Loved that? Buy this: The 2021 equivalents of your favourite cars

If you're a nameplate loyalist struggling to find a like-for-like replacement for your beloved car, we've got you covered.


Given the average age of a car on Australian roads has increased to 10.4 years, it's fair to say plenty of us are holding out on upgrading to newer models.

As such, many consumers might find that when the time comes to trade in, their beloved car has disappeared from showrooms.

With a raft of nameplates discontinued in 2020 alone, the new-car call sheet for 2021 looks drastically different than it did over 10 years ago – particularly the bestseller list.

Certain mainstays persist – the Toyota Yaris and Hyundai i30 among them – but other models have either been axed, replaced or updated beyond recognition.

Here, we round up some of the more popular models from the early 2010s and earlier and track down their 2021 equivalents.


If you liked the Nissan Dualis... try the Nissan Qashqai

If you're searching for a Dualis but have come away empty-handed, that's likely because it underwent a rebrand in 2014 and became the Qashqai.

While it was called the Dualis when it launched in Australia in 2008, most of the rest of the world received the "Qashqai", a moniker which only made its way to our shores in 2014, in time for the model's second generation.

Still in its second-generation – but with a third-generation coming in 2021 – the Qashqai received an update in mid-2020 that added a digital speedometer, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a more advanced autonomous emergency braking system on the flagship Ti variant.

Offered only in front-wheel drive form with the same 2.0-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine across the range, the Qashqai line-up starts at $28,290 before on-road costs and provides buyers with the choice of a constantly variable automatic transmission, or a six-speed manual in the base model.

Be sure to keep an eye out for the incoming next-gen Qashqai and its upgraded interior and infotainment – it's currently expected in Australia in late 2021 and could lead to sharp runout deals on 2020 models.

If you liked the Ford Territory... try the Ford Everest (or the Ford Ranger)

Missing from Australian showrooms since 2016, the well-loved Ford Territory had a solid 12-year run before it was discontinued at the same time as Ford's local manufacturing operations concluded.

It was often known as 'Australia's SUV' thanks to its local production roots and it offered seven seats with diesel power and regularly outsold competitors like the Toyota Prado and Mazda CX-9.

The spiritual replacement for the Territory was the Ford Endura, but sadly that model was axed from Ford's local line-up in late 2020.

These days, shoppers looking for a diesel-powered family SUV with two extra seats have only one option: the Ford Everest.

Regularly ranking as one of the top sellers in the large SUV segment alongside the ever-popular Toyota Prado, the Everest recently received a raft of subtle tweaks for the 2021 model-year.

These included a new grille on some spec grades, the option of rear-wheel drive on the mid-spec Sport grade and an outdoors-ready Basecamp variant.

And if you're happy to sacrifice the extra seats for some payload capacity, you can shop the Everest's dual-cab ute twin, the Ford Ranger.

If you liked the Hyundai Accent... try the Hyundai Venue

As the list of light cars available in Australia rapidly dwindles, finding a like-for-like replacement for your favourite hatchback becomes more challenging.

This is evident in the case of the Hyundai Accent. Once a popular competitor for cars like the Volkswagen Polo or Suzuki Swift, the Accent met its end in 2019, with no direct replacement on the cards.

Enter: the Hyundai Venue light SUV – the Korean brand's new most affordable model in Australia. Sure, it might not be a hatchback in the classic sense, but it offers a sub-$25,000 entry price and a relatively compact footprint for inner-city dwellers.

In local showrooms since late 2019, the Venue is front-wheel drive and powered by a 1.6-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine no matter the specification grade.

While the Venue's package errs on the basic side, Accent owners will be pleasantly surprised by the number of infotainment, safety and driver assistance features on offer, like autonomous emergency braking and a large 8.0-inch touchscreen.

If you liked the Nissan Murano... try the Nissan X-Trail (or not)

Nissan's upmarket lifestyle SUV, the Murano, only made it to its second generation here in Australia, but thankfully it was survived by its slightly smaller sibling, the Nissan X-Trail.

While it lived on in left-hand drive form in overseas markets, the Murano was axed from Nissan's local line-up in 2015 due to dwindling sales.

It offered a powerful V6 engine and unique styling, two things not available in the X-Trail range – but X-Trail shoppers get the added benefit of an optional seven-seat set-up.

If you need even more space, you could also opt for the Nissan Pathfinder, which has moved away from its Navara-based roots to become more of a lifestyle SUV that actually boasts similar dimensions to the Murano and was once even its in-house competitor.

Still, if you're not dead-set on staying within the Nissan stable (and you should really shop around in this ever-expanding class), the truth of the matter is that a top-spec Murano used to cost upwards of $60,000 before on-road costs, so you're essentially in European-car territory.

For that money, you could get into an entry-level Mercedes-Benz GLB, Alfa Romeo Stelvio or Volvo XC60.

If you liked the Mitsubishi Challenger... try the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport

Mitsubishi essentially did a straight swap when it traded the ageing, under-selling Mitsubishi Challenger for the all-new Pajero Sport in 2015.

The Pajero Sport was previously a global nameplate and landed in late 2015 as a slightly more upmarket off-roader – also based on the same platform as the Triton ute, much like the Challenger.

With a mid-life update taking effect in mid-2020, the Pajero Sport has since scored a revised front end and subtle exterior tweaks that make it look decidedly more modern and sportier than the Challenger it replaced.

Pricing kicks off from $46,990 before on-road costs and buyers can opt for either five or seven seats on higher grades, but all three variants are four-wheel drive with diesel engines.

If you liked the Hyundai ix35... try the Hyundai Tucson

Hyundai buyers likely have whiplash when it comes to the naming conventions of its popular medium SUV model.

First, it was the Tucson when it landed in 2000. Then, it became the ix35 from 2010. Flash forward five years to 2015 and the Tucson nameplate returned – and has remained to this day.

Rest assured, ix35 owners, the Tucson is much the same car – and the most recent name change merely brought the model in line with its overseas siblings that bear the Tucson moniker.

With the choice of front-wheel drive or all-wheel-drive drivetrains and petrol or diesel engines, Tucson buyers have plenty to choose from.

Better yet, a new fourth-generation Tucson is set to debut in 2021, with the possibility of hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains for Australia.

If you liked the Land Rover Freelander... try the Land Rover Discovery Sport

As Land Rover's more compact off-road offering, the Freelander was Land Rover's entry-level offering and arguably its first foray into medium SUV territory, with both two and five-door iterations.

Production of the Freelander ended in 2014 after 18 years on sale and the space it left was occupied a year later in 2015 by the newly-released Land Rover Discovery Sport.

The five-door Disco Sport was Land Rover's attempt to compete with the more luxurious SUV offerings beginning to populate the market, adding a bit more on-road refinement and elevated styling to the 4x4 space.

The price of entry starts at $65,700 before on-road costs and Discovery Sport buyers receive seven seats, plenty of tech and ample cabin space.

Also look at:  Audi Q5Mercedes-Benz GLCBMW X3

If you liked the BMW 3 Series coupe... try the BMW 4 Series

As part of BMW's efforts to differentiate its mainstream and lifestyle models whilst maintaining its numerical naming conventions, the two-door 3 Series coupe and convertible became the 4 Series in 2012.

While the 3 Series persists in both sedan and wagon form, the 4 Series debuted as a longer, wider and lower coupe than its 3 Series predecessor, in an effort to improve the interior dimensions.

Additionally, it was joined by a four-door option in 2014 in the form of the 4 Series Gran Coupe.

Susannah Guthrie

Susannah Guthrie has been a journalist for over a decade, covering everything from world news to fashion, entertainment, health and now cars. Having previously worked across titles like The New Daily, Elle, Harper's Bazaar, People Magazine and Cosmopolitan, Susannah now relishes testing family cars with the help of her husband and two-year-old son.

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