Car statistics
Ford Cortina 1600 L statistics
How many Ford Cortina 1600 Ls are still on the road in Great Britain, how many are declared off the road, and how the 1600 L compares with other versions of the Ford Cortina. Built from DVLA licensing records.
- Licensed in Great Britain 126 −4.5% on a year earlier
- Declared SORN 116 Off the road, not taxed
- Still registered 9.6% Other Ford Cortina versions 4.2%
- Licensed in 1994 2,493 when this data begins
- Share of Ford Cortinas 3.0% of those licensed or SORN
- Declared off the road 47.9% of those still registered are SORN
How many Ford Cortina 1600 Ls are left in Great Britain?
There were 126 Ford Cortina 1600 Ls licensed in Great Britain at the end of June 2026, and a further 116 declared off the road (SORN). The licensed count is 94.9% lower than the 2,493 in 1994, when this data begins.
Ford Cortina 1600 Ls licensed and SORN in Great Britain
This data records SORN from 2007, so the SORN line starts there.
| Year | Licensed | Declared SORN |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 2,493 | – |
| 1995 | 1,477 | – |
| 1996 | 1,018 | – |
| 1997 | 717 | – |
| 1998 | 512 | – |
| 1999 | 397 | – |
| 2000 | 297 | – |
| 2001 | 240 | – |
| 2002 | 210 | – |
| 2003 | 179 | – |
| 2004 | 148 | – |
| 2005 | 133 | – |
| 2006 | 108 | – |
| 2007 | 96 | 88 |
| 2008 | 88 | 90 |
| 2009 | 77 | 95 |
| 2010 | 73 | 91 |
| 2011 | 82 | 90 |
| 2012 | 78 | 98 |
| 2013 | 66 | 119 |
| 2014 | 69 | 111 |
| 2015 | 84 | 107 |
| 2016 | 85 | 110 |
| 2017 | 91 | 126 |
| 2018 | 111 | 103 |
| 2019 | 125 | 97 |
| 2020 | 129 | 96 |
| 2021 | 131 | 99 |
| 2022 | 134 | 101 |
| 2023 | 131 | 107 |
| 2024 | 135 | 105 |
| 2025 | 131 | 112 |
| 2026 | 126 | 116 |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated
Fuel type
Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated
How many Ford Cortina 1600 Ls have survived?
9.6% of Ford Cortina 1600 Ls are still registered (licensed or SORN), measured against the most on the road at any year end since 1994. For other versions of the Ford Cortina from the same era, the figure is 4.2%, so Ford Cortina 1600 Ls are 2.3 times as likely to have survived.
Share still registered (licensed or SORN)
Compared with 26 other versions of the Ford Cortina from the same era.
| Version | Share still registered |
|---|---|
| Ford Cortina 1600 L | 9.6% |
| Other Ford Cortina versions of the same age | 4.2% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated
Ford Cortina 1600 L engine sizes and fuel types
Of the 132 Ford Cortina 1600 Ls licensed in the UK at the end of 2025, 48.5% have an engine of 1,601cc to 1,700cc, and 36.4% have an engine of 1,501cc to 1,600cc.
Engine sizes, end of 2025
DVLA records engine size in 100cc bands.
| Engine size | Share of those licensed |
|---|---|
| 1,601cc to 1,700cc 64 licensed | 48.5% |
| 1,501cc to 1,600cc 48 licensed | 36.4% |
| 2,001cc to 2,100cc 8 licensed | 6.1% |
| 1,901cc to 2,000cc 3 licensed | 2.3% |
| 2,901cc to 3,000cc 3 licensed | 2.3% |
| 2,801cc to 2,900cc 2 licensed | 1.5% |
| Other sizes 4 licensed | 3.0% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of 2014 to end of 2025 Updated
| Engine size | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,601–1,700cc | Petrol | 64 | 48.5% |
| 1,501–1,600cc | Petrol | 48 | 36.4% |
| 2,001–2,100cc | Petrol | 8 | 6.1% |
| 1,901–2,000cc | Petrol | 3 | 2.3% |
| 2,901–3,000cc | Petrol | 3 | 2.3% |
| 2,801–2,900cc | Petrol | 2 | 1.5% |
United Kingdom figures from DfT table VEH0220 (licensed cars at the end of each year, SORN excluded), so they differ slightly from the Great Britain counts elsewhere on this page. This covers cars DVLA records under this version’s name only; the Ford Cortina page covers every version. How we use engine sizes.
Ford Cortina MOT reliability
There were not enough MOT tests of Ford Cortinas in 2025 to publish reliable figures: we need at least 1,000 tests of cars aged three and over. DVSA names the model, not the version, so no separate figures exist for the 1600 L.
Other versions of the Ford Cortina
Versions of the Ford Cortina with their own page. The Ford Cortina page covers all 4,794 licensed, whatever the version.
| Version | Licensed | SORN | Still registered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ford Cortina DE Luxe | 447 | 284 | 98.1% |
| Ford Cortina MK2 1600E | 309 | 169 | 100.0% |
| Ford Cortina Super | 214 | 175 | 96.0% |
| Ford Cortina 1600 L | 126 | 116 | 9.6% |
| Ford Cortina 1600 GT | 106 | 68 | 100.0% |
| Ford Cortina 1600 XL | 95 | 78 | 24.1% |
| Ford Cortina 2000E | 94 | 78 | 29.5% |
| Ford Cortina 1600 Base | 66 | 72 | 22.7% |
| Ford Cortina 2000 GXL | 77 | 53 | 53.3% |
| Ford Cortina 2000 GT | 56 | 44 | 77.5% |
Data stories to read next
Data sources and methodology
| Figures | Source | Period | Records | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Licensed and SORN counts | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of June 2026 | 242 Ford Cortina 1600 L records (licensed and SORN) | 2 October 2026 |
- Figures cover Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales). Northern Ireland is not included.
- Licensed counts are vehicles with a current tax or exemption at the end of each year (or the latest quarter). SORN counts are shown separately, from 2007.
- This version groups DVLA’s detailed model names “CORTINA 1600 L”, “CORTINA 1600 L AUTO”. Engine size, gearbox, number of doors and fuel are ignored, so every engine and gearbox counts together.
- Survival compares the number still registered (licensed or SORN) with the most licensed at any year end since 1994, plus any first registered after that year. Other versions are those of the same model whose licensed count peaked in the same years, up to 2001.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.