VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG: We were big fans of the second-generation Touareg when it arrived in 2010 and while rivals now eclipse it, if you’re in the market for a used SUV it’s still a great place to put your money.
VOLKSWAGEN POLO: The Polo may be frustratingly conservative, but Volkswagen knows its market and buyers lap up this classy supermini because of its lack of pretentiousness. Expect more of the same with the next one.
VOLKSWAGEN CC: The Arteon will pick up the baton from the CC. And despite its age, the Passat-based CC still has plenty to offer.
VAUXHALL MERIVA: With its rear-hinged Flexdoors, the Meriva brought something new to the segment, but the rest of the package wasn’t good enough to make it a winner. Its passing won’t be mourned.
VAUXHALL INSIGNIA: Buyers are deserting this segment at a ferocious rate, yet Vauxhall has come back for more with an all-new Insignia. The old model was ultimately rather ordinary, but at the right price it still makes a cracking used buy, and they’re some brand new models still available, costing from just £16,000.
SSANGYONG REXTON: It would be impossible to argue that the Rexton had any panache, but in a world of road-biased 4x4s, if you actually wanted to go off-roading the ancient Ssangyong is pretty handy.
SKODA YETI: It would be easy to think of the Yeti as just another mid-sized crossover, but somehow it’s more than that. It dies this year, and the mid-sized Karoq is being introduced, but Skoda insists the new car isn’t a replacement for the old one...
MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS CABRIOLET: Few four-seater drop-tops are as classy as this one, or as accessible as a used buy. The E-Class Cabriolet has proved to be a major hit with buyers, so there are masses to choose from on the used market.
MAZDA CX-5: If you looked at it objectively, the original Mazda CX-5 had plenty going for it, but it lacked the sparkle that turns a merely good car into one that’s genuinely desirable.
LEXUS LS: Lexus tried to put the cat among the pigeons with its original LS, but few people noticed. The Toyota subsidiary continues to produce very impressive high-tech saloons, so it’s a shame that most buyers opt for something German instead.
JEEP PATRIOT: The Patriot died in the UK a while ago, but in the US it’s still going – just about. Not for much longer though. It – along with the original Compass – are set to be replaced by the second-generation Compass.
HONDA CR-Z: The UK said goodbye to the CR-Z as long ago as 2013, but in the US it’s continued to be available. The final cars are being delivered around now, which is a shame as this unique eco coupé was rather appealing – although something of a sales disaster.
FORD FIESTA: Sometimes it’s the smallest cars that are the most impressive; the Fiesta shows that a brilliant driving experience is available to those on the tightest of budgets.
FERRARI F12: We weren’t convinced that 731bhp could be successfully deployed in a car without four-wheel drive. But even the 770bhp tdf edition doesn’t feel overpowered for its chassis.
DODGE VIPER: For Chrysler to have built one generation of Viper would have been cause for celebration, so the fact it managed three has given petrolheads the world over something to rejoice about. But not for much longer.
CITROEN C3 PICASSO: The arrival of the C3 Picasso back in 2010 showed that Citroën had turned a corner in terms of design and quality. At last the French company had got back its mojo, and it has generally managed to hold on to it in the meantime.
BMW 5 SERIES GT: The GT’s ungainly looks have made it more niche than BMW might have hoped, but if you want space, luxury and excellent build quality, look no further. Some brand new examples are still available.
BENTLEY CONTINENTAL GT: Bentley doesn’t like to rush its model cycles; the 14 years that the Continental GT has remained in production is par for the course in Crewe. It’s still an impressive car though, if a flawed one.
AUDI A8: Audi has always thrown everything in its armoury at its most luxurious big saloon, with the outgoing car packing plenty of kit that buyers of smaller cars won’t see for years. It may be about to die, but tech-heads will still be impressed
ASTON MARTIN V8 VANTAGE: It has had a long innings and its timeline is bewildering, but if you buy the right edition the Vantage can still make sense. That’ll be the Vantage V12 S, then. We said: “In a digital world, this mega Vantage is refreshingly analogue and its raw, aggressive nature is boldly apparent, just as Aston Martin intended.”
Spare a thought for all of these cars that hundreds or even thousands of engineers toiled over for months on end to develop – none of which will live beyond 2017.
Some have gone already – but should you shed a tear? In some cases you should, and dealers will be trying to shift them too, so it’s a great time to pick up a bargain.
