UK vehicle statistics / Saab
How many Saab cars are left?
At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 35,158 licensed and 28,545 SORN Saab vehicles in the UK, across 7 published model groups. That means 1 in 2 surviving Saab is currently off the road.
Looking at a Saab?
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 Saab fleet shrinking?
Adding up every published Saab model group: Licensed numbers peaked at 171,100 in 2014 Q3 and stand at 35,158 in 2026 Q1, down 79%. That is down 54% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 28,545 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 63,703 still on the DVLA record is off the road, laid up, part-restored or waiting to be sold.
Saab MOT pass rate
In 2024, 63.3% of 38,773 Saab MOTs passed first time — below the 71.2% UK average.
The items most often behind a first-test failure across published Saab model groups:
- Brake Performance — 6.2% of tests. The brakes underperformed on the rolling road. Expect brake work rather than an adjustment.
- Exhaust Emissions — 5.8% 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.
- Springs — 5.1% of tests. A broken or sagging coil spring. Replaced in pairs, so it is not the cheapest failure.
- Condition — 4.6% of tests. Corrosion, damage or wear on a tested component. Worth seeing in person, as the cost ranges from trivial to structural.
See every model on the Saab MOT pass rate page.
Before you buy
- Brake Performance — 6.2% of tests in 2024. The brakes underperformed on the rolling road. Expect brake work rather than an adjustment.
- Exhaust Emissions — 5.8% 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.
- Springs — 5.1% of tests in 2024. A broken or sagging coil spring. Replaced in pairs, so it is not the cheapest failure.
- Condition — 4.6% of tests in 2024. Corrosion, damage or wear on a tested component. Worth seeing in person, as the cost ranges from trivial to structural.
- Ask why it was off the road — Of the 63,703 Saab vehicles still on the DVLA record, 1 in 2 is SORN (28,545 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 79% from the 2014 Q3 peak of 171,100. Fewer cars on the road usually means fewer donor parts and fewer specialists.
- Check the actual Saab — 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 Saab models
The published Saab model groups with the smallest surviving populations.
- 95 — 65 licensed, 77 SORN
- 99 — 216 licensed, 293 SORN
- 96 — 375 licensed, 277 SORN
- 9000 — 403 licensed, 1,600 SORN
- 900 — 1,554 licensed, 4,438 SORN
Every Saab model
| Model | Licensed | SORN |
|---|---|---|
| 9-3 | 26,817 | 17,093 |
| 9-5 | 5,728 | 4,767 |
| 900 | 1,554 | 4,438 |
| 9000 | 403 | 1,600 |
| 96 | 375 | 277 |
| 99 | 216 | 293 |
| 95 | 65 | 77 |
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 Saab cars are left in the UK?
35,158 Saab vehicles were licensed and 28,545 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, across 7 published model groups, according to DfT and DVLA statistics.
Which Saab is rarest?
Of the published Saab model groups, the 95 has the smallest surviving population at 65 licensed and 77 SORN.
Is the Saab fleet shrinking?
Licensed numbers peaked at 171,100 in 2014 Q3 and stand at 35,158 in 2026 Q1, down 79%. That is down 54% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 28,545 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 63,703 still on the DVLA record is off the road, laid up, part-restored or waiting to be sold.
What is the Saab MOT pass rate?
63.3% of 38,773 class-4 initial MOT tests on Saab cars passed first time in 2024 — below the 71.2% UK average.
What do Saab cars fail the MOT on?
Across published Saab model groups, the most common initial failure categories in 2024 are brake performance (6.2% of tests), exhaust emissions (5.8% of tests), springs (5.1% of tests). DVSA publishes each model group's six most common categories, so this ranks the biggest published causes.
Does a Saab 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.