How many Rover 45 cars are left?
At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 1,204 licensed and 3,574 SORN vehicles in the UK within the Rover 45 generic-model group.
Looking at a 45?
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 45 is off the road? A free SORN check shows whether it is currently SORN, taxed or untaxed.
Is the 45 disappearing?
Licensed numbers peaked at 32,420 in 2014 Q3 and stand at 1,204 in 2026 Q1, down 96%. That is down 75% in the five years since 2021 Q1.
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.
45 MOT pass rate
In 2024, 55.5% of 1,772 Rover 45 MOTs passed first time — below the 71.2% UK average.
- Component Mounting Prescribed Areas — 10.5% of tests. Corrosion near a mounting point for a tested component. This is the kind of rust that gets expensive — inspect it.
- Brake Performance — 8.6% of tests. The brakes underperformed on the rolling road. Expect brake work rather than an adjustment.
- Transmission — 7.7% of tests. A fault with a driveshaft, gaiter or transmission component. Costs vary widely.
- Exhaust Emissions — 6.8% 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.
Full age bands and failure notes are on the Rover 45 MOT pass rate page.
Before you buy
- Component Mounting Prescribed Areas — 10.5% of tests in 2024. Corrosion near a mounting point for a tested component. This is the kind of rust that gets expensive — inspect it.
- Brake Performance — 8.6% of tests in 2024. The brakes underperformed on the rolling road. Expect brake work rather than an adjustment.
- Transmission — 7.7% of tests in 2024. A fault with a driveshaft, gaiter or transmission component. Costs vary widely.
- Exhaust Emissions — 6.8% 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.
- Budget for a shrinking fleet — Licensed numbers are down 96% from the 2014 Q3 peak of 32,420. Fewer cars on the road usually means fewer donor parts and fewer specialists.
- Check the actual 45 — 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.
| Quarter | Licensed | SORN |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Q1 | 1,204 | 3,574 |
| 2025 Q4 | 1,273 | 3,571 |
| 2025 Q3 | 1,355 | 3,546 |
| 2025 Q2 | 1,436 | 3,564 |
| 2025 Q1 | 1,515 | 3,571 |
| 2024 Q4 | 1,625 | 3,668 |
| 2024 Q3 | 1,770 | 3,784 |
| 2024 Q2 | 1,904 | 3,846 |
| 2024 Q1 | 2,028 | 3,865 |
| 2023 Q4 | 2,177 | 3,870 |
| 2023 Q3 | 2,360 | 3,838 |
| 2023 Q2 | 2,517 | 3,848 |
| 2023 Q1 | 2,661 | 3,857 |
| 2022 Q4 | 2,875 | 3,857 |
| 2022 Q3 | 3,101 | 3,869 |
| 2022 Q2 | 3,301 | 3,868 |
| 2022 Q1 | 3,494 | 3,944 |
| 2021 Q4 | 3,743 | 3,945 |
| 2021 Q3 | 4,024 | 3,938 |
| 2021 Q2 | 4,410 | 3,966 |
| 2021 Q1 | 4,739 | 4,040 |
| 2020 Q4 | 5,081 | 4,059 |
| 2020 Q3 | 5,522 | 4,029 |
| 2020 Q2 | 5,997 | 4,048 |
| 2020 Q1 | 6,437 | 4,020 |
| 2019 Q4 | 6,928 | 3,941 |
| 2019 Q3 | 7,519 | 3,854 |
| 2019 Q2 | 8,169 | 3,842 |
| 2019 Q1 | 8,779 | 3,895 |
| 2018 Q4 | 9,575 | 3,874 |
| 2018 Q3 | 10,279 | 3,842 |
| 2018 Q2 | 11,173 | 3,861 |
| 2018 Q1 | 12,127 | 3,923 |
| 2017 Q4 | 13,328 | 3,929 |
| 2017 Q3 | 14,363 | 3,911 |
| 2017 Q2 | 15,591 | 3,957 |
| 2017 Q1 | 16,909 | 3,939 |
| 2016 Q4 | 18,254 | 3,929 |
| 2016 Q3 | 19,348 | 3,763 |
| 2016 Q2 | 20,849 | 3,690 |
| 2016 Q1 | 22,564 | 3,652 |
| 2015 Q4 | 23,916 | 3,359 |
| 2015 Q3 | 25,444 | 3,094 |
| 2015 Q2 | 27,031 | 2,924 |
| 2015 Q1 | 28,596 | 2,737 |
| 2014 Q4 | 30,438 | 2,573 |
| 2014 Q3 | 32,420 | 2,431 |
Other Rover models
- Mini — 6,805 licensed. MOT pass rate
- 75 — 5,284 licensed. MOT pass rate
- 200 Series — 1,223 licensed
- 25 — 1,997 licensed. MOT pass rate
- Range Rover — 1,625 licensed
- 400 Series — 459 licensed
See how many of every Rover model are left
Common questions
How many Rover 45 cars are left in the UK?
1,204 were licensed and 3,574 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, according to DfT and DVLA statistics for this generic-model group.
How many Rover 45 cars are SORN?
3,574 are declared SORN, alongside 1,204 licensed, at the end of 2026 Q1.
Is the 45 disappearing?
Licensed numbers peaked at 32,420 in 2014 Q3 and stand at 1,204 in 2026 Q1, down 96%. That is down 75% in the five years since 2021 Q1.
What is the Rover 45 MOT pass rate?
In 2024, 55.5% of 1,772 Rover 45 MOTs passed first time — below the 71.2% UK average.
What does the 45 fail its MOT on?
The most common initial failure categories in 2024 are component mounting prescribed areas (10.5% of tests), brake performance (8.6% of tests), transmission (7.7% of tests).
Does this say whether one 45 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.