UK vehicle statistics / Optare
How many Optare cars are left?
At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 1,151 licensed and 882 SORN Optare vehicles in the UK, across 4 published model groups. That means 1 in 2 surviving Optare is currently off the road.
Looking at a Optare?
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 Optare fleet shrinking?
Adding up every published Optare model group: Licensed numbers peaked at 2,229 in 2016 Q1 and stand at 1,151 in 2026 Q1, down 48%. That is down 35% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 882 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 2,033 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 2,033 Optare vehicles still on the DVLA record, 1 in 2 is SORN (882 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 48% from the 2016 Q1 peak of 2,229. Fewer cars on the road usually means fewer donor parts and fewer specialists.
- Check the actual Optare — 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 Optare models
The published Optare model groups with the smallest surviving populations.
- Metrodecker — 107 licensed, 6 SORN
- Alero — 8 licensed, 112 SORN
- Versa — 367 licensed, 116 SORN
- Solo — 669 licensed, 648 SORN
Every Optare model
| Model | Licensed | SORN |
|---|---|---|
| Solo | 669 | 648 |
| Versa | 367 | 116 |
| Alero | 8 | 112 |
| Metrodecker | 107 | 6 |
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 Optare cars are left in the UK?
1,151 Optare vehicles were licensed and 882 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, across 4 published model groups, according to DfT and DVLA statistics.
Which Optare is rarest?
Of the published Optare model groups, the Metrodecker has the smallest surviving population at 107 licensed and 6 SORN.
Is the Optare fleet shrinking?
Licensed numbers peaked at 2,229 in 2016 Q1 and stand at 1,151 in 2026 Q1, down 48%. That is down 35% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 882 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 2,033 still on the DVLA record is off the road, laid up, part-restored or waiting to be sold.
Does a Optare 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.