Car scrappage schemes 2018: which offer the best value?

Uncertainty over the Government’s stance towards old diesel-powered cars is leading many owners to look for more modern alternatives. 

Last year some of the world’s leading car manufacturers offered owners of diesel cars the chance to swap their vehicles for new models at a reduced price. To qualify, the engines needed to have been produced before the Euro 5 emissions standards were introduced. Many of these cars were registered before 2010.

Some of the scrappage schemes offered significant discounts on brand new models. This led to 14,241 vehicles being taken off the roads, reports Autocar. The deals have been so popular that many manufacturers have extended them into the new year.

Here’s our pick of the best scrappage deals currently available:

Audi

Those looking to upgrade to a new Audi are in luck. Car Buyer says the German car giant will offer discounts of between £2,000 and £8,000 if you trade in an old diesel. The car doesn’t need to be an old Audi model, but it must have been registered before 31 December 2009 to be eligible. 

Discounts apply to the majority of Audi’s range – including the R8 supercar and RS models – with the exception of its performance cars, the website says. The range-topping Q7 SUV is also excluded from the offer.

The company is running its scrappage scheme until 31 March 2018.

Ford

Drivers can get discounts of up to £4,950 on Ford models ranging from £12,000 to £20,000 in value when trading-in a diesel car registered before 2010, the Daily Express says.

The deals include £4,000 off the company’s C-Max MPV (multi-purpose vehicle), the paper says, as well as a £4,950 discount off the price of a Focus Titanium. You can also get up to £7,000 off Ford Transit vans. 

The scheme runs until the end of March.

Hyundai

When Hyundai rolled out its scrappage scheme last August, it was only meant to run until December, but the exchange programme has proved so popular that the Korean carmaker has extended it until the end of March. 

As with the other scrappage schemes, customers must have a diesel car that was registered before January 2010 and after July 1992 to be eligible for a discount, says CarBuyer. 

The deals range from a £1,500 discount on Hyundai’s i10 city car, to a £5,000 price cut on its range-topping Sante Fe SUV, the website says. A £2,000 discount is offered on the marque’s Ioniq hybrid and plug-in hybrid, its fuel economy-focused models, but the electric version is excluded from the scheme. 

Mitsubishi

If you own a diesel car for more than six months and it is at least seven years old, you’ll be eligible for discounts on the Mitsubishi range. 

The best deal is on the critically acclaimed Outland PHEV - which can cover 25 miles on electric power alone - with £6,500 off the  base price, says BuyaCar. 

The Japanese carmaker is offering a discount of £5,000 on non-hybrid Outlanders, the website says, while the ASX SUV can be had £3,000 below its list price. There is also a £2,000 saving on the Mirage hatchback. 

Toyota

Toyota is offering up to £4,000 of savings if you trade in a diesel car over seven years old, Autocar reports. The car must have been registered in your name for the past six months. 

Discounts can be obtained on the company’s Yaris hatchback, CH-R SUV and the Land Cruiser 4x4, the magazine adds. Toyota will also drop the price on the CH-R Hybrid, but the discount is smaller than on other models.  

You don’t have long to take advantage of the deals, the magazine says. The scheme’s deadline is at the end of this month.

Volkswagen 

Any diesel car registered before 31 December 2009 is covered under Volkswagen’s scrappage scheme, says WhatCar?. This could get you up to £6,000 off the price of a new VW. 

Cars included in the scheme range from the company’s Up! city car to the Tuareg SUV, the website says. But buyers won’t receive discounts on Volkswagen performance models such as the Golf R through the scheme. 

Those looking to take advantage of the company’s scrappage deals have until 2 April.