What do the Mercedes-Benz X-Class, Fiat Fullback, Mitsubishi L200, Volkswagen Amarok and Nissan Navara have in common? The short answer is that they’re all pickup trucks that were available to buy in the UK in 2019 but are no longer on sale. Every single one was axed in the past two years.
The pick-up market has changed somewhat recently, only a few years after it seemed that it would thrive with the arrival of new competition.
The sector enjoyed stratospheric growth through much of the past decade, which likely encouraged new players to attempt to grab a slice of a lucrative pie – before the market experienced a 1.0% drop in 2019 and a 32.7% fall in 2020 (see right).
With the exception of the sub-2.0-tonne light commercial vehicle (LCV) market, this was the biggest decline by vehicle type last year, according to the SMMT.
Previously, new players offered pick-ups with both car-like interior quality and driveability in order to tap into the leisure market. Some people might have been tempted to trade-in their SUVs for a pick-up by the generous savings offered (pick-ups can be classed as commercial vehicles); while business users could (and still can) take advantage of a flat annual benefit-in-kind tax rate of just £3500 if the truck’s payload was greater than 1040kg (the extra 40kg allowing for fitment of an aftermarket hardtop).
Despite this, buyers didn’t flock to trade in their SUVs. Thus the respective marques blamed a lack of demand and the more onerous emissions standards – which obliged LCV makers to keep the average CO2 emissions of their vehicle ranges below 150g/km – for pulling pick-ups from sale only a short time after launching them in the UK. The only exception is Mitsubishi, which will leave the UK entirely later this year. Currently, there aren’t any electrified pick-ups available.
Those still competing in the pick-up market are rubbing their hands with glee, however.
Isuzu UK managing director William Brown told Autocar the “mass exodus from the market couldn’t have come at a better time,” as the Japanese firm has just launched the first all-new version of its D-Max since 2012.
“The new D-Max is the nextgeneration pick-up that raises the bar for comfort, refinement and safety, and therefore it’s a natural progression for customers of the lifestyle pick-ups that have since left the marketplace,” said Brown.
“We’re here to stay, and we cater for all types of pick-up customers with a full range of single, extended and double cab [trucks].
“Due to its durability and practicality, the D-Max has always performed well with commercial buyers, but we now also see huge potential at the higher-end of the market.
Consequently, Brown is confident that Isuzu can hit an annual sales target of 10,000 units sooner than 2025, as was originally planned.
