[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/five-cars-destined-dropped\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/five-cars-destined-dropped\/","headline":"Five cars destined to be dropped","name":"Five cars destined to be dropped","description":"It\u2019s a fact of life that every car model has a shelf life. Whether that may have been competitive and relevant some years ago is likely to have shed some of its edge down the years. That is usually down to new technology, ever-competitive running costs, or the unstoppable evolution of how motorists like to use their car and how they like their car to look. But there are some cars that just don\u2019t seem to want to move on […]","datePublished":"2016-08-23","dateModified":"2016-08-24","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/isabelle-lawrence\/#Person","name":"Isabelle Lawrence","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/isabelle-lawrence\/","identifier":30,"description":"Max Wheeler is a leading motoring journalist and classic car specialist at Smart Motoring, renowned for his sharp insight and infectious passion for all things automotive. With years of experience covering motoring news, supercars, and the enduring legacy of classic cars, Max brings stories to life with style and authority. Whether it\u2019s the roar of a Lamborghini, the elegance of an Aston Martin DB5, or the cultural impact of vintage motoring icons, he delivers expert commentary that inspires enthusiasts and collectors alike. Dedicated to celebrating the heritage and future of driving, Max Wheeler is your trusted voice for classic car news and beyond.","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8d331506e3c530b5ec4930c30a01ed8cc29b0537227573ae5da98f559e681401?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8d331506e3c530b5ec4930c30a01ed8cc29b0537227573ae5da98f559e681401?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Smart Motoring","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/feature-36.jpg","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/feature-36.jpg","height":520,"width":1200},"url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/five-cars-destined-dropped\/","about":["LATEST CAR NEWS"],"wordCount":768,"keywords":["fiat punto","mitsubishi","Mitsubishi Mirage","SEAT Toledo","Skoda Octavia","Smart Fortwo Cabrio","The Guardian","top gear","Toyota Aygo","Vauxhall Antara","Volkswagen Up"],"articleBody":"It\u2019s a fact of life that every car model has a shelf life. Whether that may have been competitive and relevant some years ago is likely to have shed some of its edge down the years. That is usually down to new technology, ever-competitive running costs, or the unstoppable evolution of how motorists like to use their car and how they like their car to look.But there are some cars that just don\u2019t seem to want to move on and for some reason or another, haven\u2019t been dropped by car manufacturers. Here, we\u2019ve shone the spotlight on five cars whose days are surely numbered.Mitsubishi MirageCritics weren\u2019t kind to the pint-sized city car when it replaced the Colt in 2012 with Top Gear magazine slamming it as \u201ctruly, profoundly terrible\u201d, while The Guardian likened the handling to that of \u201ca bloody jellyfish\u201d.We\u2019re with them – it was the first car we thought of when compiling this list and whenever the \u2018worst car you\u2019ve ever driven\u2019 topic arises, \u2018Mitsubishi Mirage\u2019 are always the first words out of our mouths.The Volkswagen Up and Toyota Aygo prove that city cars can be great fun when done properly, but with lifeless driving dynamics, a cheap and drab interior, noisy and harsh ride, and a starting price in excess of \u00a311,000, we wish the Mirage lived up to its name.With the phenomenally popular Outlander PHEV and L200 pick-up pushing Mitsubishi\u2019s sales to an all-time high, it\u2019s possible that the Japanese brand sees straight through the primitive and joyless Mirage. For us though, its downright rubbishness makes it genuinely unforgettable.Smart Fortwo CabrioGoing on sale early 2016, this is the newest car on our list. Considering it was officially one of the worst selling cars in the UK first time round, we were kinda surprised when Smart announced that it would once again lower the lid on the dinky Fortwo.We\u2019re not denying that the Fortwo Cabrio isn\u2019t a lot of fun and it is the perfect car if you ever need to park in a postbox.However, it is expensive and hopeless in the majority of situations so that\u2019s why we don\u2019t expect to see the soft-top Fortwo to be around for too long.Vauxhall AntaraThis is a car so rarely spotted on UK roads that we had to double-check that it was still on sale. With the Mokka doing so well, it can\u2019t be long before Vauxhall does something about the Antara\u2019s needlessly prolonged existence.Being spacious and boasting a surprising amount of safety features still can\u2019t save the Antara from the fact that it has proved annoyingly unreliable with a hideous ride, vague steering, and a cheap, noisy interior.What Car? couldn\u2019t think of a single reason to choose the Antara ahead of its rivals, and neither can we.Fiat PuntoThere was a time – not too long ago – when Fiat\u2019s supermini was a worthy rival to the mighty Ford Fiesta. Sadly, it\u2019s fallen behind the competition big time and the funky 500 has had to step up to fill the role of Fiat\u2019s top seller.Think of the Punto as a fallen mid-90s pop star. At one time, they were everywhere, but now reside exclusively in the \u2018where are they now?\u2019 category.We look forward to the day they pull off a Craig David-style comeback but with the success of the 500 and a fierce and congested supermini market, it\u2019s more likely to simply disappear from the Fiat range altogether. Quite sad really.SEAT Toledo Another car we don\u2019t blame you for completely forgetting about is the SEAT Toledo, a virtually anonymous car that serves as the only blemish on SEAT\u2019s otherwise splendid product range.\u2018Uninspired\u2019 is the most efficient way to sum up the Toledo. Its only saving grace is that it offers a cheap route to becoming a taxi driver, ticking all the boxes on what you\u2019d expect from a private hire vehicle: five doors, five seats, five wheels (if you count the steering wheel) and enough boot space for a few suitcases.Anyone driving a universally basic Toledo isn\u2019t doing so by choice, it\u2019s highly likely that they were saving up for a Skoda Octavia but couldn\u2019t be bothered and bought this instead.Speaking of Skoda, the Toledo is so closely related to the Czech brand\u2019s Rapid that you could replace the words SEAT and Toledo with Skoda and Rapid and it\u2019d still make perfect sense."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Latest News","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Five cars destined to be dropped","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/five-cars-destined-dropped\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]