Currently reading: Diesel deaths – complete list of 2018's axed models
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Manufacturers are axing diesel models like never before, as the public turns its back on the black pump. 

With Dieselgate sparking the scrutiny against diesels, and the Government and press demonising diesels with new taxes and anti-diesel rhetoric, sales have plummeted. Across 2018 so far, diesel represents less than a third of registrations, whereas in 2015 this was almost half. 

Take a look below at which diesel models have been axed from manufacturers’ line-ups as the industry shifts towards other fuel sources.

2018’s diesel deaths 

Bentley Bentayga

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Bentley's first diesel model offered in the UK and Europe in its history will also be its last - the Bentayga Diesel is now offered in only 13 markets outside of Europe, where demand persists. Bentley said that public and Government attitudes towards diesels prompted the decision, and that customers are encouraged into the more efficient V6 plug-in hybrid or V8 petrol models instead. 

Fiat 500X

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The 500X has just been facelifted, but only the pre-facelift car gets diesel engines, with the new model getting a new three-cylinder unit to make up for the lack of diesel. It’s part of a wider strategy announced earlier this year by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. Read on to find out more.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles

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FCA pledged to axe all diesels from its line-up — which includes numerous SUVs and cars more commonly associated with diesel power — by 2022. For now, they’re still available, but after 2022 diesel will only be available in FCA’s commercial vehicles. 

Honda CR-V

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The new CR-V arrives soon with a number of firsts — the first time it’s been offered with seven seats, the first time it has a hybrid powertrain and, most relevant here, the first time it won’t be available in diesel form. 

Kia Rio

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The Rio was available with a 1.4-litre 89bhp CRDi diesel engine until earlier this year, when Kia decided to pull the plug. It’s clear why — just 1673 of the 8470 Rios sold last year were diesel. 

Kia Venga

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It’s the same story for the Venga — of 6130 cars sold across 2017, just 1172 were diesels, in both 1.6-litre and 1.4-litre CRDi forms. Production of diesel Rio and Venga models continues elsewhere, but UK demand for both fell between 2017 and 2018. 

Mitsubishi ASX

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Mitsubishi has culled the 1.6-litre and 2.2-litre diesel engines from its range, which made up 44% of ASX sales, where petrol-powered options made up the remaining 56%. It's instead choosing to focus on alternative powertrains, like the one used in the plug-in hybrid Outlander PHEV

Mitsubishi Outlander

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Diesel sales of the Mitsubishi Outlander are already dwarfed by the Outlander PHEV, at 23% to the plug-in hybrid's 77%. Handy timing, then, for Mitsubishi to replace the Outlander's ageing diesel engine with a newer but slower 2.0-litre petrol option. A brand spokesman said that sales of diesel Mitsubishis are falling, so the timing was right. 

Peugeot's future diesels

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Not a diesel death yet, but as demand dwindles, Peugeot revealed to Autocar that it won't be developing further diesel engines as it reassesses the market. “We will have to see if the market is going to delete or give up on diesel," said PSA Group product director, Laurent Blanchet.

Porsche

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In addition to the models below, Porsche announced that no future diesels will be introduced, instead choosing to focus upon its bigger-selling plug-in hybrids, and its upcoming electric range, starting with the Taycan.

Porsche Macan

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A diesel Porsche is always going to be a niche offering, but the diesel Macan faced difficulty in the new Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP) emissions and fuel economy test, on top of being a slower-selling variant. 

Porsche Panamera

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That goes for the Panamera, too. Diesel accounted for around 15% of the Panamera’s sales around the world in 2017, with petrol taking up 35% and the 4 E-Hybrid accounting for the remaining half. A Porsche spokesman said: “Currently, the demand for diesel models is falling, whereas interest in hybrid and petrol models is increasing significantly.”

Seat Toledo

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The Toledo isn’t a volume seller for the brand, with only 705 sold in 2018 to the end of July and only 139 of these being diesels. Being based on the previous-generation Ibiza means that it won’t be long before the Toledo's life cycle ends but, until then, it’s petrol only

Skoda Fabia

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Diesel used to be important for the Fabia; the car has previously been offered in 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre diesel versions, while the first-generation Fabia vRS offered a unique package in being a small diesel hot hatchback. With the third-generation model’s midlife facelift, however, Skoda swung the axe on the diesel variant, since sales had dwindled to a minuscule 2% of total Fabia sales. 

Subaru

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Subaru’s UK sales volumes are comparatively small — 1739 were registered between January and the end of July, equating to just over 1% of Ford’s total. No diesel registration figures for the brand are available, but all references to its 2.0-litre boxer diesel have been removed from the Subaru website, leaving only the 2.0-litre and 2.5-litre petrol units. 

Suzuki

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Diesels were a minority offering in Suzuki's small car lineup, but demand dwindled to just 3% of the brand's UK sales, leading it to cut diesels from its lineup. "Due to very low demand for diesel engine models in the UK Suzuki range, the DDiS derivatives of Vitara and SX4 S-Cross for UK only have temporarily ceased production," a Suzuki spokesman said. 

Toyota Avensis

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Not exactly a diesel death, since the Avensis was also offered with a petrol engine, but the replacement for the Avensis, the Camry, is petrol-electric only. Toyota announced last year that neither the brand nor its luxury arm Lexus would be launching any more diesels in Europe, so the Avensis’s time had come. 

Toyota RAV4

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With the new RAV4 arriving in the coming months with only petrol or petrol-electric hybrid powertrains, the current-generation model is the last to get diesel power. Toyota stopped producing diesel RAV4s earlier this year – long before the petrol and hybrid versions were due to go off sale. In fact, 88% of RAV4 sales up to the end of July were hybrids. 

Toyota Verso

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Another complete cancellation rather than a specific diesel death, although being one of the only diesel cars in Toyota’s line-up contributed to the Verso’s demise, with hybrids heavily outselling diesel and petrol cars. The only Toyota diesels left are the Proace, Hilux and Land Cruiser.

Vauxhall Corsa

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Another supermini that has gone petrol only, the diesel Corsa was axed in the spring, with Vauxhall revealing that diesels made up just 2.5% of Corsa sales. The 1.3 CDTi engine, the smallest offered in the Corsa, accounted for one sale in every 200. Vauxhall’s line-up has been heavily streamlined under PSA ownership, but the Corsa is the only diesel-related casualty.

Volvo

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Volvo announced earlier this year that it would not be introducing any more diesel cars after the launch of the V60. That means that every car from the S60 onwards will be petrol, plug-in hybrid or electric only. The brand’s existing diesels will be phased out as models are replaced. Volvo’s first EV is due to arrive next year. 

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Michael Joseph 4 October 2018

go up in value

LOL maybe good to invest in Bentley Bentayga Diesel now, its going to be so rare and eventually going up in value

fadyady 3 October 2018

Good call

Look forward to Volkswagen soon dropping diesel in anything under Passat size vehicles. No offence to the high milers who want to carry on driving diesels. What they do need to understand is the fact that the clean diesel was always a lie. Had the car makers invested billions on electrified petrols there would have been no place for this widespread diesel fixation.
armstrm 3 October 2018

Electrified vehicles with petrol engines are a complete lie too.

People touting petrol hybrids as the solution are just repeating propaganda. Anyone doing more than a very small local commute will burn more fuel in a hybrid car than they would in a diesel equivalent. The extra weight of the batteries have to be carted around all the time and fully charged you will be lucky to do more than 15 miles before you start burning fuel anyway. It is all hype.