UK vehicle statistics / SYM
How many SYM cars are left?
At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 8,622 licensed and 11,249 SORN SYM vehicles in the UK, across 23 published model groups. That means 1 in 2 surviving SYM is currently off the road.
Looking at a SYM?
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 SYM fleet shrinking?
Adding up every published SYM model group: Licensed numbers peaked at 11,020 in 2014 Q3 and stand at 8,622 in 2026 Q1, down 22%. That is down 1% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 11,249 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 19,871 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 19,871 SYM vehicles still on the DVLA record, 1 in 2 is SORN (11,249 at 2026 Q1). A car that has been laid up needs a closer look at brakes, tyres and the MOT history.
- Check the actual SYM — 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 SYM models
The published SYM model groups with the smallest surviving populations.
- VS 125 — 16 licensed, 85 SORN
- Maxsym — 78 licensed, 48 SORN
- Cruisym — 117 licensed, 11 SORN
- Allo — 28 licensed, 107 SORN
- Voyager — 34 licensed, 126 SORN
Every SYM model
| Model | Licensed | SORN |
|---|---|---|
| JET | 4,225 | 4,403 |
| Symply | 362 | 1,483 |
| Fiddle | 571 | 792 |
| Symphony | 536 | 623 |
| Mask | 668 | 482 |
| Orbit | 787 | 200 |
| XS 125 | 62 | 627 |
| NH | 384 | 181 |
| DD | 30 | 399 |
| Crox 125 | 130 | 206 |
| Joyride | 52 | 284 |
| MIO | 60 | 269 |
| Joymax | 227 | 95 |
| Wolf | 53 | 230 |
| City Hopper | 7 | 241 |
| Shark | 14 | 181 |
| ADX 125 | 173 | 9 |
| Husky | 8 | 167 |
| Voyager | 34 | 126 |
| Allo | 28 | 107 |
| Cruisym | 117 | 11 |
| Maxsym | 78 | 48 |
| VS 125 | 16 | 85 |
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 SYM cars are left in the UK?
8,622 SYM vehicles were licensed and 11,249 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, across 23 published model groups, according to DfT and DVLA statistics.
Which SYM is rarest?
Of the published SYM model groups, the VS 125 has the smallest surviving population at 16 licensed and 85 SORN.
Is the SYM fleet shrinking?
Licensed numbers peaked at 11,020 in 2014 Q3 and stand at 8,622 in 2026 Q1, down 22%. That is down 1% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 11,249 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 19,871 still on the DVLA record is off the road, laid up, part-restored or waiting to be sold.
Does a SYM 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.