Car statistics

Volkswagen Karmann Ghia statistics

How many Volkswagen Karmann Ghias 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
1,326 Karmann Ghia records (licensed and SORN)
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed in Great Britain 851 +1.3% on a year earlier
  • Declared SORN 475 Off the road, not taxed
  • Rank by number licensed No. 721 of 1,159 models we cover
  • Peak year 2025 852 licensed
  • New registrations in 2025 22 registered for the first time
  • Most common fuel Petrol 99.6% of those licensed

How many Volkswagen Karmann Ghias are left in Great Britain?

There were 851 Volkswagen Karmann Ghias licensed in Great Britain at the end of March 2026, and a further 475 declared off the road (SORN). That is 0.1% fewer than the peak of 852 in 2025.

Volkswagen Karmann Ghias licensed in Great Britain

The highest year-end count was 852 in 2025.

Volkswagen Karmann Ghias licensed in Great Britain at the end of each year
Year Licensed
1994 441
1995 413
1996 523
1997 609
1998 679
1999 704
2000 669
2001 687
2002 806
2003 787
2004 827
2005 808
2006 745
2007 721
2008 707
2009 676
2010 654
2011 656
2012 623
2013 669
2014 657
2015 668
2016 689
2017 674
2018 764
2019 790
2020 810
2021 839
2022 848
2023 851
2024 841
2025 852
2026 851

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Fuel type

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Volkswagen Karmann Ghia MOT reliability

There were not enough MOT tests of Volkswagen Karmann Ghias 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.

Volkswagen Karmann Ghia registrations over time

Registrations of Volkswagen Karmann Ghias for the first time in Great Britain peaked at 292 in 2002. In 2025, 22 were registered.

Registered for the first time, by year

Volkswagen Karmann Ghias registered for the first time in Great Britain, by year
Year First registrations
’01 41
’02 292
’03 42
’04 43
’05 32
’06 19
’07 25
’08 21
’09 19
’10 21
’11 19
’12 16
’13 35
’14 32
’15 52
’16 31
’17 29
’18 48
’19 46
’20 38
’21 42
’22 30
’23 22
’24 17
’25 22

Source:DfT / DVLA 2001 to 2025 Updated

Volkswagen Karmann Ghia engine sizes and fuel types

Of the 870 Volkswagen Karmann Ghias licensed in the UK at the end of 2025, 37.5% have an engine of 1,601cc to 1,700cc, and 30.2% have an engine of 1,501cc to 1,600cc. The share with an engine of 1,601cc to 1,700cc has grown from 30.8% in 2014 to 37.5%. Diesels made up 4.6% of those licensed in 2014 and 0.1% in 2025.

Engine sizes, end of 2025

DVLA records engine size in 100cc bands.

Volkswagen Karmann Ghias licensed in the UK at the end of 2025, by engine size
Engine size Share of those licensed
1,601cc to 1,700cc 326 licensed 37.5%
1,501cc to 1,600cc 263 licensed 30.2%
1,401cc to 1,500cc 69 licensed 7.9%
1,201cc to 1,300cc 64 licensed 7.4%
1,101cc to 1,200cc 62 licensed 7.1%
1,301cc to 1,400cc 43 licensed 4.9%
Other sizes 43 licensed 4.9%

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

Engine size and fuel together, end of 2025
Engine size Fuel Licensed Share
1,601–1,700cc Petrol 326 37.5%
1,501–1,600cc Petrol 263 30.2%
1,401–1,500cc Petrol 68 7.8%
1,201–1,300cc Petrol 64 7.4%
1,101–1,200cc Petrol 62 7.1%
1,301–1,400cc Petrol 43 4.9%
1,701–1,800cc Petrol 17 2.0%

Engine sizes, 2014 to 2025

Share of those licensed at the end of each year, for the most common sizes.

Volkswagen Karmann Ghias licensed in the UK by engine size, share of each year’s total
Year 1,601–1,700cc1,501–1,600cc1,401–1,500cc1,201–1,300cc
2014 30.8%32.5%11.2%6.6%
2015 32.1%32.1%11.0%6.2%
2016 32.1%31.9%10.8%7.1%
2017 33.5%30.8%9.8%8.0%
2018 33.9%30.7%9.8%8.1%
2019 34.1%31.7%8.8%8.0%
2020 34.5%32.4%8.2%7.4%
2021 36.2%31.6%8.0%7.4%
2022 36.7%31.3%7.9%7.4%
2023 36.5%31.2%7.8%7.9%
2024 36.5%31.0%9.1%7.6%
2025 37.5%30.2%7.9%7.4%

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

Fuel type, 2014 to 2025

Share of those licensed at the end of each year.

Volkswagen Karmann Ghias licensed in the UK by fuel type, share of each year’s total
Year PetrolDiesel
2014 95.4%4.6%
2015 95.6%4.4%
2016 96.0%4.0%
2017 96.5%3.5%
2018 97.3%2.7%
2019 98.5%1.5%
2020 99.0%1.0%
2021 99.4%0.6%
2022 99.5%0.3%
2023 99.5%0.2%
2024 99.7%0.1%
2025 99.7%0.1%

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

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.

Volkswagen Karmann Ghia safety recalls

We found no recalls for the Volkswagen Karmann Ghia 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 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia. 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 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia with other Volkswagen models

Volkswagen Karmann Ghia compared with other Volkswagen models
Model Licensed Change on a year SORN Rank Main fuel
Volkswagen Karmann Ghia 851 +1.3% 475 721 Petrol
Volkswagen Golf 900,884 −2.1% 122,944 3 Petrol
Volkswagen Polo 663,686 −0.3% 49,229 6 Petrol
Volkswagen Tiguan 331,220 +6.5% 4,557 19 Diesel
Volkswagen T-Roc 164,314 +16.3% 684 49 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 1,326 Karmann Ghia 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.