UK vehicle statistics / Datsun
How many Datsun cars are left?
At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 676 licensed and 723 SORN Datsun vehicles in the UK, across 6 published model groups. That means 1 in 2 surviving Datsun is currently off the road.
Looking at a Datsun?
Population figures describe a model group, not the car in front of you.
Check its registration free for the official tax, MOT and mileage record. Before buying, the optional £9.99 full history check adds outstanding-finance, stolen and insurance write-off checks.
Is the Datsun fleet shrinking?
Adding up every published Datsun model group: Licensed numbers peaked at 684 in 2024 Q3 and stand at 676 in 2026 Q1, down 1%. That is up 10% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 723 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 1,399 still on the DVLA record is off the road, laid up, part-restored or waiting to be sold.
Before you buy
- Ask why it was off the road — Of the 1,399 Datsun vehicles still on the DVLA record, 1 in 2 is SORN (723 at 2026 Q1). A car that has been laid up needs a closer look at brakes, tyres and the MOT history.
- Check the actual Datsun — These figures describe the model group. Enter the registration for that vehicle's free MOT, tax and mileage record before you pay a deposit.
Rarest Datsun models
The published Datsun model groups with the smallest surviving populations.
- 100 — 34 licensed, 68 SORN
- Sunny — 32 licensed, 76 SORN
- 120 — 56 licensed, 90 SORN
- 280 — 94 licensed, 131 SORN
- 260 — 145 licensed, 158 SORN
Every Datsun model
| Model | Licensed | SORN |
|---|---|---|
| 240 | 315 | 200 |
| 260 | 145 | 158 |
| 280 | 94 | 131 |
| 120 | 56 | 90 |
| Sunny | 32 | 76 |
| 100 | 34 | 68 |
How to read these numbers
Licensed means taxed and legal to use on the road at the end of the quarter. SORN means the keeper has declared it off the road — it still exists, but it is not in use. A model group's total is the best available proxy for how many survive, and a shrinking one means fewer donor cars, fewer specialists and slower parts supply.
Common questions
How many Datsun cars are left in the UK?
676 Datsun vehicles were licensed and 723 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, across 6 published model groups, according to DfT and DVLA statistics.
Which Datsun is rarest?
Of the published Datsun model groups, the 100 has the smallest surviving population at 34 licensed and 68 SORN.
Is the Datsun fleet shrinking?
Licensed numbers peaked at 684 in 2024 Q3 and stand at 676 in 2026 Q1, down 1%. That is up 10% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 723 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 1,399 still on the DVLA record is off the road, laid up, part-restored or waiting to be sold.
Does a Datsun population figure describe the car I am looking at?
No. It describes the model group. Enter the registration for that car's 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.