UK vehicle statistics / Datsun

How many Datsun 260 cars are left?

At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 145 licensed and 158 SORN vehicles in the UK within the Datsun 260 generic-model group.

Looking at a 260?

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

Is the 260 disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 155 in 2025 Q2 and stand at 145 in 2026 Q1, down 6%. That is up 4% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 158 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 303 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 303 260 vehicles still on the DVLA record, 1 in 2 is SORN (158 at 2026 Q1). A car that has been laid up needs a closer look at brakes, tyres and the MOT history.
  • Check the actual 260 — 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 Q1145158
2025 Q4147156
2025 Q3150151
2025 Q2155144
2025 Q1145150
2024 Q4146151
2024 Q3146147
2024 Q2139149
2024 Q1141151
2023 Q4139151
2023 Q3143150
2023 Q2145149
2023 Q1145151
2022 Q4145152
2022 Q3146146
2022 Q2148148
2022 Q1147148
2021 Q4144146
2021 Q3142145
2021 Q2142144
2021 Q1140146
2020 Q4140144
2020 Q3141144
2020 Q2132147
2020 Q1132151
2019 Q4124151
2019 Q3127148
2019 Q2121144
2019 Q1103145
2018 Q4102156
2018 Q3108139
2018 Q2102139
2018 Q181148
2017 Q486155
2017 Q399143
2017 Q2103138
2017 Q190142
2016 Q487147
2016 Q395133
2016 Q287128
2016 Q164138
2015 Q464143
2015 Q379123
2015 Q282115
2015 Q157119
2014 Q453135
2014 Q380110

Other Datsun models

  • 240 — 315 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 260 cars are left in the UK?

145 were licensed and 158 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, according to DfT and DVLA statistics for this generic-model group.

How many Datsun 260 cars are SORN?

158 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 303 still on the DVLA record at the end of 2026 Q1.

Is the 260 disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 155 in 2025 Q2 and stand at 145 in 2026 Q1, down 6%. That is up 4% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 158 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 303 still on the DVLA record is off the road, laid up, part-restored or waiting to be sold.

Does this say whether one 260 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.