UK vehicle statistics / Volvo

How many Volvo 144 cars are left?

At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 101 licensed and 102 SORN vehicles in the UK within the Volvo 144 generic-model group.

Looking at a 144?

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

Is the 144 disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 189 in 2014 Q3 and stand at 101 in 2026 Q1, down 47%. That is down 15% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 102 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 203 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.

Before you buy

  • Ask why it was off the road — Of the 203 144 vehicles still on the DVLA record, 1 in 2 is SORN (102 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 47% from the 2014 Q3 peak of 189. Fewer cars on the road usually means fewer donor parts and fewer specialists.
  • Check the actual 144 — 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 Q1101102
2025 Q499101
2025 Q310398
2025 Q210795
2025 Q110894
2024 Q410795
2024 Q311193
2024 Q211594
2024 Q111396
2023 Q411196
2023 Q311297
2023 Q2112101
2023 Q1112103
2022 Q411999
2022 Q312097
2022 Q212196
2022 Q112197
2021 Q4120100
2021 Q3120100
2021 Q2118101
2021 Q1119101
2020 Q4119101
2020 Q3118102
2020 Q2119103
2020 Q112598
2019 Q412697
2019 Q312798
2019 Q213297
2019 Q113695
2018 Q413198
2018 Q313496
2018 Q213098
2018 Q1131103
2017 Q413798
2017 Q314197
2017 Q214893
2017 Q115392
2016 Q415691
2016 Q316386
2016 Q216387
2016 Q116084
2015 Q416882
2015 Q317384
2015 Q217983
2015 Q117683
2014 Q418384
2014 Q318986

Other Volvo models

See how many of every Volvo model are left

Common questions

How many Volvo 144 cars are left in the UK?

101 were licensed and 102 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, according to DfT and DVLA statistics for this generic-model group.

How many Volvo 144 cars are SORN?

102 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 203 still on the DVLA record at the end of 2026 Q1.

Is the 144 disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 189 in 2014 Q3 and stand at 101 in 2026 Q1, down 47%. That is down 15% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 102 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 203 still on the DVLA record is off the road, laid up, part-restored or waiting to be sold.

Does this say whether one 144 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.