UK vehicle statistics / Kawasaki

How many Kawasaki ZX buses are left?

At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 18,419 licensed and 36,573 SORN vehicles in the UK within the Kawasaki ZX generic-model group.

Looking at a ZX?

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

Is the ZX disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 35,915 in 2014 Q3 and stand at 18,419 in 2026 Q1, down 49%. That is down 26% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 36,573 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 54,992 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 54,992 ZX vehicles still on the DVLA record, 1 in 2 is SORN (36,573 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 49% from the 2014 Q3 peak of 35,915. Fewer cars on the road usually means fewer donor parts and fewer specialists.
  • Check the actual ZX — 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 Q118,41936,573
2025 Q418,50636,108
2025 Q322,13232,565
2025 Q222,51032,195
2025 Q119,51135,019
2024 Q419,34035,338
2024 Q323,11132,908
2024 Q223,42132,738
2024 Q120,72834,197
2023 Q420,77635,736
2023 Q324,99832,035
2023 Q225,29531,522
2023 Q122,09233,081
2022 Q422,52034,740
2022 Q326,31231,130
2022 Q226,61830,431
2022 Q124,04932,128
2021 Q424,05133,807
2021 Q328,03329,902
2021 Q228,30929,411
2021 Q124,89831,105
2020 Q425,44332,856
2020 Q329,81128,880
2020 Q229,28728,419
2020 Q126,31631,372
2019 Q427,18531,573
2019 Q331,56827,594
2019 Q231,82926,523
2019 Q129,13427,862
2018 Q428,92030,117
2018 Q333,49225,642
2018 Q233,29424,616
2018 Q128,95926,421
2017 Q429,65528,134
2017 Q334,10324,042
2017 Q234,34923,161
2017 Q130,63323,459
2016 Q430,47925,416
2016 Q334,50221,101
2016 Q234,39320,224
2016 Q130,79822,537
2015 Q430,67223,434
2015 Q334,82819,142
2015 Q234,59518,409
2015 Q129,82319,859
2014 Q430,17722,232
2014 Q335,91517,379

Other Kawasaki models

  • ZR — 14,327 licensed
  • EX — 4,761 licensed
  • ER — 3,656 licensed
  • Zx1002 — 4,496 licensed
  • VN — 2,642 licensed
  • Z — 820 licensed

See how many of every Kawasaki model are left

Common questions

How many Kawasaki ZX buses are left in the UK?

18,419 were licensed and 36,573 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, according to DfT and DVLA statistics for this generic-model group.

How many Kawasaki ZX buses are SORN?

36,573 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 54,992 still on the DVLA record at the end of 2026 Q1.

Is the ZX disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 35,915 in 2014 Q3 and stand at 18,419 in 2026 Q1, down 49%. That is down 26% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 36,573 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 54,992 still on the DVLA record is off the road, laid up, part-restored or waiting to be sold.

Does this say whether one ZX 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.