UK vehicle statistics / Mitsubishi

How many Mitsubishi Lancer cars are left?

At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 6,129 licensed and 4,433 SORN vehicles in the UK within the Mitsubishi Lancer generic-model group.

Looking at a Lancer?

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

Is the Lancer disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 19,156 in 2014 Q3 and stand at 6,129 in 2026 Q1, down 68%. That is down 48% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 4,433 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 10,562 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.

Lancer MOT pass rate

In 2024, 66.3% of 9,172 Mitsubishi Lancer MOTs passed first time — below the 71.2% UK average. Pass rate moves with age: 88.8% of cars aged 6–9 years passed first time, against 68.4% aged 15–30 years.

  • Anti-roll Bars — 6.8% of tests. Worn anti-roll bar links or bushes. Inexpensive but often recurring.
  • Steering Linkage Components — 6.4% of tests. Worn track rod ends or joints. Affects steering and tyre wear, and is a normal age-related repair.
  • Exhaust Emissions — 6.1% 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.
  • Position Lamps — 5.6% of tests. A side or tail light out. Usually a bulb.

Full age bands and failure notes are on the Mitsubishi Lancer MOT pass rate page.

Before you buy

  • Anti-roll Bars — 6.8% of tests in 2024. Worn anti-roll bar links or bushes. Inexpensive but often recurring.
  • Steering Linkage Components — 6.4% of tests in 2024. Worn track rod ends or joints. Affects steering and tyre wear, and is a normal age-related repair.
  • Exhaust Emissions — 6.1% 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.
  • Position Lamps — 5.6% of tests in 2024. A side or tail light out. Usually a bulb.
  • Ask why it was off the road — Of the 10,562 Lancer vehicles still on the DVLA record, 1 in 2 is SORN (4,433 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 68% from the 2014 Q3 peak of 19,156. Fewer cars on the road usually means fewer donor parts and fewer specialists.
  • Check the actual Lancer — 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 Q16,1294,433
2025 Q46,3354,433
2025 Q36,8374,121
2025 Q27,1094,083
2025 Q17,2134,237
2024 Q47,4274,215
2024 Q38,0093,990
2024 Q28,3053,947
2024 Q18,3824,027
2023 Q48,5974,153
2023 Q39,1403,868
2023 Q29,4513,753
2023 Q19,4613,834
2022 Q49,7223,954
2022 Q310,1633,659
2022 Q210,4283,585
2022 Q110,5513,634
2021 Q410,7803,698
2021 Q311,2923,418
2021 Q211,6173,359
2021 Q111,6883,460
2020 Q411,9503,510
2020 Q312,4233,239
2020 Q212,6483,142
2020 Q112,8273,223
2019 Q413,2293,089
2019 Q313,7552,796
2019 Q214,0872,672
2019 Q114,2322,670
2018 Q414,5342,719
2018 Q315,0022,434
2018 Q215,3322,288
2018 Q115,4552,302
2017 Q415,7802,328
2017 Q316,2802,046
2017 Q216,5831,957
2017 Q116,7451,869
2016 Q416,9711,893
2016 Q317,2801,648
2016 Q217,5381,584
2016 Q117,7321,581
2015 Q417,9641,526
2015 Q318,2171,314
2015 Q218,4371,223
2015 Q118,4551,232
2014 Q418,6931,264
2014 Q319,1561,076

Other Mitsubishi models

See how many of every Mitsubishi model are left

Common questions

How many Mitsubishi Lancer cars are left in the UK?

6,129 were licensed and 4,433 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, according to DfT and DVLA statistics for this generic-model group.

How many Mitsubishi Lancer cars are SORN?

4,433 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 10,562 still on the DVLA record at the end of 2026 Q1.

Is the Lancer disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 19,156 in 2014 Q3 and stand at 6,129 in 2026 Q1, down 68%. That is down 48% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 4,433 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 10,562 still on the DVLA record is off the road, laid up, part-restored or waiting to be sold.

What is the Mitsubishi Lancer MOT pass rate?

In 2024, 66.3% of 9,172 Mitsubishi Lancer MOTs passed first time — below the 71.2% UK average.

What does the Lancer fail its MOT on?

The most common initial failure categories in 2024 are anti-roll bars (6.8% of tests), steering linkage components (6.4% of tests), exhaust emissions (6.1% of tests).

Does this say whether one Lancer 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.