Car statistics
Volvo 480 statistics
How many Volvo 480s 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 118 −5.6% on a year earlier
- Declared SORN 611 Off the road, not taxed
- Rank by number licensed No. 1,120 of 1,159 models we cover
- Peak year 1995 20,626 licensed
- Declared off the road 83.8% of those still registered are SORN
- Most common fuel Petrol 99.2% of those licensed
How many Volvo 480s are left in Great Britain?
There were 118 Volvo 480s licensed in Great Britain at the end of March 2026, and a further 611 declared off the road (SORN). That is 99.4% fewer than the peak of 20,626 in 1995.
Volvo 480s licensed in Great Britain
The highest year-end count was 20,626 in 1995.
| Year | Licensed |
|---|---|
| 1994 | 20,245 |
| 1995 | 20,626 |
| 1996 | 20,434 |
| 1997 | 19,880 |
| 1998 | 19,174 |
| 1999 | 18,418 |
| 2000 | 16,869 |
| 2001 | 15,121 |
| 2002 | 12,767 |
| 2003 | 10,209 |
| 2004 | 7,875 |
| 2005 | 5,946 |
| 2006 | 4,332 |
| 2007 | 3,172 |
| 2008 | 2,312 |
| 2009 | 1,680 |
| 2010 | 1,263 |
| 2011 | 939 |
| 2012 | 734 |
| 2013 | 582 |
| 2014 | 471 |
| 2015 | 402 |
| 2016 | 350 |
| 2017 | 289 |
| 2018 | 250 |
| 2019 | 217 |
| 2020 | 193 |
| 2021 | 169 |
| 2022 | 158 |
| 2023 | 155 |
| 2024 | 130 |
| 2025 | 116 |
| 2026 | 118 |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated
Fuel type
Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated
Volvo 480 versions
The Volvo 480 Celebration has its own page. The figures above include every version; each version page covers only the cars DVLA records under that version’s name.
| Version | Licensed | SORN |
|---|---|---|
| Volvo 480 Celebration | 24 | 85 |
Volvo 480 MOT reliability
There were not enough MOT tests of Volvo 480s 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.
Volvo 480 engine sizes and fuel types
Of the 118 Volvo 480s licensed in the UK at the end of 2025, 51.7% have an engine of 1,901cc to 2,000cc, and 45.8% have an engine of 1,701cc to 1,800cc.
Engine sizes, end of 2025
DVLA records engine size in 100cc bands.
| Engine size | Share of those licensed |
|---|---|
| 1,901cc to 2,000cc 61 licensed | 51.7% |
| 1,701cc to 1,800cc 54 licensed | 45.8% |
| 2,401cc to 2,500cc 3 licensed | 2.5% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of 2014 to end of 2025 Updated
| Engine size | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,901–2,000cc | Petrol | 61 | 51.7% |
| 1,701–1,800cc | Petrol | 54 | 45.8% |
| 2,401–2,500cc | Petrol | 2 | 1.7% |
Fuel type, 2014 to 2025
Share of those licensed at the end of each year.
| Year | Petrol | Diesel |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 99.2% | 0.8% |
| 2015 | 99.0% | 1.0% |
| 2016 | 99.4% | 0.6% |
| 2017 | 99.3% | 0.7% |
| 2018 | 99.2% | 0.8% |
| 2019 | 99.1% | 0.9% |
| 2020 | 99.0% | 1.0% |
| 2021 | 98.8% | 1.2% |
| 2022 | 98.8% | 1.3% |
| 2023 | 98.7% | 1.3% |
| 2024 | 99.2% | 0.8% |
| 2025 | 99.2% | 0.8% |
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.
Volvo 480 safety recalls
We found no recalls for the Volvo 480 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 Volvo 480. 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 Volvo 480 with other Volvo models
| Model | Licensed | Change on a year | SORN | Rank | Main fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volvo 480 | 118 | −5.6% | 611 | 1120 | Petrol |
| Volvo XC40 | 174,993 | +19.6% | 1,060 | 46 | Hybrid |
| Volvo XC60 | 149,383 | +7.1% | 2,413 | 59 | Diesel |
| Volvo XC90 | 91,505 | +3.8% | 6,477 | 104 | Diesel |
| Volvo V40 | 91,276 | −2.0% | 4,457 | 105 | Diesel |
Data sources and methodology
| Figures | Source | Period | Records | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Licensed and SORN counts | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of March 2026 | 729 480 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.