Car statistics

Riley 2.5 statistics

How many Riley 2.5s 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.

Last updated
Records analysed
326 2.5 records (licensed and SORN)
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed in Great Britain 268 −1.1% on a year earlier
  • Declared SORN 58 Off the road, not taxed
  • Rank by number licensed No. 954 of 1,159 models we cover
  • Peak year 1996 314 licensed
  • Declared off the road 17.8% of those still registered are SORN
  • Most common fuel Petrol 100.0% of those licensed

How many Riley 2.5s are left in Great Britain?

There were 268 Riley 2.5s licensed in Great Britain at the end of March 2026, and a further 58 declared off the road (SORN). That is 14.6% fewer than the peak of 314 in 1996.

Riley 2.5s licensed in Great Britain

The highest year-end count was 314 in 1996.

Riley 2.5s licensed in Great Britain at the end of each year
Year Licensed
1994 242
1995 241
1996 314
1997 293
1998 300
1999 296
2000 294
2001 288
2002 295
2003 291
2004 284
2005 284
2006 280
2007 273
2008 268
2009 265
2010 259
2011 259
2012 252
2013 274
2014 274
2015 278
2016 282
2017 278
2018 283
2019 279
2020 271
2021 273
2022 272
2023 272
2024 272
2025 268
2026 268

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Fuel type

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Riley 2.5 MOT reliability

There were not enough MOT tests of Riley 2.5s 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.

Riley 2.5 engine sizes and fuel types

Of the 270 Riley 2.5s licensed in the UK at the end of 2025, 95.2% have an engine of 2,401cc to 2,500cc, and 4.1% have an engine of 2,501cc to 2,600cc.

Engine sizes, end of 2025

DVLA records engine size in 100cc bands.

Riley 2.5s licensed in the UK at the end of 2025, by engine size
Engine size Share of those licensed
2,401cc to 2,500cc 257 licensed 95.2%
2,501cc to 2,600cc 11 licensed 4.1%
Other sizes 2 licensed 0.7%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of 2014 to end of 2025 Updated

Engine size and fuel together, end of 2025
Engine size Fuel Licensed Share
2,401–2,500cc Petrol 257 95.2%
2,501–2,600cc Petrol 11 4.1%

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.

Riley 2.5 safety recalls

We found no recalls for the Riley 2.5 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 Riley 2.5. 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 Riley 2.5 with other Riley models

Riley 2.5 compared with other Riley models
Model Licensed Change on a year SORN Rank Main fuel
Riley 2.5 268 −1.1% 58 954 Petrol
Riley 1.5 805 −0.1% 310 734 Petrol
Riley Elf 408 −0.2% 322 862 Petrol
Riley Kestrel 119 +3.5% 42 1117 Petrol

Data sources and methodology

Datasets used on this page
Figures Source Period Records Updated
Licensed and SORN counts Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of March 2026 326 2.5 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.