The oldest ‘new’ cars still on sale in Australia
Did you know Toyota’s LandCruiser went on sale the same year as the Chicken McNugget in Australia? Here are the 12 oldest ‘new’ cars still on sale at local dealerships.
Just because a car has just rolled out off the factory floor doesn’t necessarily mean it’s ‘new.’
Carmakers generally replace their models with a ground-up successor every six to eight years – or up to 10 years, in the case of commercial vehicles – however some slip through the cracks and stick around around far longer than that.
Here are the cars still available in Australia after 10 or more
years on sale.Tesla Model S – 2012*
The newest of the old ‘new’ cars on this list, the Tesla Model S went into mass production in 2012.
Over its 10-year lifecycle the four-door
electric sedan has received its fair share of criticism. However, it is also widely cited as the vehicle that kickstarted the mainstream shift to electric cars, and proved the technology could be stylish, quick, convenient, and aspirational. While examples didn’t arrive in Australian showrooms until 2015 and various updates – including two facelifts, one in 2016 and another in 2021 – have been introduced since its launch, Tesla’s basic design and platform have not been altered.In Australia, Tesla has shifted its primary focus to the higher-volume Model 3 sedan, however the standard Model S and performance-centric ‘Plaid’ variant can still be ordered online with a $350 deposit (albeit, without an estimated arrival date and no guarantee of delivery).
MG 3 – 2011 (with a catch)
While it didn’t arrive in Australian showrooms until 2016, the MG 3 is an 11-year-old car – having hit roads in its home country of China all the way back in 2011.
The budget hatchback is built to a cost, and throughout much of its lifecycle was close to – if not the – cheapest car on sale.
Despite adopting two substantial aesthetic facelifts in 2013 and 2018, the MG 3 has had minimal mechanical updates since launch more than a decade ago – though an automatic transmission was added in 2018.
The model currently starts from $18,490 drive-away in Australia – following a price hike earlier this year – and there are no known plans for it to be pulled from local showrooms in the immediate future.
Mitsubishi ASX – 2011
The Mitsubishi ASX small SUV was revealed for the Japanese market in 2010, and went on sale in Australia the following year.
Prolific within the the rental industry, Mitsubishi’s small SUV is one of the best-selling vehicles in its class locally; in 2021 it was outsold only by the MG ZS.
The model gained facelifts in 2013, 2016 and 2019, but is unchanged below the surface.
Currently priced from $24,490 before on-road costs in Australia, the vehicle is not expected to be replaced by a new model earlier than 2023.
Jeep Grand Cherokee – 2011
The current-generation Jeep Grand Cherokee broke cover at the 2009 New York motor show, and went into mass production just under two years later.
Pitched as an
adventure-ready and family-orientated large SUV, the US-built five-seater features four-wheel drive and low-range gearing in flagship guise. Over its 11 year lifecycle the vehicle has been the Ohio-based brand’s best selling model.A facelift was rolled out globally in 2014, however
under the skin the Grand Cherokee has not been updated. An all-new model is set to replace the current-generation vehicle later this year, however Drive understands some stock of the existing model remains in the national dealer network. Local pricing starts from $60,450 before on-road costs.Nissan Patrol – 2010
The Nissan Patrol broke cover in 2010 at a launch event in Abu Dhabi – where large luxury off-roaders are all the rage. Australian deliveries commenced in 2012.
The chassis-based SUV was pitched as a direct competitor to the by-then-established Toyota LandCruiser 200 Series. A 5.6-litre V8 petrol engine comes standard, as does a leather-trimmed interior and 3500kg braked towing capacity.
Despite two global facelifts (2014 and 2019) and various tech updates, the Nissan Patrol has remained the same vehicle under the metal for the past 12 years.
The SUV is currently priced from $82,160 before on-road costs in Australia. A replacement is reportedly in development, and recent reports suggest it could launch as soon next year with a turbo-petrol V6 engine.
Volkswagen Amarok – 2010
The Volkswagen Amarok pick-up was revealed back in 2010 as the German carmakers first mainstream foray into the pick-up segment.
Pitched as an upmarket and more road-orientated alternative to utes from Toyota and Ford, the chassis-based dual-cab is available with a 3.0-litre V6 diesel and full-time four-wheel drive.
Volkswagen introduced a facelift in 2017, however has not introduced substantial upgrades to its flagship commercial vehicle’s underpinnings since its launch 12 years ago.
Currently priced from $45,890 before on-road costs in Australia, the model will be succeeded next year by an all-new
Amarok underpinned by a platform shared with the 2022 Ford Ranger.Toyota LandCruiser Prado – 2009
The latest-generation Toyota LandCruiser Prado launched in 2009 as the smaller sibling to the full-fat LandCruiser 200 Series.
Fitted with a 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel engine and low-range transfer case, the vehicle is currently the most popular model in the large SUV segment by a significant margin, according to VFACTS data (21,299 examples reported as sold in 2021).
The Toyota Prado received facelifts in 2011 and 2017, however has not migrated to new underpinnings since its launch. A five-star ANCAP rating from 2011 continues to be advertised, however will expire at the end of this year.
The SUV is currently priced from $60,830 before on-road costs in Australia, however an all-new replacement – possibly featuring V6 power – is expected to debut within the next two years.
Fiat 500 – 2008
The Fiat 500 hatchback was revealed in 2007 at the height of the
retro-automotive craze, to take on the Volkswagen ‘New’ Beetle and first-generation Mini Hatch – however, unlike those competitors, it remains on sale to this day.Featuring a modest 1.2-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, the 14-year-old ‘micro car’ has been kept alive due to its continued popularity – for most of its 14-year lifecycle it has been Fiat’s best-selling model by a significant margin.
The 500 gained a mid-life facelift in
2016, and new variants – including an electric ‘500e’ overseas – have been rolled out since launch. However, the underlying platform has not been updated.The Fiat 500 currently starts from $19,550 before on-road costs in Australia, with Abarth models priced higher.
It’s expected to be discontinued within the next few years, as Fiat and its Abarth performance spin-off make the switch to electric power. A second-generation electric Fiat 500 is already on sale in Europe.
Mahindra Pik-Up – 2007
The Mahindra Pik-Up was widely critiqued for its dated styling and crude construction when it first went on sale – and that was back in 2007.
Built in India as a
budget-focused alternative to more popular utes from Toyota and Ford, the rugged Mahindra is offered in single- and dual-cab layouts.The chassis-based commercial vehicle has been updated multiple times in recent years, but its underpinnings have not evolved for a decade and a half.
The Mahindra Pik-Up currently starts from $24,990 drive-away in Australia, and there are no known plans for it to be replaced or axed any time soon.Renault Kangoo – 2007
The Renault Kangoo van was revealed to the world in early 2007 – just weeks after the launch of Apple’s first-generation iPhone.
Measuring 4282mm from nose to tail in standard-wheelbase guise and rated to carry up to 1000kg, the
15-year-old vehicle remains the best-selling ‘small’ van in Australia, according to VFACTS data. Renault rolled out a facelift in 2013, however the vehicle has had few mechanical updates since its launch 15 years ago.The vehicle currently starts from $26,290 in Australia, and an all-new version is due to launch later this year.
Fiat Ducato – 2007
The Fiat Ducato is the oldest ‘new’ van still on sale in Australia, having in launched in mid-2006 for some markets – more than 15 years ago – or in Australia in 2007.
Perhaps best known as a basis for motorhomes, the ageing model is available in a range of configurations. It has been sold across the globe with Citroen, Peugeot, Ram, Opel, and Vauxhall badges.
The
Ducato was facelifted in 2014 with a heavily revised front end and new active safety tech – with further updates following in later years – however mechanically it is the same van launched during George W. Bush’s presidency.The van currently starts from $42,300 before on-road costs in Australia, and there are not immediate plans for it to be replaced.
Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series – 1984
The LandCruiser 70 Series has undergone at least six updates and facelifts over its lifecycle, but under the skin remains almost identical to the rugged off-roader Toyota brought to market in 1984 – when Bob Hawke was just begging his tenure as Prime Minister and
Chicken McNuggets were yet to arrive Down Under.Available in single-cab ute, double-cab ute,
wagon, and ‘Troop Carrier’ layouts, the ancient chassis-based off-roader owes its longevity to its tough-as-guts reputation and popularity with fleet buyers.While the body has been facelifted multiple times over its 28-year lifecycle, the underlying chassis is unchanged.
The Toyota
LandCruiser 70 Series currently starts from $67,400 before on-road costs in Australia. There are no immediate plans to pull the model from sale, however it’s unlikely to survive for too much longer, as emissions and safety rules become more stringent.The post The oldest ‘new’ cars still on sale in Australia appeared first on Drive.