UK vehicle statistics / Riley
How many Riley cars are left?
At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 1,737 licensed and 804 SORN Riley vehicles in the UK, across 5 published model groups. That means 1 in 3 surviving Riley is currently off the road.
Looking at a Riley?
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 Riley fleet shrinking?
Adding up every published Riley model group: Licensed numbers peaked at 1,787 in 2023 Q2 and stand at 1,737 in 2026 Q1, down 3%. The number on the road is unchanged since 2021 Q1. A further 804 are declared SORN — 1 in 3 of the 2,541 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 2,541 Riley vehicles still on the DVLA record, 1 in 3 is SORN (804 at 2026 Q1). A car that has been laid up needs a closer look at brakes, tyres and the MOT history.
- Check the actual Riley — 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 Riley models
The published Riley model groups with the smallest surviving populations.
- 4/72 — 73 licensed, 34 SORN
- Kestrel — 125 licensed, 42 SORN
- 2.5 — 274 licensed, 60 SORN
- ELF — 442 licensed, 350 SORN
- 1.5 — 823 licensed, 318 SORN
Every Riley model
| Model | Licensed | SORN |
|---|---|---|
| 1.5 | 823 | 318 |
| ELF | 442 | 350 |
| 2.5 | 274 | 60 |
| Kestrel | 125 | 42 |
| 4/72 | 73 | 34 |
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 Riley cars are left in the UK?
1,737 Riley vehicles were licensed and 804 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, across 5 published model groups, according to DfT and DVLA statistics.
Which Riley is rarest?
Of the published Riley model groups, the 4/72 has the smallest surviving population at 73 licensed and 34 SORN.
Is the Riley fleet shrinking?
Licensed numbers peaked at 1,787 in 2023 Q2 and stand at 1,737 in 2026 Q1, down 3%. The number on the road is unchanged since 2021 Q1. A further 804 are declared SORN — 1 in 3 of the 2,541 still on the DVLA record is off the road, laid up, part-restored or waiting to be sold.
Does a Riley 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.