UK vehicle statistics / Generic
How many Generic cars are left?
At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 86 licensed and 998 SORN Generic vehicles in the UK, across 5 published model groups.
Looking at a Generic?
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 Generic fleet shrinking?
Adding up every published Generic model group: Licensed numbers peaked at 870 in 2014 Q3 and stand at 86 in 2026 Q1, down 90%. That is down 71% in the five years since 2021 Q1.
Before you buy
- Budget for a shrinking fleet — Licensed numbers are down 90% from the 2014 Q3 peak of 870. Fewer cars on the road usually means fewer donor parts and fewer specialists.
- Check the actual Generic — 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 Generic models
The published Generic model groups with the smallest surviving populations.
Every Generic model
| Model | Licensed | SORN |
|---|---|---|
| Trigger | 9 | 328 |
| Code 125 | 72 | 213 |
| Cracker | 5 | 222 |
| XOR 50 | 0 | 132 |
| XOR 125 | 0 | 103 |
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 Generic cars are left in the UK?
86 Generic vehicles were licensed and 998 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, across 5 published model groups, according to DfT and DVLA statistics.
Which Generic is rarest?
Of the published Generic model groups, the Cracker has the smallest surviving population at 5 licensed and 222 SORN.
Is the Generic fleet shrinking?
Licensed numbers peaked at 870 in 2014 Q3 and stand at 86 in 2026 Q1, down 90%. That is down 71% in the five years since 2021 Q1.
Does a Generic 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.