UK vehicle statistics / Volkswagen

How many Volkswagen FOX cars are left?

At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 10,127 licensed and 1,217 SORN vehicles in the UK within the Volkswagen FOX generic-model group.

Looking at a FOX?

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

Is the FOX disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 18,466 in 2014 Q3 and stand at 10,127 in 2026 Q1, down 45%. That is down 34% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 1,217 are declared SORN — 1 in 9 of the 11,344 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.

FOX MOT pass rate

In 2024, 51.7% of 25,105 Volkswagen FOX MOTs passed first time — below the 71.2% UK average. Pass rate moves with age: 52.9% of cars aged 10–14 years passed first time, against 51% aged 15–30 years.

  • Exhaust Emissions — 11.2% 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.
  • Anti-roll Bars — 8.6% of tests. Worn anti-roll bar links or bushes. Inexpensive but often recurring.
  • Washers — 8.3% of tests. Empty or blocked washers. Trivial, but again a sign of the last owner's care.
  • Headlamp Aim — 7.7% of tests. Headlights pointing too high or low. Cheap to adjust, and common on every make.

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

Before you buy

  • Exhaust Emissions — 11.2% 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.
  • Anti-roll Bars — 8.6% of tests in 2024. Worn anti-roll bar links or bushes. Inexpensive but often recurring.
  • Washers — 8.3% of tests in 2024. Empty or blocked washers. Trivial, but again a sign of the last owner's care.
  • Headlamp Aim — 7.7% of tests in 2024. Headlights pointing too high or low. Cheap to adjust, and common on every make.
  • Budget for a shrinking fleet — Licensed numbers are down 45% from the 2014 Q3 peak of 18,466. Fewer cars on the road usually means fewer donor parts and fewer specialists.
  • Check the actual FOX — 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 Q110,1271,217
2025 Q410,4501,218
2025 Q310,8011,138
2025 Q211,1981,092
2025 Q111,5151,057
2024 Q411,812996
2024 Q312,130963
2024 Q212,407930
2024 Q112,710911
2023 Q413,002904
2023 Q313,233896
2023 Q213,511811
2023 Q113,689806
2022 Q413,993759
2022 Q314,199777
2022 Q214,404769
2022 Q114,566815
2021 Q414,773801
2021 Q314,880802
2021 Q215,150793
2021 Q115,364808
2020 Q415,632736
2020 Q315,773696
2020 Q215,925685
2020 Q116,147647
2019 Q416,343561
2019 Q316,447532
2019 Q216,666501
2019 Q116,832492
2018 Q417,020457
2018 Q317,088418
2018 Q217,241368
2018 Q117,350388
2017 Q417,453361
2017 Q317,524358
2017 Q217,656307
2017 Q117,717309
2016 Q417,875253
2016 Q317,796252
2016 Q217,846254
2016 Q117,964248
2015 Q418,060205
2015 Q318,085167
2015 Q218,232143
2015 Q118,302142
2014 Q418,347120
2014 Q318,466115

Other Volkswagen models

See how many of every Volkswagen model are left

Common questions

How many Volkswagen FOX cars are left in the UK?

10,127 were licensed and 1,217 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, according to DfT and DVLA statistics for this generic-model group.

How many Volkswagen FOX cars are SORN?

1,217 are declared SORN — 1 in 9 of the 11,344 still on the DVLA record at the end of 2026 Q1.

Is the FOX disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 18,466 in 2014 Q3 and stand at 10,127 in 2026 Q1, down 45%. That is down 34% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 1,217 are declared SORN — 1 in 9 of the 11,344 still on the DVLA record is off the road, laid up, part-restored or waiting to be sold.

What is the Volkswagen FOX MOT pass rate?

In 2024, 51.7% of 25,105 Volkswagen FOX MOTs passed first time — below the 71.2% UK average.

What does the FOX fail its MOT on?

The most common initial failure categories in 2024 are exhaust emissions (11.2% of tests), anti-roll bars (8.6% of tests), washers (8.3% of tests).

Does this say whether one FOX 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.