UK vehicle statistics / Iris.BUS
How many Iris.BUS cars are left?
At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 229 licensed and 263 SORN Iris.BUS vehicles in the UK, across 1 published model group. That means 1 in 2 surviving Iris.BUS is currently off the road.
Looking at a Iris.BUS?
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 Iris.BUS fleet shrinking?
Adding up every published Iris.BUS model group: Licensed numbers peaked at 827 in 2014 Q3 and stand at 229 in 2026 Q1, down 72%. That is down 49% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 263 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 492 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 492 Iris.BUS vehicles still on the DVLA record, 1 in 2 is SORN (263 at 2026 Q1). A car that has been laid up needs a closer look at brakes, tyres and the MOT history.
- Budget for a shrinking fleet — Licensed numbers are down 72% from the 2014 Q3 peak of 827. Fewer cars on the road usually means fewer donor parts and fewer specialists.
- Check the actual Iris.BUS — 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 Iris.BUS models
The published Iris.BUS model groups with the smallest surviving populations.
- Daily — 229 licensed, 263 SORN
Every Iris.BUS model
| Model | Licensed | SORN |
|---|---|---|
| Daily | 229 | 263 |
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 Iris.BUS cars are left in the UK?
229 Iris.BUS vehicles were licensed and 263 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, across 1 published model group, according to DfT and DVLA statistics.
Which Iris.BUS is rarest?
Of the published Iris.BUS model groups, the Daily has the smallest surviving population at 229 licensed and 263 SORN.
Is the Iris.BUS fleet shrinking?
Licensed numbers peaked at 827 in 2014 Q3 and stand at 229 in 2026 Q1, down 72%. That is down 49% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 263 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 492 still on the DVLA record is off the road, laid up, part-restored or waiting to be sold.
Does a Iris.BUS 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.