UK vehicle statistics / NIU
How many NIU cars are left?
At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 1,407 licensed and 999 SORN NIU vehicles in the UK, across 6 published model groups. That means 1 in 2 surviving NIU is currently off the road.
Looking at a NIU?
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 NIU fleet shrinking?
Adding up every published NIU model group: Licensed numbers peaked at 2,107 in 2022 Q4 and stand at 1,407 in 2026 Q1, down 33%. That is up 37% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 999 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 2,406 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 2,406 NIU vehicles still on the DVLA record, 1 in 2 is SORN (999 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 33% from the 2022 Q4 peak of 2,107. Fewer cars on the road usually means fewer donor parts and fewer specialists.
- Check the actual NIU — 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 NIU models
The published NIU model groups with the smallest surviving populations.
- MGT — 85 licensed, 49 SORN
- NGT — 71 licensed, 96 SORN
- N Series — 99 licensed, 76 SORN
- U Series — 86 licensed, 140 SORN
- M Series — 303 licensed, 245 SORN
Every NIU model
| Model | Licensed | SORN |
|---|---|---|
| NQI | 763 | 393 |
| M Series | 303 | 245 |
| U Series | 86 | 140 |
| N Series | 99 | 76 |
| NGT | 71 | 96 |
| MGT | 85 | 49 |
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 NIU cars are left in the UK?
1,407 NIU vehicles were licensed and 999 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, across 6 published model groups, according to DfT and DVLA statistics.
Which NIU is rarest?
Of the published NIU model groups, the MGT has the smallest surviving population at 85 licensed and 49 SORN.
Is the NIU fleet shrinking?
Licensed numbers peaked at 2,107 in 2022 Q4 and stand at 1,407 in 2026 Q1, down 33%. That is up 37% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 999 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 2,406 still on the DVLA record is off the road, laid up, part-restored or waiting to be sold.
Does a NIU 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.