UK vehicle statistics / Smart

How many Smart City cars are left?

At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 3,440 licensed and 2,528 SORN vehicles in the UK within the Smart City generic-model group.

Looking at a City?

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

Is the City disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 11,579 in 2014 Q3 and stand at 3,440 in 2026 Q1, down 70%. That is down 50% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 2,528 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 5,968 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 5,968 City vehicles still on the DVLA record, 1 in 2 is SORN (2,528 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 70% from the 2014 Q3 peak of 11,579. Fewer cars on the road usually means fewer donor parts and fewer specialists.
  • Check the actual City — 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 Q13,4402,528
2025 Q43,6342,473
2025 Q33,8032,413
2025 Q23,9582,403
2025 Q14,0542,414
2024 Q44,2482,393
2024 Q34,4862,349
2024 Q24,6322,383
2024 Q14,7922,354
2023 Q44,9662,298
2023 Q35,1562,230
2023 Q25,3652,212
2023 Q15,5152,214
2022 Q45,7382,185
2022 Q35,8682,151
2022 Q26,0412,169
2022 Q16,1032,215
2021 Q46,2862,191
2021 Q36,4732,146
2021 Q26,6752,131
2021 Q16,8532,143
2020 Q47,0992,075
2020 Q37,3032,013
2020 Q27,4491,942
2020 Q17,6401,947
2019 Q47,9291,838
2019 Q38,1311,753
2019 Q28,3051,693
2019 Q18,4471,693
2018 Q48,6211,685
2018 Q38,8401,592
2018 Q29,0611,491
2018 Q19,2751,461
2017 Q49,4951,382
2017 Q39,6851,301
2017 Q29,8101,274
2017 Q19,9831,204
2016 Q410,1571,125
2016 Q310,2201,019
2016 Q210,386951
2016 Q110,526900
2015 Q410,697824
2015 Q310,878733
2015 Q211,001680
2015 Q111,094631
2014 Q411,275528
2014 Q311,579462

Other Smart models

See how many of every Smart model are left

Common questions

How many Smart City cars are left in the UK?

3,440 were licensed and 2,528 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, according to DfT and DVLA statistics for this generic-model group.

How many Smart City cars are SORN?

2,528 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 5,968 still on the DVLA record at the end of 2026 Q1.

Is the City disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 11,579 in 2014 Q3 and stand at 3,440 in 2026 Q1, down 70%. That is down 50% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 2,528 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 5,968 still on the DVLA record is off the road, laid up, part-restored or waiting to be sold.

Does this say whether one City 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.