle. Discontinued cars in India often feature outdated equipment and were sometimes just not worth upgrading to BS6 emission standards that have been enforced by the government.
Some of the notable discontinued cars in India 2022 are the Volkswagen Polo, Renault Duster, and Hyundai Grand i10 Nios Diesel. These were really good cars, but unfortunately, it’s time to say goodbye to them in the new year 2023.
Cars we will miss in 2023
New emission norms and poor sales figures spell bad news for some models in 2023. Manufacturers have no choice but to take these models off the shelf rather than invest further in their development.
Lets’ take a closer look at discontinued car models list for 2023.
Volkswagen Polo
The true hot hatch loved by countless automotive enthusiasts around the country will not see the Polo in 2023, after being in production for 12 years. The Polo was a regular feature on circuit racing tracks, rallying and has been customised by top tuners in an attempt to extract every bit of performance from it. Although VW has sold over 2.5 million Polos over the years, the car is now showing its age and sales have been falling off late. Volkswagen also needs to focus on its newer models and streamline its production process to accommodate its next generation of cars. The Polo has been receiving updates throughout its lifetime but it’s time to look ahead and see what Volkswagen has to offer us in the new year.
Renault Duster
This is the car that kicked off the compact SUV craze in India, back in 2012. The Duster sold in large numbers during its initial days as buyers trusted the French brand for its solid build quality, durability and rugged characteristics that were well-suited for Indian roads. The Popular Duster got a 1.6-litre petrol engine and a 1.5-litre diesel unit when launched, but Renault discontinued the Diesel engine in later years, offering 1.3-litre turbo petrol as well. This compact SUV benefited from an all-wheel drive system for light off-roading, providing a real SUV feel. However, the Duster was not updated during its life cycle which meant it was quite outdated after a decade. Rivals like the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos and Maruti Suzuki Brezza spelt an end to the Duster’s good run.
Maruti Suzuki S Cross
The S Cross was the model responsible for the Nexa dealerships offering premium Maruti Suzuki models to buyers looking for something special from the best-loved car manufacturer in the country. This midsize SUV was a popular alternative to the Renault Duster, Hyundai Creta and other compact SUVs in India. When it was launched in 2015, Maruti equipped it with two Fiat Diesel engine options in addition to a 1.5-litre petrol unit. New emission norms in 2020 forced Maruti to discontinue its diesel engine completely, and subsequently, the S Cross was only offered with a petrol powerplant. Still, the crossover SUV sold in large numbers, having racked up a total of 1.6 lakh units sold since its initial launch. New models like the Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara caused the S Cross to be discontinued in India. However, the S Cross will continue to be offered in global markets with a new generation launch.
Datsun Go & Redigo
The Datsun brand has pulled out of the Indian market and Nissan has announced that it will discontinue the brand globally due to a change of strategy. With it, we will see the Go, Go+ and Redigo taken out of showrooms for the new year 2023. Datsun has been seeing poor sales for its budget-oriented cars despite them being the cheapest hatchbacks available in the country. Brands like Renault and Maruti have been taking the lion’s share of sales in this segment with the Renault Kwid, Triber and the Maruti Suzuki Alto which have a loyal brand following. Datsun managed a meagre 4,200 units of sale in 2021 while Renault sold over 30,000 units of the popular Kwid entry-level hatchback.
Hyundai Grand i10 Nios & Aura
The diesel version of the Grand i10 Nios and Aura will be discontinued by Hyundai citing declining sales. This is surprising because the two Hyundai’s had excellent fuel efficiency (25 kmpl) and smooth engines. However, the recent price increases of diesel bringing them almost on par with petrol and stricter emission norms mean that Hyundai is not willing to spend on re-engineering these cars. Car buyer preference is also tending towards petrol as a cleaner fuel source and Hyundai will go back to the drawing board to rethink its strategy. The Indian government has introduced RDE (Real Driving Emission) regulation, for which all diesel cars will have to be fitted with new catalytic converters and special exhaust systems to reduce Nitrogen Oxide pollution. Small cars will incur an additional cost to accommodate all this extra equipment, which may be one of the reasons why Hyundai decided to discontinue production of these entry-level diesel hatchbacks and sedans.
Hyundai Santro
The Santro name arrived in India in 1998 to a roaring success against the Maruti’s of the day. When it was relaunched 20 years later, buyers didn’t take to the Santro as expected because of its high price. There were other Hyundai stablemates that cost less, yet were positioned a level above the Santro, like the Grand i10. The Hyundai Santro also missed out on some important safety features such as 6 airbags, while stricter pollution norms discouraged Hyundai from upgrading the Santro for the coming years. It would make more sense for Hyundai to focus on newer models and align its strategy as a manufacturer that offers the most modern technology on its vehicles.
Toyota Urban Cruiser
The Urban Cruiser is essentially a rebadged version of the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza with a few cosmetic changes. Toyota has decided to pull the plug on this model after only 2 short years on the market. They say that upgrading the car for a new generation comes with added costs which will offset the advantage they achieve by sharing models with Maruti. Sales were not too promising either, with only around 2000 cars sold per month. Toyota will focus on its other Maruti twins such as the bigger Urban Cruiser Hyryder which shares underpinnings with the Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara.
Mahindra Alturas G4
Mahindra has delisted the Alturas G4 SUV from its vehicle lineup, most likely because of poor sales figures. The big SUV had not received significant updates while on sale because Mahindra didn’t see the need to upgrade a car that has little appeal in the market. The Alturas G4 came in 2-wheel drive and 4-wheel drive options as a CKD (completely knocked down kit) from Ssang Yong Motors in South Korea. Mahindra has now sold the Ssang Yong brand which could be another reason why they have decided to stop sales of the Alturas. Being a diesel SUV, new emission norms would render the engine unfit for the coming years as well.
Hyundai Elantra
The Elantra was Hyundai’s biggest sedan offering which received a facelift back in 2019. Since then, Hyundai has not upgraded the car and sales have been lukewarm, to say the least. The Elantra was taken off the model lineup without announcement and Hyundai has not stated any plans to bring a newer generation of the executive sedan. They say that the new Verna will fill in this slot between a mid-size and full-size executive sedan category for potential buyers.
Toyota Innova Crysta Petrol
With the launch of the new Toyota Hycross which only comes in petrol trim, the Innova Crysta petrol will be taken off the market to avoid clashing with their new model. The Toyota Innova Crysta Diesel will continue to be offered as it has strong sales and still demands good value in the MPV segment. Toyota seems to be cutting all unnecessary expenditures and focusing on its high-selling models for now, which is the strategy used by almost all car manufacturers in India now.
Conclusion
It is not just diesel engines that are facing the brunt of stricter emission policies in the country. Even petrol engines will require significant upgrades if they want to conform to the rules and regulations of the Road Transport Authorities. Cars that are likely to be discontinued in 2022 are the Honda Jazz, Honda City (4th generation), Nissan Kicks, Skoda Superb and Octavia.
RDE norms will also put an end to models like the Mahindra KUV100 NXT, Honda WR-V and Mahindra Marazzo. These cars were selling in low numbers and were at the end of their viable life in the market.
Smaller cars such as the Maruti Suzuki Alto 800 and Renault Kwid are also slated to face the axe as manufacturers integrate these models with their 1-litre counterparts.
Be sure to check out other such informative blogs on Carorbis. Have a look at How to increase horsepower in your car and Tata Motors connected car technology
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Which Are the Flop Cars in India?
Ans. There are a number of cars that have not done well in the Indian market due to being too expensive or not appealing enough. Some of these flop cars are the Opel Vectra, Ford Fusion, Chevrolet SR-V, Mahindra Nuvosport, Tata Bolt, Mitsubishi Cedia, Nissan Evalia, Renault Captur and Datsun Go+. Other notable examples of failed cars in India include the Ford Mondeo, Maruti Zen Classic and Subaru/Chevrolet Forester.
Q2. What Will Happen if a Car is Discontinued?
Ans. Discontinued cars in India come with certain problems for the owner. The car may have been discontinued because it doesn’t conform to emission norms which means it causes pollution and may fail an inspection. Safety features like airbags and ABS may not be available on the vehicle which would compromise the protection and well-being of passengers. Serving and repairing could turn into a hassle and you will not get a good resale value on the car.
Q3. What Are the Disadvantages of Buying a Discontinued Car?
Ans. The biggest advantage of buying a discontinued car is the discounts offered by dealerships to encourage sales of these cars. The car showroom needs to make a place for newer cars, so they will try to get rid of discontinued cars as fast as possible. If the car being discontinued has a good fan following, like the Maruti 800, it may become a desirable car in the near future. Insurance costs are also usually less for older-generation cars.
Q4. Are Discontinued Cars Cheaper?
Ans. Recently discontinued cars may still be in stock at dealerships and will sell for less than their new-generation counterparts because showrooms would like to make more inventory space for newer cars. Even on the second-hand market, a discontinued car will see for less than a current car because buyers will be apprehensive about spares, servicing and whether the car can be registered in the future.
Q5. What Are the Discontinued Cars in India 2022?
Ans. The list of discontinued SUVs in India includes the Mahindra Alturas G4, Honda WR-V, Nissan Kicks, Mahindra Marazzo, Toyota Innova Crysta Petrol, Renault Duster, Maruti Suzuki S Cross and Toyota Urban Cruiser (rebadged version of the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza). In the car segment, we say goodbye to the Datsun Go, Go+ and Redigo, Hyundai Santro, Grand i10 Nios & Aura Diesel, Hyundai Elantra, Volkswagen Polo, Honda City Diesel, Skoda Octavia and Superb and Tata Altroz Diesel.
