UK vehicle statistics / Optare

How many Optare Versa buses are left?

At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 367 licensed and 116 SORN vehicles in the UK within the Optare Versa generic-model group.

Looking at a Versa?

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

Is the Versa disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 581 in 2018 Q4 and stand at 367 in 2026 Q1, down 37%. That is down 29% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 116 are declared SORN — 1 in 4 of the 483 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.

Before you buy

  • Ask why it was off the road — Of the 483 Versa vehicles still on the DVLA record, 1 in 4 is SORN (116 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 37% from the 2018 Q4 peak of 581. Fewer cars on the road usually means fewer donor parts and fewer specialists.
  • Check the actual Versa — 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 Q1367116
2025 Q4365114
2025 Q3356122
2025 Q2374123
2025 Q1372131
2024 Q4395118
2024 Q3421109
2024 Q2445100
2024 Q146984
2023 Q447980
2023 Q348668
2023 Q248968
2023 Q149469
2022 Q449867
2022 Q351157
2022 Q251554
2022 Q152742
2021 Q453336
2021 Q352340
2021 Q251846
2021 Q151451
2020 Q454637
2020 Q354839
2020 Q2478107
2020 Q1394174
2019 Q457024
2019 Q357827
2019 Q257919
2019 Q157619
2018 Q458121
2018 Q356718
2018 Q256516
2018 Q156515
2017 Q455817
2017 Q355910
2017 Q252213
2017 Q150014
2016 Q44876
2016 Q34777
2016 Q24502
2016 Q14441
2015 Q44271
2015 Q34082
2015 Q23872
2015 Q13682
2014 Q43595
2014 Q33641

Other Optare models

See how many of every Optare model are left

Common questions

How many Optare Versa buses are left in the UK?

367 were licensed and 116 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, according to DfT and DVLA statistics for this generic-model group.

How many Optare Versa buses are SORN?

116 are declared SORN — 1 in 4 of the 483 still on the DVLA record at the end of 2026 Q1.

Is the Versa disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 581 in 2018 Q4 and stand at 367 in 2026 Q1, down 37%. That is down 29% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 116 are declared SORN — 1 in 4 of the 483 still on the DVLA record is off the road, laid up, part-restored or waiting to be sold.

Does this say whether one Versa 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.