UK vehicle statistics / Datsun

How many Datsun 240 cars are left?

At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 315 licensed and 200 SORN vehicles in the UK within the Datsun 240 generic-model group.

Looking at a 240?

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 240 is off the road? A free SORN check shows whether it is currently SORN, taxed or untaxed.

Is the 240 disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 322 in 2024 Q3 and stand at 315 in 2026 Q1, down 2%. That is up 5% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 200 are declared SORN — 1 in 3 of the 515 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 515 240 vehicles still on the DVLA record, 1 in 3 is SORN (200 at 2026 Q1). A car that has been laid up needs a closer look at brakes, tyres and the MOT history.
  • Check the actual 240 — 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 Q1315200
2025 Q4315195
2025 Q3313193
2025 Q2314189
2025 Q1315186
2024 Q4314180
2024 Q3322172
2024 Q2320176
2024 Q1317176
2023 Q4307174
2023 Q3311173
2023 Q2319171
2023 Q1318167
2022 Q4304172
2022 Q3304170
2022 Q2312164
2022 Q1308166
2021 Q4303165
2021 Q3300161
2021 Q2301157
2021 Q1301154
2020 Q4298151
2020 Q3298149
2020 Q2294146
2020 Q1293150
2019 Q4285149
2019 Q3275150
2019 Q2271145
2019 Q1268145
2018 Q4255145
2018 Q3245144
2018 Q2228147
2018 Q1191172
2017 Q4194163
2017 Q3195159
2017 Q2208150
2017 Q1206141
2016 Q4195139
2016 Q3197138
2016 Q2190133
2016 Q1193124
2015 Q4190124
2015 Q3183115
2015 Q2170114
2015 Q1175109
2014 Q4166117
2014 Q3164118

Other Datsun models

  • 260 — 145 licensed
  • 280 — 94 licensed
  • 120 — 56 licensed
  • Sunny — 32 licensed
  • 100 — 34 licensed

See how many of every Datsun model are left

Common questions

How many Datsun 240 cars are left in the UK?

315 were licensed and 200 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, according to DfT and DVLA statistics for this generic-model group.

How many Datsun 240 cars are SORN?

200 are declared SORN — 1 in 3 of the 515 still on the DVLA record at the end of 2026 Q1.

Is the 240 disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 322 in 2024 Q3 and stand at 315 in 2026 Q1, down 2%. That is up 5% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 200 are declared SORN — 1 in 3 of the 515 still on the DVLA record is off the road, laid up, part-restored or waiting to be sold.

Does this say whether one 240 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.