UK vehicle statistics / Zontes
How many Zontes cars are left?
At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 4,346 licensed and 1,869 SORN Zontes vehicles in the UK, across 5 published model groups. That means 1 in 3 surviving Zontes is currently off the road.
Looking at a Zontes?
Population figures describe a model group, not the car in front of you.
Check its registration free for the official tax, MOT and mileage record. Before buying, the optional £9.99 full history check adds outstanding-finance, stolen and insurance write-off checks.
Is the Zontes fleet shrinking?
Adding up every published Zontes model group: 4,346 are licensed as of 2026 Q1 — the highest count in the published series, so the Zontes range is still arriving on UK roads rather than leaving them. That is up 280% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 1,869 are declared SORN — 1 in 3 of the 6,215 still on the DVLA record is off the road, laid up, part-restored or waiting to be sold.
Before you buy
- Ask why it was off the road — Of the 6,215 Zontes vehicles still on the DVLA record, 1 in 3 is SORN (1,869 at 2026 Q1). A car that has been laid up needs a closer look at brakes, tyres and the MOT history.
- Check the actual Zontes — These figures describe the model group. Enter the registration for that vehicle's free MOT, tax and mileage record before you pay a deposit.
Rarest Zontes models
The published Zontes model groups with the smallest surviving populations.
- Tiger 50 — 19 licensed, 109 SORN
- Firefly — 41 licensed, 90 SORN
- Scorpion 125 — 62 licensed, 169 SORN
- Mantis — 192 licensed, 165 SORN
- ZT — 4,032 licensed, 1,336 SORN
Every Zontes model
| Model | Licensed | SORN |
|---|---|---|
| ZT | 4,032 | 1,336 |
| Mantis | 192 | 165 |
| Scorpion 125 | 62 | 169 |
| Firefly | 41 | 90 |
| Tiger 50 | 19 | 109 |
How to read these numbers
Licensed means taxed and legal to use on the road at the end of the quarter. SORN means the keeper has declared it off the road — it still exists, but it is not in use. A model group's total is the best available proxy for how many survive, and a shrinking one means fewer donor cars, fewer specialists and slower parts supply.
Common questions
How many Zontes cars are left in the UK?
4,346 Zontes vehicles were licensed and 1,869 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, across 5 published model groups, according to DfT and DVLA statistics.
Which Zontes is rarest?
Of the published Zontes model groups, the Tiger 50 has the smallest surviving population at 19 licensed and 109 SORN.
Is the Zontes fleet shrinking?
4,346 are licensed as of 2026 Q1 — the highest count in the published series, so the Zontes range is still arriving on UK roads rather than leaving them. That is up 280% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 1,869 are declared SORN — 1 in 3 of the 6,215 still on the DVLA record is off the road, laid up, part-restored or waiting to be sold.
Does a Zontes population figure describe the car I am looking at?
No. It describes the model group. Enter the registration for that car's 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.