Car statistics
Ford Popular statistics
How many Ford Populars are still on the road in Great Britain, how many are declared off the road, how new registrations have changed and which fuels they use. Built from DVLA licensing records.
- Licensed in Great Britain 1,897 −1.8% on a year earlier
- Declared SORN 959 Off the road, not taxed
- Rank by number licensed No. 567 of 1,159 models we cover
- Peak year 1996 2,249 licensed
- Declared off the road 33.6% of those still registered are SORN
- Most common fuel Petrol 99.9% of those licensed
How many Ford Populars are left in Great Britain?
There were 1,897 Ford Populars licensed in Great Britain at the end of March 2026, and a further 959 declared off the road (SORN). That is 15.7% fewer than the peak of 2,249 in 1996.
Ford Populars licensed in Great Britain
The highest year-end count was 2,249 in 1996.
| Year | Licensed |
|---|---|
| 1994 | 1,770 |
| 1995 | 1,740 |
| 1996 | 2,249 |
| 1997 | 2,157 |
| 1998 | 2,122 |
| 1999 | 2,067 |
| 2000 | 2,010 |
| 2001 | 2,005 |
| 2002 | 1,980 |
| 2003 | 1,936 |
| 2004 | 1,909 |
| 2005 | 1,889 |
| 2006 | 1,824 |
| 2007 | 1,796 |
| 2008 | 1,759 |
| 2009 | 1,770 |
| 2010 | 1,753 |
| 2011 | 1,752 |
| 2012 | 1,777 |
| 2013 | 1,886 |
| 2014 | 1,894 |
| 2015 | 1,882 |
| 2016 | 1,877 |
| 2017 | 1,903 |
| 2018 | 1,946 |
| 2019 | 1,946 |
| 2020 | 1,972 |
| 2021 | 1,972 |
| 2022 | 1,985 |
| 2023 | 1,959 |
| 2024 | 1,953 |
| 2025 | 1,901 |
| 2026 | 1,897 |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated
Fuel type
Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated
Ford Popular MOT reliability
There were not enough MOT tests of Ford Populars in 2025 to publish reliable figures: we need at least 1,000 tests of cars aged three and over. Cars have their first MOT at three years old, so newer models appear once they reach that age. How we work out MOT figures.
Ford Popular engine sizes and fuel types
Of the 1,913 Ford Populars licensed in the UK at the end of 2025, 67.1% have an engine of 1,101cc to 1,200cc, and 7.5% have an engine of 3,501cc to 3,600cc.
Engine sizes, end of 2025
DVLA records engine size in 100cc bands.
| Engine size | Share of those licensed |
|---|---|
| 1,101cc to 1,200cc 1,284 licensed | 67.1% |
| 3,501cc to 3,600cc 144 licensed | 7.5% |
| 801cc to 900cc 50 licensed | 2.6% |
| 901cc to 1,000cc 50 licensed | 2.6% |
| 5,701cc to 5,800cc 48 licensed | 2.5% |
| 2,001cc to 2,100cc 39 licensed | 2.0% |
| 1,901cc to 2,000cc 38 licensed | 2.0% |
| Other sizes 260 licensed | 13.6% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of 2014 to end of 2025 Updated
| Engine size | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,101–1,200cc | Petrol | 1,284 | 67.1% |
| 3,501–3,600cc | Petrol | 144 | 7.5% |
| 801–900cc | Petrol | 50 | 2.6% |
| 901–1,000cc | Petrol | 50 | 2.6% |
| 5,701–5,800cc | Petrol | 48 | 2.5% |
| 2,001–2,100cc | Petrol | 39 | 2.0% |
| 1,901–2,000cc | Petrol | 38 | 2.0% |
| 1,601–1,700cc | Petrol | 23 | 1.2% |
| 1,501–1,600cc | Petrol | 21 | 1.1% |
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. How we use engine sizes.
Ford Popular safety recalls
We found no recalls for the Ford Popular in DVSA’s records since 1992. That does not mean none apply: DVSA sometimes records a recall under a range or chassis name we cannot match to a model. Check a specific car on GOV.UK’s vehicle recall check.
A recall applies to cars built on particular dates or with particular VINs, not to every Ford Popular. The details come from manufacturers through DVSA, which says they may be delayed or incomplete. To check a specific car, use GOV.UK’s vehicle recall check or ask the manufacturer or a dealer. How we match recalls to models.
Compare the Ford Popular with other Ford models
| Model | Licensed | Change on a year | SORN | Rank | Main fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ford Popular | 1,897 | −1.8% | 959 | 567 | Petrol |
| Ford Fiesta | 1,249,904 | −5.2% | 111,058 | 1 | Petrol |
| Ford Focus | 857,445 | −6.6% | 100,497 | 4 | Petrol |
| Ford Kuga | 367,678 | +3.9% | 7,528 | 17 | Diesel |
| Ford Puma | 244,729 | +27.6% | 6,445 | 30 | Hybrid |
Data sources and methodology
| Figures | Source | Period | Records | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Licensed and SORN counts | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of March 2026 | 2,856 Popular records (licensed and SORN) | 15 September 2026 |
| Registered for the first time | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | 2001 to 2025 | – | 15 September 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.
- First registrations count vehicles registered in Great Britain for the first time, including used imports.
- Models are grouped by DVLA’s generic model name, so every generation and trim counts together.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.