UK vehicle statistics / Volkswagen

How many Volkswagen Beetle cars are left?

At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 42,748 licensed and 17,986 SORN vehicles in the UK within the Volkswagen Beetle generic-model group.

Looking at a Beetle?

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

Is the Beetle disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 78,924 in 2015 Q3 and stand at 42,748 in 2026 Q1, down 46%. That is down 31% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 17,986 are declared SORN — 1 in 3 of the 60,734 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.

Beetle MOT pass rate

In 2024, 57.4% of 37,628 Volkswagen Beetle MOTs passed first time — below the 71.2% UK average. Pass rate moves with age: 71.3% of cars aged 6–9 years passed first time, against 48.9% aged 15–30 years.

  • Exhaust Emissions — 8.2% 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.
  • Suspension Arms — 7.3% of tests. Worn arms or bushes. A common age-related repair that affects handling and tyre wear.
  • Headlamp Aim — 6.1% of tests. Headlights pointing too high or low. Cheap to adjust, and common on every make.
  • Headlamps — 5.8% of tests. A headlight fault, from a blown bulb to a failed unit.

Full age bands and failure notes are on the Volkswagen Beetle MOT pass rate page.

Before you buy

  • Exhaust Emissions — 8.2% 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.
  • Suspension Arms — 7.3% of tests in 2024. Worn arms or bushes. A common age-related repair that affects handling and tyre wear.
  • Headlamp Aim — 6.1% of tests in 2024. Headlights pointing too high or low. Cheap to adjust, and common on every make.
  • Headlamps — 5.8% of tests in 2024. A headlight fault, from a blown bulb to a failed unit.
  • Ask why it was off the road — Of the 60,734 Beetle vehicles still on the DVLA record, 1 in 3 is SORN (17,986 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 46% from the 2015 Q3 peak of 78,924. Fewer cars on the road usually means fewer donor parts and fewer specialists.
  • Check the actual Beetle — 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 Q142,74817,986
2025 Q443,71417,707
2025 Q344,94817,204
2025 Q245,82316,945
2025 Q146,08817,267
2024 Q447,04217,038
2024 Q348,57516,700
2024 Q249,55816,649
2024 Q150,16316,828
2023 Q451,14816,720
2023 Q352,56416,004
2023 Q253,83215,829
2023 Q153,95716,161
2022 Q455,13116,208
2022 Q356,38915,661
2022 Q257,34415,556
2022 Q157,67216,059
2021 Q458,65916,238
2021 Q360,13915,623
2021 Q261,52915,557
2021 Q161,91116,019
2020 Q463,14816,049
2020 Q364,89915,456
2020 Q265,42415,539
2020 Q165,78316,017
2019 Q467,57215,352
2019 Q369,34114,678
2019 Q270,51614,300
2019 Q171,13614,495
2018 Q472,34614,695
2018 Q373,90613,996
2018 Q274,40513,803
2018 Q174,08714,396
2017 Q474,82714,426
2017 Q376,16213,765
2017 Q276,62913,308
2017 Q176,94512,761
2016 Q477,65512,454
2016 Q378,30711,613
2016 Q278,49211,218
2016 Q178,13311,261
2015 Q478,30710,966
2015 Q378,92410,120
2015 Q278,9129,612
2015 Q178,1259,495
2014 Q477,8539,466
2014 Q378,9178,692

Other Volkswagen models

See how many of every Volkswagen model are left

Common questions

How many Volkswagen Beetle cars are left in the UK?

42,748 were licensed and 17,986 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, according to DfT and DVLA statistics for this generic-model group.

How many Volkswagen Beetle cars are SORN?

17,986 are declared SORN — 1 in 3 of the 60,734 still on the DVLA record at the end of 2026 Q1.

Is the Beetle disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 78,924 in 2015 Q3 and stand at 42,748 in 2026 Q1, down 46%. That is down 31% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 17,986 are declared SORN — 1 in 3 of the 60,734 still on the DVLA record is off the road, laid up, part-restored or waiting to be sold.

What is the Volkswagen Beetle MOT pass rate?

In 2024, 57.4% of 37,628 Volkswagen Beetle MOTs passed first time — below the 71.2% UK average.

What does the Beetle fail its MOT on?

The most common initial failure categories in 2024 are exhaust emissions (8.2% of tests), suspension arms (7.3% of tests), headlamp aim (6.1% of tests).

Does this say whether one Beetle 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.