VW Group, Renault, Kia and Toyota announce scrappage schemes

Volkswagen Group, Renault, Kia and Toyota have all announced individual scrappage schemes in a bid to get customers out of older, more polluting cars.

They are the latest manufacturers to join a growing scrappage scheme trend, following similar moves from the likes of BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Ford.

Audi, Seat, Skoda, Volkswagen, and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles – all VW Group companies – have announced schemes targeting diesel-powered Euro 1 to Euro 4 vehicles.

Customers are being offered monetary incentives to switch to cleaner Euro 6 petrol or diesel, plug-in hybrid, or all-electric vehicles.

Volkswagen’s incentives are particularly impressive, with consumers being able to save as much as £10,000 off the price of a new e-Golf once the government’s plug-in vehicle grant has been taken into account.

Alison Jones, director of Volkswagen UK, said: “With this new Scrappage Upgrade scheme, there’s never been a better time to step up from an older diesel into one of our new, lower-emission range of Volkswagens.”

All participating manufacturers under the VW Group umbrella will scrap traded-in vehicles and will not sell them on. Orders must be placed before December 31.

Toyota’s scrappage scheme is open to vehicles more than seven years old, and in customer ownership for at least six months.

The Japanese manufacturer will offer savings of up to £4,000 on a new Toyota. An Auris Hybrid qualifies for savings of £3,500, while customers will be offered savings of £2,500 off the price of a new Yaris Hybrid. The scheme runs from September 1 to December 31.

Paul Van der Burgh, Toyota GB president and managing director, said: “Our scrappage scheme is a win-win solution. Motorists can dispose of their older vehicles and have access to our cleaner, more efficient model range.

“Our world-leading petrol-electric hybrids will be an ideal choice, helping make a genuine contribution to protecting air quality – a crucial concern for today’s customers.

“What’s more, everyone who takes up our scrappage scheme can be assured their vehicle will be disposed of in an environmentally responsible fashion that maximises recycling opportunities.”

Renault’s scrappage scheme targets Euro 4 vehicles registered by December 31, 2009, with all traded-in vehicles being permanently removed from public roads.

The scheme offers customers the chance to benefit from savings of between £3,000 and £7,000, which includes a £2,000 scrappage allowance.

The scheme does not include the Twingo, Koleos, or any pure-electric vehicles such as the Zoe or the Twizy. Orders must be placed by the end of September, with cars registered by January 1.

Kia is offering motorists the chance to trade in their vehicle in exchange for £2,000 off the price of a new Rio or Picanto.

To qualify, vehicles must be more than seven years old, and will be destroyed upon trade-in. Details of the old vehicle owner and the new Kia buyer must match to claim the incentive.

The scheme runs until the end of December.

Meanwhile, Nissan is introducing its ‘Switch Scheme’. While cars traded in under the scheme will not necessarily be scrapped, customers will still be offered incentives of up to £5,000 off a new Nissan model, and savings of up to £2,000 to buy a used all-electric Leaf 24kWh.

Vehicles registered before the end of 2009 with a pre-Euro 5 engine qualify for the scheme, which runs from September 1 to September 30.

Alex Smith, Nissan Motor GB managing director, said: “Our ‘Switch Scheme’ is about giving more drivers affordable access to zero-emission, all-electric motoring.”

Older cars swapped using the scheme will likely be recycled, although this will be done at a dealership level.