UK vehicle statistics / Mazda

How many Mazda MX-5 cars are left?

At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 79,773 licensed and 36,823 SORN vehicles in the UK within the Mazda MX-5 generic-model group.

Looking at a MX-5?

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 MX-5 is off the road? A free SORN check shows whether it is currently SORN, taxed or untaxed.

Is the MX-5 disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 104,394 in 2014 Q3 and stand at 79,773 in 2026 Q1, down 24%. That is down 12% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 36,823 are declared SORN — 1 in 3 of the 116,596 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.

MX-5 MOT pass rate

In 2024, 74.2% of 81,811 Mazda MX-5 MOTs passed first time — above the 71.2% UK average. Pass rate moves with age: 91.2% of cars aged 3–5 years passed first time, against 66.7% aged 15–30 years.

  • Brake Performance — 5.3% of tests. The brakes underperformed on the rolling road. Expect brake work rather than an adjustment.
  • Exhaust Emissions — 4.7% of tests. The car exceeded its emissions limits. Can be a sensor or a service, but on a diesel it can also mean an expensive filter or catalyst.
  • Springs — 3.1% of tests. A broken or sagging coil spring. Replaced in pairs, so it is not the cheapest failure.
  • Headlamp Aim — 2.9% of tests. Headlights pointing too high or low. Cheap to adjust, and common on every make.

Full age bands and failure notes are on the Mazda MX-5 MOT pass rate page.

Before you buy

  • Brake Performance — 5.3% of tests in 2024. The brakes underperformed on the rolling road. Expect brake work rather than an adjustment.
  • Exhaust Emissions — 4.7% of tests in 2024. The car exceeded its emissions limits. Can be a sensor or a service, but on a diesel it can also mean an expensive filter or catalyst.
  • Springs — 3.1% of tests in 2024. A broken or sagging coil spring. Replaced in pairs, so it is not the cheapest failure.
  • Headlamp Aim — 2.9% of tests in 2024. Headlights pointing too high or low. Cheap to adjust, and common on every make.
  • Ask why it was off the road — Of the 116,596 MX-5 vehicles still on the DVLA record, 1 in 3 is SORN (36,823 at 2026 Q1). A car that has been laid up needs a closer look at brakes, tyres and the MOT history.
  • Check the actual MX-5 — 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 Q179,77336,823
2025 Q479,57236,872
2025 Q386,43730,204
2025 Q287,61629,116
2025 Q181,74734,713
2024 Q481,36035,436
2024 Q388,14630,268
2024 Q289,37629,314
2024 Q184,69031,663
2023 Q483,79435,341
2023 Q391,16928,376
2023 Q292,48927,058
2023 Q187,23529,486
2022 Q486,79133,192
2022 Q393,52526,877
2022 Q294,41425,398
2022 Q189,25328,109
2021 Q488,41631,765
2021 Q395,64325,151
2021 Q296,80824,510
2021 Q190,44027,904
2020 Q490,55331,827
2020 Q397,50725,457
2020 Q296,46124,833
2020 Q192,19829,528
2019 Q494,76028,588
2019 Q3102,14221,889
2019 Q2102,18020,391
2019 Q196,80622,383
2018 Q495,57826,438
2018 Q3103,04619,483
2018 Q2102,73518,059
2018 Q196,77120,307
2017 Q496,42023,858
2017 Q3103,47017,476
2017 Q2103,48516,197
2017 Q197,97017,397
2016 Q496,82121,082
2016 Q3102,44214,610
2016 Q2102,70013,619
2016 Q197,16017,132
2015 Q496,61418,480
2015 Q3102,30212,308
2015 Q2102,57911,429
2015 Q197,30413,133
2014 Q497,37116,757
2014 Q3104,39410,370

Other Mazda models

See how many of every Mazda model are left

Common questions

How many Mazda MX-5 cars are left in the UK?

79,773 were licensed and 36,823 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, according to DfT and DVLA statistics for this generic-model group.

How many Mazda MX-5 cars are SORN?

36,823 are declared SORN — 1 in 3 of the 116,596 still on the DVLA record at the end of 2026 Q1.

Is the MX-5 disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 104,394 in 2014 Q3 and stand at 79,773 in 2026 Q1, down 24%. That is down 12% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 36,823 are declared SORN — 1 in 3 of the 116,596 still on the DVLA record is off the road, laid up, part-restored or waiting to be sold.

What is the Mazda MX-5 MOT pass rate?

In 2024, 74.2% of 81,811 Mazda MX-5 MOTs passed first time — above the 71.2% UK average.

What does the MX-5 fail its MOT on?

The most common initial failure categories in 2024 are brake performance (5.3% of tests), exhaust emissions (4.7% of tests), springs (3.1% of tests).

Does this say whether one MX-5 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.