UK vehicle statistics / Microcar
How many Microcar cars are left?
At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 436 licensed and 652 SORN Microcar vehicles in the UK, across 3 published model groups. That means 1 in 2 surviving Microcar is currently off the road.
Looking at a Microcar?
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 Microcar fleet shrinking?
Adding up every published Microcar model group: Licensed numbers peaked at 1,654 in 2014 Q3 and stand at 436 in 2026 Q1, down 74%. That is down 51% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 652 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 1,088 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 1,088 Microcar vehicles still on the DVLA record, 1 in 2 is SORN (652 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 74% from the 2014 Q3 peak of 1,654. Fewer cars on the road usually means fewer donor parts and fewer specialists.
- Check the actual Microcar — 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 Microcar models
The published Microcar model groups with the smallest surviving populations.
Every Microcar model
| Model | Licensed | SORN |
|---|---|---|
| M-GO | 360 | 149 |
| MC1 | 70 | 323 |
| Virgo | 6 | 180 |
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 Microcar cars are left in the UK?
436 Microcar vehicles were licensed and 652 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, across 3 published model groups, according to DfT and DVLA statistics.
Which Microcar is rarest?
Of the published Microcar model groups, the Virgo has the smallest surviving population at 6 licensed and 180 SORN.
Is the Microcar fleet shrinking?
Licensed numbers peaked at 1,654 in 2014 Q3 and stand at 436 in 2026 Q1, down 74%. That is down 51% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 652 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 1,088 still on the DVLA record is off the road, laid up, part-restored or waiting to be sold.
Does a Microcar 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.