There are some cars that are so common on our roads they just become part of the background. Repmobiles and superminis that sell in their millions and seem to be everywhere all the time. But even for ubiquitous models like the Ford Mondeo, it turns out that the clock is ticking and they will one day vanish. To see how long some of the UK’s most popular cars have left, insurer Adrian Flux looked at the numbers of licensed vehicles for each quarter from the beginning of 2010 and use this to work out how quickly they are disappearing from our roads. Based on that it created a projection as far ahead as 2029 to see when these best-sellers will vanish for good.
9. Vauxhall Vectra
Extinct by: Q3 2022. The Mondeo's ever-present rival doesn't look to have the same staying power. In 2010 there were 180,000 fewer Vectras than Mondeos and, with a similar rate of decline as the Ford, the Vauxhall's time will be up sooner Photo: Vauxhall
10. Renault Scenic
Extinct by: Q2 2023. The Scenic was one of the first compact MPVs to find popularity up in the 2000s. Despite its modular interior providing a smart solution for families it fell out of favour with the arrival of SUVs and is now on a downward slope Photo: Renault
11. Citroen Xsara Picasso
Extinct by: Q4 2022. Like the Scenic, the Xsara Picasso was a flexible family mover that sold well in the mid-2000s. Now almost every example you see is falling to bits and belching smoke, meaning its impending demise is to be welcomed Photo: Citroen
12. Saab 9-3
Extinct by: Q1 2027. The 9-3 was a leftfield alternative to the German premium models and Saab has a dedicated following in the UK. Those folks might save a few 9-3s from the scrap heap but Flux's estimates reckon they'll all be gone by 2027 Photo: Saab