UK vehicle statistics / Saab

How many Saab 9-3 cars are left?

At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 26,817 licensed and 17,093 SORN vehicles in the UK within the Saab 9-3 generic-model group.

Looking at a 9-3?

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 9-3 is off the road? A free SORN check shows whether it is currently SORN, taxed or untaxed.

Is the 9-3 disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 125,387 in 2014 Q3 and stand at 26,817 in 2026 Q1, down 79%. That is down 54% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 17,093 are declared SORN — 1 in 3 of the 43,910 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.

9-3 MOT pass rate

In 2024, 63.2% of 31,738 Saab 9-3 MOTs passed first time — below the 71.2% UK average. Pass rate moves with age: 67.4% of cars aged 10–14 years passed first time, against 62.3% aged 15–30 years.

  • Brake Performance — 6.3% of tests. The brakes underperformed on the rolling road. Expect brake work rather than an adjustment.
  • Springs — 6.2% of tests. A broken or sagging coil spring. Replaced in pairs, so it is not the cheapest failure.
  • Exhaust Emissions — 5.5% 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.
  • Anti-roll Bars — 5% of tests. Worn anti-roll bar links or bushes. Inexpensive but often recurring.

Full age bands and failure notes are on the Saab 9-3 MOT pass rate page.

Before you buy

  • Brake Performance — 6.3% of tests in 2024. The brakes underperformed on the rolling road. Expect brake work rather than an adjustment.
  • Springs — 6.2% of tests in 2024. A broken or sagging coil spring. Replaced in pairs, so it is not the cheapest failure.
  • Exhaust Emissions — 5.5% 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.
  • Anti-roll Bars — 5% of tests in 2024. Worn anti-roll bar links or bushes. Inexpensive but often recurring.
  • Ask why it was off the road — Of the 43,910 9-3 vehicles still on the DVLA record, 1 in 3 is SORN (17,093 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 125,387. Fewer cars on the road usually means fewer donor parts and fewer specialists.
  • Check the actual 9-3 — 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 Q126,81717,093
2025 Q428,15116,894
2025 Q330,01716,026
2025 Q231,23915,873
2025 Q131,58416,677
2024 Q433,05216,752
2024 Q335,39916,187
2024 Q236,94216,162
2024 Q137,83516,386
2023 Q439,46316,578
2023 Q342,08515,451
2023 Q243,77515,114
2023 Q144,31115,533
2022 Q445,99016,061
2022 Q348,53315,014
2022 Q250,33614,795
2022 Q151,18315,437
2021 Q452,89015,912
2021 Q355,65514,861
2021 Q257,93414,811
2021 Q158,90315,724
2020 Q461,20416,011
2020 Q364,41714,756
2020 Q265,77514,820
2020 Q167,10215,438
2019 Q470,22014,435
2019 Q373,88213,126
2019 Q276,50012,628
2019 Q178,24512,969
2018 Q481,19513,185
2018 Q384,69211,801
2018 Q287,38711,316
2018 Q189,28111,720
2017 Q492,43811,925
2017 Q396,18410,541
2017 Q298,89010,147
2017 Q1100,74310,091
2016 Q4103,51910,204
2016 Q3106,2208,626
2016 Q2108,8098,213
2016 Q1110,5958,541
2015 Q4112,8847,934
2015 Q3115,8726,624
2015 Q2118,2566,161
2015 Q1119,2816,134
2014 Q4121,4326,164
2014 Q3125,3874,903

Other Saab models

See how many of every Saab model are left

Common questions

How many Saab 9-3 cars are left in the UK?

26,817 were licensed and 17,093 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, according to DfT and DVLA statistics for this generic-model group.

How many Saab 9-3 cars are SORN?

17,093 are declared SORN — 1 in 3 of the 43,910 still on the DVLA record at the end of 2026 Q1.

Is the 9-3 disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 125,387 in 2014 Q3 and stand at 26,817 in 2026 Q1, down 79%. That is down 54% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 17,093 are declared SORN — 1 in 3 of the 43,910 still on the DVLA record is off the road, laid up, part-restored or waiting to be sold.

What is the Saab 9-3 MOT pass rate?

In 2024, 63.2% of 31,738 Saab 9-3 MOTs passed first time — below the 71.2% UK average.

What does the 9-3 fail its MOT on?

The most common initial failure categories in 2024 are brake performance (6.3% of tests), springs (6.2% of tests), exhaust emissions (5.5% of tests).

Does this say whether one 9-3 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.