OPTARE

HOW MANY WERE MADE | HOW MANY ARE LEFT | MODELS | COLOURS | ENGINES

HOW MANY OPTARE ARE LEFT?

There are 2,550 OPTARE left on the road in the UK (i.e. with valid road tax). There are a further 1,714 OPTARE that are currently SORNED.

The total number of OPTARE was highest during 2017 Q3 (5,831). The number taxed topped out in 2015 Q2 and the total SORNed was at its maximum during 2020 Q1.

Since the total peaked, some 1,567 (27%) OPTARE have been scrapped or exported.

In the last 10 years the total number of OPTARE has fallen by 1,467. Licensed models have fallen by 2,712 and the SORNed total has increased by 1,245.

The 5 year trend shows a total decline of 1,252 OPTARE models. Taxed models have declined by 1,235 and the SORNed total has fallen by 17.

60% of the surviving 4,264 OPTARE in the UK are still on the road.

HOW MANY OPTARE ARE TAXED & SORNED

YEAR TAXED SORNED TOTAL CHANGE
1994 Q46000600600
1995 Q47410741141
1996 Q49640964223
1997 Q41,18101,181217
1998 Q41,42401,424243
1999 Q41,77801,778354
2000 Q42,05902,059281
2001 Q42,27902,279220
2002 Q42,53802,538259
2003 Q42,74202,742204
2004 Q43,05603,056314
2005 Q43,33803,338282
2006 Q43,59503,595257
2007 Q43,8592414,100505
2008 Q34,0622944,356256
2008 Q44,1332854,41862
2009 Q14,2472414,48870
2009 Q24,3602424,602114
2009 Q34,4182484,66664
2009 Q44,4632434,70640
2010 Q14,4772564,73327
2010 Q24,5022634,76532
2010 Q34,5622574,81954
2010 Q44,6122314,84324
2011 Q14,6272494,87633
2011 Q24,6502464,89620
2011 Q34,7092464,95559
2011 Q44,7102854,99540
2012 Q14,7352995,03439
2012 Q24,7892885,07743
2012 Q34,9172955,212135
2012 Q44,9032995,202-10
2013 Q14,9353185,25351
2013 Q24,9602755,235-18
2013 Q35,0402515,29156
2013 Q45,0492795,32837
2014 Q15,0903015,39163
2014 Q25,1203475,46776
2014 Q35,2053735,578111
2014 Q45,1884235,61133
2015 Q15,2184305,64837
2015 Q25,2624695,73183
2015 Q35,2484765,724-7
2015 Q45,2345285,76238
2016 Q15,2305615,79129
2016 Q25,1345915,725-66
2016 Q35,0956355,7305
2016 Q45,1396695,80878
2017 Q15,1416875,82820
2017 Q25,0817465,827-1
2017 Q35,0957365,8314
2017 Q45,0187635,781-50
2018 Q14,9508325,7821
2018 Q24,8838715,754-28
2018 Q34,8259145,739-15
2018 Q44,7599485,707-32
2019 Q14,7229945,7169
2019 Q24,6401,0175,657-59
2019 Q34,5501,0865,636-21
2019 Q44,4931,1225,615-21
2020 Q13,4972,0685,565-50
2020 Q23,7851,7315,516-49
2020 Q34,2301,3385,56852
2020 Q44,1941,3405,534-34
2021 Q14,1421,3575,499-35
2021 Q24,1351,3695,5045
2021 Q34,0531,4295,482-22
2021 Q43,9891,4525,441-41
2022 Q13,8861,5025,388-53
2022 Q23,7681,5705,338-50
2022 Q33,6851,6575,3424
2022 Q43,5471,7475,294-48
2023 Q13,4601,7975,257-37
2023 Q23,3221,8435,165-92
2023 Q33,2071,8865,093-72
2023 Q43,1231,9615,084-9
2024 Q13,0642,0075,071-13
2024 Q22,9442,0645,008-63
2024 Q32,8272,0274,854-154
2024 Q42,7111,8514,562-292
2025 Q12,6051,7334,338-224
2025 Q22,5501,7144,264-74

How Rare Is My Car analyses 'road tax' data from the DVLA, this dataset is only available from 1994 onwards.

DVLA vehicle licensing statistics last updated 23/10/2025.