Discontinued cars and vans that you can still lease

With new petrol and diesel cars sales banned from 2030 and manufacturers needing to meet ever more stringent emissions regulations, an increasing number of cars and vans are being discontinued.

Though the cars and vans below have found themselves on the chopping block, the fact is they’re still great vehicles with plenty to offer motorists. Even better, they are available new and used through Hippo Leasing:

Mercedes-Benz X-Class

Mercedes first foray into the world of pick-up trucks set tongues wagging and excitement to a fever pitch when it was first revealed at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show.

The first commercial vehicle ever to be marketed as an executive pick-up, it combined the hallmark strengths of a utility vehicle – tough, functional, strong, and with off-road capability – with the characteristics which make Mercedes so desirable – design, comfort, driving dynamics, and safety.

Only available for a short time and discontinued in 2020 due to the deadly mix of poor sales and Daimler needing to trim their range, the X-Class was mechanically based on the equally capable Nissan Navara (more on that below) but differentiated itself by offering more premium materials throughout the cabin as well as plenty of soundproofing to provide one of the quietest cabins in the segment.

BMW i8

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Originally released in 2014 and refreshed in 2019, the BMW i8 is the epitome of an eye-catching car: with its subtly-futuristic looks, scissor-doors, and 0-62 of 4.4secs, it’s the kind of car where you’ll have to learn to be the centre of attention when you lease it.

With a 1.5-litre petrol engine paired to a 143bhp electric motor, the i8 offers a combined 374bhp and an amazing 149.8 mpg. All of this is achieved in part due to the lightweight aluminium carbon fibre structure of the hybrid supercar.  

Unfortunately BMW decided that, with the rapid rollout of pure electric cars across their range such as the i3, i4 and iX, the i8 had had its time in the sun and it was discontinued in 2020.

Suzuki Jimny

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Possibly the most buzz-worthy car on this list, the Suzuki Jimny had one of the shortest and strangest lifespans ever seen: launched in 2018 to great applause, Suzuki could not keep up with demand and at one point the waiting list for the mini 4×4 was up to 18 months… only for the model to be withdrawn altogether from the UK market in 2020 due to Suzuki’s inability to comply with the EU’s stringent CO2 emissions cap.

With its rugged and boxy styling bringing to mind a shrunken Mercedes G Wagon, the mini off-roader was capable of taking on some of the most challenging terrain thanks to its three-link rigid axle suspension and 4WD system with hill descent control.

Here today, gone tomorrow, the Jimny has now become one of the most sought-after used cars on the market selling for more than its initial list price.

Jaguar XJ

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Few cars can boast to have been a part of the royal family fleet and protected the Prime Minister but until recently the Jaguar XJ did both. While the luxury saloon obviously has friends in high places that didn’t stop Jaguar from ceasing production in 2019 due to poor sales.

While the XJ is one of Jaguar’s oldest and most prestigious nameplates, the saloon found itself out of favour to the likes of the F-Pace and XE. While it was initially promised the car would be back in an all-electric guise, this idea was scrapped at the beginning of 2021 with the manufacturer stating the XJ did not fit in with their vision to transform into a pure-electric luxury brand by 2025.

Classy and powerful, now’s your last chance to lease this iconic car.

Seat Alhambra

It might not be the most stylish vehicle on the list, or the best performer, but it is the most practical with the Seat Alhambra being one of the best seven-seater MPVs on the market. 

Having been in production for 24 years across two generations and two platforms, buying trends for large families have slowly shifted to crossovers and SUVs so Seat decided the time was up for their seven-seater. 

With a five-star safety rating from Euro NCAP to add to the practicality of its sliding passenger doors and colossal 2,297 litres of luggage space, the Alhambra remains the right vehicle for the right family.

Cars and vans due to be discontinued in 2022…

While the above vehicles have ceased their time on the production line, more changes to the new car landscape are underway with the likes of the Ford Mondeo and Nissan Navara the biggest cars and vans due to be discontinued in 2022. On top of that, with Mitsubishi withdrawing from the UK car market imminently, a whole selection of cars and pick-up trucks will soon disappear. Get them while you can!