Car statistics
Volvo 850 statistics
How many Volvo 850s 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 1,247 −8.6% on a year earlier
- Declared SORN 2,299 Off the road, not taxed
- Rank by number licensed No. 640 of 1,159 models we cover
- Peak year 1999 43,718 licensed
- Declared off the road 64.8% of those still registered are SORN
- Most common fuel Petrol 94.7% of those licensed
How many Volvo 850s are left in Great Britain?
There were 1,247 Volvo 850s licensed in Great Britain at the end of March 2026, and a further 2,299 declared off the road (SORN). That is 97.1% fewer than the peak of 43,718 in 1999.
Volvo 850s licensed in Great Britain
Numbers peaked in 1999 and have fallen every year since, as older cars are scrapped faster than new ones are registered.
| Year | Licensed |
|---|---|
| 1994 | 18,047 |
| 1995 | 28,621 |
| 1996 | 40,577 |
| 1997 | 43,317 |
| 1998 | 43,541 |
| 1999 | 43,718 |
| 2000 | 43,612 |
| 2001 | 43,406 |
| 2002 | 42,773 |
| 2003 | 41,751 |
| 2004 | 40,752 |
| 2005 | 39,019 |
| 2006 | 36,030 |
| 2007 | 32,803 |
| 2008 | 28,169 |
| 2009 | 23,660 |
| 2010 | 19,262 |
| 2011 | 14,903 |
| 2012 | 11,556 |
| 2013 | 8,898 |
| 2014 | 7,056 |
| 2015 | 5,717 |
| 2016 | 4,637 |
| 2017 | 3,806 |
| 2018 | 3,155 |
| 2019 | 2,650 |
| 2020 | 2,269 |
| 2021 | 1,979 |
| 2022 | 1,766 |
| 2023 | 1,541 |
| 2024 | 1,406 |
| 2025 | 1,277 |
| 2026 | 1,247 |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated
Fuel type
Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated
Volvo 850 versions
5 versions of the Volvo 850 have their 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 850 R | 106 | 201 |
| Volvo 850 CD | 83 | 125 |
| Volvo 850 T5CD | 78 | 92 |
| Volvo 850 T5R | 53 | 108 |
| Volvo 850 T-5 | 37 | 78 |
Volvo 850 MOT reliability
There were not enough MOT tests of Volvo 850s 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 850 engine sizes and fuel types
Of the 1,293 Volvo 850s licensed in the UK at the end of 2025, 47.5% have an engine of 2,401cc to 2,500cc, and 38.4% have an engine of 2,301cc to 2,400cc. The share with an engine of 2,301cc to 2,400cc has grown from 19.9% in 2014 to 38.4%. Diesels made up 7.1% of those licensed in 2014 and 4.4% in 2025.
Engine sizes, end of 2025
DVLA records engine size in 100cc bands.
| Engine size | Share of those licensed |
|---|---|
| 2,401cc to 2,500cc 614 licensed | 47.5% |
| 2,301cc to 2,400cc 497 licensed | 38.4% |
| 1,901cc to 2,000cc 165 licensed | 12.8% |
| Other sizes 17 licensed | 1.3% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of 2014 to end of 2025 Updated
| Engine size | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2,401–2,500cc | Petrol | 555 | 42.9% |
| 2,301–2,400cc | Petrol | 495 | 38.3% |
| 1,901–2,000cc | Petrol | 163 | 12.6% |
| 2,401–2,500cc | Diesel | 55 | 4.3% |
Engine sizes, 2014 to 2025
Share of those licensed at the end of each year, for the most common sizes.
| Year | 2,401–2,500cc | 2,301–2,400cc | 1,901–2,000cc |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 59.1% | 19.9% | 18.9% |
| 2015 | 57.7% | 21.4% | 18.8% |
| 2016 | 57.3% | 22.7% | 18.1% |
| 2017 | 56.4% | 23.7% | 17.9% |
| 2018 | 54.7% | 26.0% | 17.4% |
| 2019 | 53.9% | 27.1% | 17.1% |
| 2020 | 53.0% | 29.1% | 16.2% |
| 2021 | 51.5% | 30.9% | 16.2% |
| 2022 | 49.9% | 33.5% | 15.2% |
| 2023 | 48.8% | 35.0% | 14.7% |
| 2024 | 49.2% | 36.1% | 13.4% |
| 2025 | 47.5% | 38.4% | 12.8% |
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.
| Year | Petrol | Diesel |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 92.5% | 7.1% |
| 2015 | 92.7% | 6.9% |
| 2016 | 92.8% | 6.8% |
| 2017 | 92.7% | 6.8% |
| 2018 | 93.5% | 6.0% |
| 2019 | 93.8% | 5.8% |
| 2020 | 93.9% | 5.6% |
| 2021 | 93.9% | 5.7% |
| 2022 | 94.4% | 5.0% |
| 2023 | 94.6% | 5.1% |
| 2024 | 94.2% | 5.3% |
| 2025 | 95.0% | 4.4% |
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 850 safety recalls
We found no recalls for the Volvo 850 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 850. 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 850 with other Volvo models
| Model | Licensed | Change on a year | SORN | Rank | Main fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volvo 850 | 1,247 | −8.6% | 2,299 | 640 | 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 | 3,546 850 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.