Volvo To Stop Sales of Estate & Saloon Cars in the UK

Volvo has decided to stop selling estate and saloon cars in the UK due to them not selling as much as their SUV models.

Volvo, the renowned global Swedish brand, has recently made a significant announcement, indicating its strategic shift towards prioritizing the development of electric cars. As part of this strategic move, the company has decided to exclusively focus on selling SUVs in the UK, leading to the discontinuation of the existing estate and saloon cars from its UK lineup.

To put this plan into action, Volvo has already removed some popular models like the V60, S60, and the larger V90, which typically sells for around £63,000, from its website.

Throughout the year, the automaker has been progressively streamlining its vehicle offerings, and this has resulted in the removal of off-road-oriented models like the V60 and V90 Cross Country.

Elaborating on the decision to discontinue saloons and estates, Volvo stated that it is "embracing new platforms and advanced technologies, especially with a strong focus on fully electric cars during this technological transition".

The company clarified that despite the decision to discontinue certain models, the overall demand for its range of vehicles has continued to rise, particularly for popular options like the XC40 and the larger family-oriented XC90. Additionally, there is substantial anticipation for their forthcoming fully electric models, including the compact £33,000 EX30 SUV and the spacious seven-seater EX90.

Volvo's statement further explained that the demand for saloon and estate models has significantly declined in the UK, leading to their removal from the UK sales lineup. However, the removed vehicles are still available for purchase as pre-configured options from the remaining stock.

The decision received some humorous remarks, with James May from The Grand Tour joking that this was the second time Volvo had "ruined his life". While he desired an "agreeable Volvo saloon" for his retirement, the brand's official Twitter account clarified that saloon and estate cars would still be produced, but they wouldn't be sold in the UK due to the increasing popularity of SUVs.

Volvo will continue to offer a limited number of saloon and estate cars in the UK, exclusively for police forces and other emergency services.

The used car market still boasts numerous second-hand Volvos for sale, and many buyers may find themselves turning to a saloon or estate model for nostalgic reasons.