UK vehicle statistics / Volkswagen

How many Volkswagen California cars are left?

At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 15,530 licensed and 371 SORN vehicles in the UK within the Volkswagen California generic-model group.

Looking at a California?

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

Is the California disappearing?

15,530 are licensed as of 2026 Q1 — the highest count in the published series, so the California is still arriving on UK roads rather than leaving them. That is up 76% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 371 are declared SORN — 1 in 43 of the 15,901 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.

California MOT pass rate

In 2024, 81% of 7,808 Volkswagen California MOTs passed first time — above the 71.2% UK average. Pass rate moves with age: 87.6% of cars aged 3–5 years passed first time, against 65.6% aged 15–30 years.

  • Condition — 3.8% of tests. Corrosion, damage or wear on a tested component. Worth seeing in person, as the cost ranges from trivial to structural.
  • Springs — 3.6% of tests. A broken or sagging coil spring. Replaced in pairs, so it is not the cheapest failure.
  • ABS / EBS / ESC — 2.2% of tests. An anti-lock brake or stability control fault. Diagnosis first, then often a sensor.
  • Mechanical Brake Components — 1.6% of tests. Worn discs, pads or callipers. Routine wear, but it should be priced into the deal.

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

Before you buy

  • Condition — 3.8% of tests in 2024. Corrosion, damage or wear on a tested component. Worth seeing in person, as the cost ranges from trivial to structural.
  • Springs — 3.6% of tests in 2024. A broken or sagging coil spring. Replaced in pairs, so it is not the cheapest failure.
  • ABS / EBS / ESC — 2.2% of tests in 2024. An anti-lock brake or stability control fault. Diagnosis first, then often a sensor.
  • Mechanical Brake Components — 1.6% of tests in 2024. Worn discs, pads or callipers. Routine wear, but it should be priced into the deal.
  • Check the actual California — 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 Q115,530371
2025 Q415,177389
2025 Q315,085197
2025 Q214,734164
2025 Q114,221364
2024 Q414,036417
2024 Q313,956194
2024 Q213,419139
2024 Q112,834204
2023 Q412,414288
2023 Q312,312128
2023 Q211,97594
2023 Q111,506154
2022 Q411,114265
2022 Q310,849121
2022 Q210,51171
2022 Q19,932121
2021 Q49,549225
2021 Q39,54588
2021 Q29,30582
2021 Q18,832178
2020 Q48,633272
2020 Q38,479137
2020 Q28,025169
2020 Q17,834423
2019 Q47,868258
2019 Q37,641144
2019 Q27,365135
2019 Q17,048147
2018 Q46,752175
2018 Q36,74063
2018 Q26,34937
2018 Q15,92661
2017 Q45,634122
2017 Q35,50346
2017 Q25,20129
2017 Q14,84938
2016 Q44,42462
2016 Q34,25433
2016 Q24,09427
2016 Q13,79044
2015 Q43,52574
2015 Q33,49729
2015 Q23,25313
2015 Q12,93717
2014 Q42,61550
2014 Q32,51024

Other Volkswagen models

See how many of every Volkswagen model are left

Common questions

How many Volkswagen California cars are left in the UK?

15,530 were licensed and 371 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, according to DfT and DVLA statistics for this generic-model group.

How many Volkswagen California cars are SORN?

371 are declared SORN — 1 in 43 of the 15,901 still on the DVLA record at the end of 2026 Q1.

Is the California disappearing?

15,530 are licensed as of 2026 Q1 — the highest count in the published series, so the California is still arriving on UK roads rather than leaving them. That is up 76% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 371 are declared SORN — 1 in 43 of the 15,901 still on the DVLA record is off the road, laid up, part-restored or waiting to be sold.

What is the Volkswagen California MOT pass rate?

In 2024, 81% of 7,808 Volkswagen California MOTs passed first time — above the 71.2% UK average.

What does the California fail its MOT on?

The most common initial failure categories in 2024 are condition (3.8% of tests), springs (3.6% of tests), abs / ebs / esc (2.2% of tests).

Does this say whether one California 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.