UK vehicle statistics / Volkswagen

How many Volkswagen Bora cars are left?

At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 3,945 licensed and 6,630 SORN vehicles in the UK within the Volkswagen Bora generic-model group.

Looking at a Bora?

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

Is the Bora disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 39,098 in 2014 Q3 and stand at 3,945 in 2026 Q1, down 90%. That is down 66% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 6,630 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 10,575 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.

Bora MOT pass rate

In 2024, 58.4% of 4,843 Volkswagen Bora MOTs passed first time — below the 71.2% UK average.

  • Brake Performance — 9.2% of tests. The brakes underperformed on the rolling road. Expect brake work rather than an adjustment.
  • Headlamp Aim — 7.1% of tests. Headlights pointing too high or low. Cheap to adjust, and common on every make.
  • Suspension Arms — 6.6% of tests. Worn arms or bushes. A common age-related repair that affects handling and tyre wear.
  • Position Lamps — 6.6% of tests. A side or tail light out. Usually a bulb.

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

Before you buy

  • Brake Performance — 9.2% of tests in 2024. The brakes underperformed on the rolling road. Expect brake work rather than an adjustment.
  • Headlamp Aim — 7.1% of tests in 2024. Headlights pointing too high or low. Cheap to adjust, and common on every make.
  • Suspension Arms — 6.6% of tests in 2024. Worn arms or bushes. A common age-related repair that affects handling and tyre wear.
  • Position Lamps — 6.6% of tests in 2024. A side or tail light out. Usually a bulb.
  • Ask why it was off the road — Of the 10,575 Bora vehicles still on the DVLA record, 1 in 2 is SORN (6,630 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 90% from the 2014 Q3 peak of 39,098. Fewer cars on the road usually means fewer donor parts and fewer specialists.
  • Check the actual Bora — 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 Q13,9456,630
2025 Q44,1536,586
2025 Q34,3876,505
2025 Q24,6266,464
2025 Q14,8746,410
2024 Q45,1446,487
2024 Q35,4386,691
2024 Q25,7456,711
2024 Q16,0326,704
2023 Q46,3896,631
2023 Q36,7946,504
2023 Q27,1776,435
2023 Q17,5636,369
2022 Q48,0176,334
2022 Q38,3616,265
2022 Q28,7536,251
2022 Q19,1826,276
2021 Q49,6976,249
2021 Q310,2776,170
2021 Q211,0146,139
2021 Q111,6406,137
2020 Q412,2156,043
2020 Q312,9675,916
2020 Q213,6525,912
2020 Q114,3385,891
2019 Q415,2435,635
2019 Q316,0555,524
2019 Q216,9655,370
2019 Q118,0345,241
2018 Q419,1755,097
2018 Q320,0195,002
2018 Q221,0674,835
2018 Q122,2594,766
2017 Q423,5924,666
2017 Q324,8264,523
2017 Q226,0134,374
2017 Q127,3204,195
2016 Q428,5313,998
2016 Q329,3703,699
2016 Q230,6483,470
2016 Q132,0513,299
2015 Q432,9612,990
2015 Q334,1892,669
2015 Q235,3202,530
2015 Q136,4612,290
2014 Q437,5422,034
2014 Q339,0981,789

Other Volkswagen models

See how many of every Volkswagen model are left

Common questions

How many Volkswagen Bora cars are left in the UK?

3,945 were licensed and 6,630 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, according to DfT and DVLA statistics for this generic-model group.

How many Volkswagen Bora cars are SORN?

6,630 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 10,575 still on the DVLA record at the end of 2026 Q1.

Is the Bora disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 39,098 in 2014 Q3 and stand at 3,945 in 2026 Q1, down 90%. That is down 66% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 6,630 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 10,575 still on the DVLA record is off the road, laid up, part-restored or waiting to be sold.

What is the Volkswagen Bora MOT pass rate?

In 2024, 58.4% of 4,843 Volkswagen Bora MOTs passed first time — below the 71.2% UK average.

What does the Bora fail its MOT on?

The most common initial failure categories in 2024 are brake performance (9.2% of tests), headlamp aim (7.1% of tests), suspension arms (6.6% of tests).

Does this say whether one Bora 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.