UK vehicle statistics / Indian
How many Indian cars are left?
At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 3,928 licensed and 1,327 SORN Indian vehicles in the UK, across 8 published model groups. That means 1 in 4 surviving Indian is currently off the road.
Looking at a Indian?
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 Indian fleet shrinking?
Adding up every published Indian model group: Licensed numbers peaked at 4,352 in 2025 Q2 and stand at 3,928 in 2026 Q1, down 10%. That is up 72% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 1,327 are declared SORN — 1 in 4 of the 5,255 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 5,255 Indian vehicles still on the DVLA record, 1 in 4 is SORN (1,327 at 2026 Q1). A car that has been laid up needs a closer look at brakes, tyres and the MOT history.
- Check the actual Indian — 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 Indian models
The published Indian model groups with the smallest surviving populations.
- Challenger — 87 licensed, 14 SORN
- 101 Scout — 115 licensed, 9 SORN
- Springfield — 86 licensed, 38 SORN
- Roadmaster — 143 licensed, 48 SORN
- Chieftain — 161 licensed, 53 SORN
Every Indian model
| Model | Licensed | SORN |
|---|---|---|
| Scout | 2,145 | 693 |
| Chief | 631 | 265 |
| FTR | 560 | 207 |
| Chieftain | 161 | 53 |
| Roadmaster | 143 | 48 |
| 101 Scout | 115 | 9 |
| Springfield | 86 | 38 |
| Challenger | 87 | 14 |
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 Indian cars are left in the UK?
3,928 Indian vehicles were licensed and 1,327 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, across 8 published model groups, according to DfT and DVLA statistics.
Which Indian is rarest?
Of the published Indian model groups, the Challenger has the smallest surviving population at 87 licensed and 14 SORN.
Is the Indian fleet shrinking?
Licensed numbers peaked at 4,352 in 2025 Q2 and stand at 3,928 in 2026 Q1, down 10%. That is up 72% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 1,327 are declared SORN — 1 in 4 of the 5,255 still on the DVLA record is off the road, laid up, part-restored or waiting to be sold.
Does a Indian 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.