UK vehicle statistics / Mercedes

How many Mercedes 500 cars are left?

At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 1,254 licensed and 2,901 SORN vehicles in the UK within the Mercedes 500 generic-model group.

Looking at a 500?

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

Is the 500 disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 2,597 in 2014 Q3 and stand at 1,254 in 2026 Q1, down 52%. That is down 14% in the five years since 2021 Q1.

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

  • Budget for a shrinking fleet — Licensed numbers are down 52% from the 2014 Q3 peak of 2,597. Fewer cars on the road usually means fewer donor parts and fewer specialists.
  • Check the actual 500 — 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 Q11,2542,901
2025 Q41,2792,869
2025 Q31,4422,705
2025 Q21,4202,732
2025 Q11,2222,927
2024 Q41,2512,912
2024 Q31,4442,793
2024 Q21,4292,802
2024 Q11,2652,910
2023 Q41,2942,963
2023 Q31,5242,752
2023 Q21,5602,722
2023 Q11,3392,852
2022 Q41,3812,925
2022 Q31,5802,716
2022 Q21,6112,667
2022 Q11,4562,805
2021 Q41,4572,900
2021 Q31,7122,665
2021 Q21,6982,657
2021 Q11,4602,790
2020 Q41,4882,881
2020 Q31,7112,685
2020 Q21,6782,659
2020 Q11,5612,836
2019 Q41,6522,793
2019 Q31,9462,518
2019 Q21,9352,461
2019 Q11,7362,558
2018 Q41,7432,714
2018 Q32,0292,407
2018 Q22,0522,349
2018 Q11,8142,501
2017 Q41,8612,609
2017 Q32,1852,321
2017 Q22,2012,260
2017 Q11,9872,296
2016 Q42,0432,390
2016 Q32,3092,108
2016 Q22,3122,067
2016 Q12,0782,278
2015 Q42,1352,275
2015 Q32,4101,993
2015 Q22,4341,967
2015 Q12,1782,056
2014 Q42,2562,168
2014 Q32,5971,860

Other Mercedes models

See how many of every Mercedes model are left

Common questions

How many Mercedes 500 cars are left in the UK?

1,254 were licensed and 2,901 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, according to DfT and DVLA statistics for this generic-model group.

How many Mercedes 500 cars are SORN?

2,901 are declared SORN, alongside 1,254 licensed, at the end of 2026 Q1.

Is the 500 disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 2,597 in 2014 Q3 and stand at 1,254 in 2026 Q1, down 52%. That is down 14% in the five years since 2021 Q1.

Does this say whether one 500 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.