UK vehicle statistics / MCC

How many MCC Smart cars are left?

At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 1,698 licensed and 3,289 SORN vehicles in the UK within the MCC Smart generic-model group.

Looking at a Smart?

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

Is the Smart disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 10,986 in 2014 Q3 and stand at 1,698 in 2026 Q1, down 85%. That is down 61% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 3,289 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 4,987 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 4,987 Smart vehicles still on the DVLA record, 1 in 2 is SORN (3,289 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 85% from the 2014 Q3 peak of 10,986. Fewer cars on the road usually means fewer donor parts and fewer specialists.
  • Check the actual Smart — 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 Q11,6983,289
2025 Q41,8243,269
2025 Q31,9403,235
2025 Q22,0333,210
2025 Q12,0823,241
2024 Q42,2413,238
2024 Q32,3773,321
2024 Q22,5023,341
2024 Q12,6413,324
2023 Q42,7723,313
2023 Q32,9163,281
2023 Q23,0093,283
2023 Q13,0853,298
2022 Q43,2383,310
2022 Q33,4243,261
2022 Q23,5113,255
2022 Q13,6163,339
2021 Q43,7843,359
2021 Q33,9793,295
2021 Q24,1743,307
2021 Q14,3143,342
2020 Q44,5363,320
2020 Q34,7513,253
2020 Q24,8623,240
2020 Q15,0833,235
2019 Q45,3643,134
2019 Q35,6193,051
2019 Q25,8702,950
2019 Q16,0872,944
2018 Q46,3642,942
2018 Q36,5582,874
2018 Q26,8332,779
2018 Q17,0342,782
2017 Q47,3392,731
2017 Q37,6312,626
2017 Q27,8772,542
2017 Q18,1582,426
2016 Q48,4122,344
2016 Q38,5512,199
2016 Q28,8502,104
2016 Q19,1462,004
2015 Q49,4641,856
2015 Q39,6591,674
2015 Q29,9451,590
2015 Q110,1761,496
2014 Q410,4891,355
2014 Q310,9861,200

Common questions

How many MCC Smart cars are left in the UK?

1,698 were licensed and 3,289 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, according to DfT and DVLA statistics for this generic-model group.

How many MCC Smart cars are SORN?

3,289 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 4,987 still on the DVLA record at the end of 2026 Q1.

Is the Smart disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 10,986 in 2014 Q3 and stand at 1,698 in 2026 Q1, down 85%. That is down 61% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 3,289 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 4,987 still on the DVLA record is off the road, laid up, part-restored or waiting to be sold.

Does this say whether one Smart 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.