UK vehicle statistics / Bond

How many Bond BUG cars are left?

At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 172 licensed and 147 SORN vehicles in the UK within the Bond BUG generic-model group.

Looking at a BUG?

Population figures cannot tell you whether one particular car is taxed, MOT-valid or safe to buy.

Check its registration free for the official tax, MOT and mileage record. If the car is still worth pursuing, the optional £9.99 full history check adds outstanding-finance, stolen and insurance write-off checks.

Wondering whether one particular BUG is off the road? A free SORN check shows whether it is currently SORN, taxed or untaxed.

Is the BUG disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 185 in 2024 Q4 and stand at 172 in 2026 Q1, down 7%. That is up 9% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 147 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 319 still on the DVLA record is off the road, laid up, part-restored or waiting to be sold.

A falling population is worth knowing before you buy: it usually means fewer donor cars, fewer specialists and slower parts supply, and it is why a good example of a scarce model can hold its price while a neglected one is hard to sell at any price.

Before you buy

  • Ask why it was off the road — Of the 319 BUG vehicles still on the DVLA record, 1 in 2 is SORN (147 at 2026 Q1). A car that has been laid up needs a closer look at brakes, tyres and the MOT history.
  • Check the actual BUG — These figures describe the model group. Enter the registration for that vehicle's free MOT, tax and mileage record before you pay a deposit.

Quarterly licensed and SORN counts

Every quarter DfT has published for this model group, newest first.

QuarterLicensedSORN
2026 Q1172147
2025 Q4173144
2025 Q3176141
2025 Q2177138
2025 Q1179134
2024 Q4185127
2024 Q3183126
2024 Q2182125
2024 Q1180127
2023 Q4176128
2023 Q3177127
2023 Q2175130
2023 Q1174127
2022 Q4175126
2022 Q3175123
2022 Q2173119
2022 Q1175120
2021 Q4173124
2021 Q3170119
2021 Q2161122
2021 Q1158122
2020 Q4157121
2020 Q3157118
2020 Q2159114
2020 Q1148116
2019 Q4143120
2019 Q3144120
2019 Q2141115
2019 Q1139117
2018 Q4135119
2018 Q3139115
2018 Q2129120
2018 Q1111130
2017 Q4111133
2017 Q3117128
2017 Q2121125
2017 Q1116117
2016 Q4121110
2016 Q3120108
2016 Q2114111
2016 Q1111113
2015 Q4114112
2015 Q3116108
2015 Q2118104
2015 Q1113105
2014 Q4110107
2014 Q3119102

Other Bond models

See how many of every Bond model are left

Common questions

How many Bond BUG cars are left in the UK?

172 were licensed and 147 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, according to DfT and DVLA statistics for this generic-model group.

How many Bond BUG cars are SORN?

147 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 319 still on the DVLA record at the end of 2026 Q1.

Is the BUG disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 185 in 2024 Q4 and stand at 172 in 2026 Q1, down 7%. That is up 9% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 147 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 319 still on the DVLA record is off the road, laid up, part-restored or waiting to be sold.

Does this say whether one BUG is a good buy?

No. These are population figures for the model group. Enter that vehicle's registration for its own free MOT, tax and mileage record.

Source and limitations

Source: Department for Transport and DVLA, df_VEH0120_UK. Released 2026-07-15 under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

DVLA make and model fields are administrative data and can contain omissions or inconsistencies. These statistics describe model groups, not an individual registration.

Confidential cells marked [c] represent between 1 and 4 vehicles and are treated as zero in aggregates, so totals can be slightly understated.