The NEW Toyota FJ Cruisers and eight more zombie cars, SUVs and 4WDs registered in Australia during 2023

Sometimes, cars can slip through the cracks and linger on in some dark and dank corner of a dealership way after the production supply plug has been pulled. Whether because of old age, dwindling popularity or falling foul of fresh regulations, they’re still hanging around.

Here is a list of several discontinued models that have actually been registered as new in Australia during 2023*. Some were pulled from the market just the year prior, while others were deleted long before that.

Because you just can’t keep a good car down. Or even mediocre ones!

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Ford Focus: 39 sold

The original Focus from Germany rocked the small-car scene with its bold styling and startling dynamics, becoming a global bestseller in the process.

And while subsequent versions refined the recipe, the catastrophic decision to fit a dual-clutch transmission for 2011’s third-gen version destroyed the car’s reputation, especially in Australia and North America, sealing the Focus’ fate.

Ford Australia pulled the pin on the regular variants in October, 2021, leaving just 40 examples of the ST Series II hot hatches for 2022.

The 2015 facelift reverted to a regular auto, as did the underrated 2018 Mk4, but by then it was way too late. Ford Australia pulled the pin on the regular variants in October, 2021, leaving just 40 examples of the ST Series II hot hatches for 2022. By August of that year, the nameplate had been dropped altogether (almost 20 years to the day of its Australian debut).

The 39 examples sold up to the end of December, then, must be a mix of pre- and post-facelift versions that dealers had trouble shifting. Global production will cease sometime during 2025, replaced by an electric crossover in Europe and the hot-selling Maverick dual-cab car-based ute in North America.

Times have certainly changed.

Toyota FJ Cruiser: 2 sold

Wait, what?

Not one but two Toyota FJ Cruisers were registered new in Australia during 2023. That’s quite a feat for a retro 4WD model withdrawn from Australia in 2016 after five successful years on sale here, though production in Japan for some left-hand-drive markets did not cease until December, 2022.

Which begs the question: were the two ‘new’ FJs actually unregistered 2011-2016 Australian-market examples that sat around gathering dust, or a pair of later builds imported by Toyota or some other organisation for evaluation? The latter doesn’t seem that likely, actually, so maybe some enterprising dealer sold on some new old stock.

Based on the 120 Series Prado available here from 2003 to 2009, the FJ Cruiser hit North America in 2005, but RHD production didn’t commence until 2010, meaning Australians finally saw it in 2011.

Based on the 120 Series Prado available here from 2003 to 2009, the FJ Cruiser hit North America in 2005, but RHD production didn’t commence until 2010, meaning Australians finally saw it in 2011. A huge hit, sales doubled initial forecasts for the first three years, before settling down after that.

Rumours persist Toyota will revive the idea for an electrified retro ‘Cruiser later this decade.

Chrysler 300: 7 sold

Another 2000s retro hit, the first 300C actually sold in unexpectedly high numbers, even giving the Holden Caprice a run for its money in the luxury sedan class.

Under that gangster-mobile skin lurked a lot of Mercedes E-Class and S-Class tech, too, as the big sedan and wagon were launched during the failed DaimlerChrysler era in 2005, though the look and feel were pure Detroit – especially models fitted with the Hemi V8s. The redesigned LD series arrived in 2011, with production only just having ended in America on December 8, 2023.

The redesigned LD series arrived in 2011, with production only just having ended in America on December 8, 2023.

Chrysler overlords Stellantis announced the 300’s demise in Australia just over two years earlier, marking the end for the brand in this country. Still, seven new examples managed to find homes in 2023. We wonder how many were the 350kW/637Nm 6.4-litre V8 SRTs? An end of an era in more ways than one.

Lexus LFA: 1 sold

Launched in 2011, just 10 Lexus LFA supercars were allocated for Australia, out of 500 worldwide, and back then the 325km/h, V10 coupe cost north of $700,000 here.

Launched in 2011, just 10 Lexus LFA supercars were allocated for Australia, out of 500 worldwide.

So, seeing one sold new in 2023 comes as quite a surprise, but it’s been reported that this original unsold dealer example had to be registered by July 1, 2023, in order to not fall under an obscure rule that would preclude it from future road-going registration had it not been done prior to that date. Apparently this LFA remains the property of the said dealer.

Jeep Cherokee: 16 sold

Dropped in late 2022 after a largely successful 28-year run in Australia, the final Cherokee was a product of the Fiat-Chrysler years, as a stylish American take on the medium SUV.

It launched back in mid-2014, with keen pricing and an extensive range that included the proper off-road capable Trailhawk grade.

It launched back in mid-2014, with keen pricing and an extensive range that included the proper off-road capable Trailhawk grade. An all-electric SUV replacement is expected in the second half of this decade. The 16 examples of the old version sold in 2023 were likely all the S-Limited flagship powered by a 3.2-litre V6.

Mitsubishi Mirage: 1 sold

Phased out during 2022 after Australian-market production ceased the year before due to changing Australian Design Rule requirements, the decade-old LA Mirage saw its final years out with strong demand.

Fuelling this was low pricing (from $14,990 before on-road costs), immediate availability at a time of critical stock shortages and Mitsubishi’s provisional 10-year warranty.

Phased out during 2022 after Australian-market production ceased the year before due to changing Australian Design Rule requirements.

Frankly, after the lively CE Mirage of the mid 1990s, this cheap and cheerless entry-level light car deserved neither the iconic badge nor the sales success it enjoyed in later life. As one ‘lucky’ new-car buyer in 2023 has probably since found out.

An ignominious end to a glorious era of at-times world-beating Mitsubishi passenger cars.

Mitsubishi Pajero: 70 sold

We’re surprised any of these much-loved off-road-focused SUVs made it through into 2023.

The full-sized Pajero remained competitive and even desirable as a go-anywhere 4WD family wagon over 20 years after the fourth-generation series launched back in 2000, needing only comparatively minor upgrades along the way to keep it up to date against the Toyota LandCruiser and Nissan Patrol.

The full-sized Pajero remained competitive and even desirable as a go-anywhere 4WD family wagon over 20 years after the fourth-generation series launched back in 2000.

Discontinued in early 2021 after a 40-year career, most dealers finally ran out of Pajero stock by the middle of the following year, but clearly 70 lingered on into 2023.

Mitsubishi Express: 27 sold

Controversy dogged the Renault X82 Trafic-based, French-made SN-series Express in Australia soon after its 2020 debut, scoring a hitherto unheard-of zero-star ANCAP crash-test rating as a result of a lack of mandatory driver-assist safety systems.

Observed in some circles as a farcical outcome given that the identical Trafic holds a EuroNCAP three-star rating, it helped hobble the midsized van’s chances of success against the Toyota HiAce and Hyundai Staria.

By April, 2022, Mitsubishi announced the end of the line.

By April, 2022, Mitsubishi announced the end of the line, but 27 new examples spilled into 2023’s sales figures.

Toyota Prius : 1 sold

There’s an old saying that good design sells, and the last-generation Prius is a shining example of that.

Launched in 2016, it ushered in the acclaimed next-generation of Toyota vehicle architecture known as TNGA. But with styling universally panned as divisive at best and ugly at worst, buyers could not see past the looks, even after hybrid demand generally began skyrocketing earlier this decade. Sales tanked.

Launched in 2016, it ushered in the acclaimed next-generation of Toyota vehicle architecture known as TNGA.

So, it’s not shock that Toyota Australia pulled the plug on its electrification pioneer eyesore in May, 2022, and nobody shed a tear… until the unbelievably pretty fifth-gen Prius surfaced the following November.

We reckon Toyota would have sold thousands in Australia during 2023. Instead, only one of the old model found a home instead.