Car statistics

Volvo 940 statistics

How many Volvo 940s 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
4,667 940 records (licensed and SORN)
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed in Great Britain 1,999 −4.6% on a year earlier
  • Declared SORN 2,668 Off the road, not taxed
  • Rank by number licensed No. 559 of 1,159 models we cover
  • Peak year 1999 47,915 licensed
  • Declared off the road 57.2% of those still registered are SORN
  • Most common fuel Petrol 94.5% of those licensed

How many Volvo 940s are left in Great Britain?

There were 1,999 Volvo 940s licensed in Great Britain at the end of March 2026, and a further 2,668 declared off the road (SORN). That is 95.8% fewer than the peak of 47,915 in 1999.

Volvo 940s 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.

Volvo 940s licensed in Great Britain at the end of each year
Year Licensed
1994 36,967
1995 40,670
1996 43,743
1997 46,720
1998 47,739
1999 47,915
2000 47,182
2001 46,841
2002 45,628
2003 43,819
2004 41,777
2005 38,348
2006 33,739
2007 29,272
2008 24,305
2009 20,081
2010 16,606
2011 13,366
2012 10,911
2013 8,989
2014 7,581
2015 6,517
2016 5,639
2017 4,850
2018 4,195
2019 3,725
2020 3,243
2021 2,956
2022 2,645
2023 2,390
2024 2,155
2025 2,006
2026 1,999

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Fuel type

Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated

Volvo 940 versions

3 versions of the Volvo 940 have their own page. The figures above include every version; each version page covers only the cars DVLA records under that version’s name.

Versions of the Volvo 940 with their own page
Version Licensed SORN
Volvo 940 Classic 238 271
Volvo 940 Celebration 223 148
Volvo 940 Torslanda LPT 160 119

Volvo 940 MOT reliability

There were not enough MOT tests of Volvo 940s 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 940 engine sizes and fuel types

Of the 2,027 Volvo 940s licensed in the UK at the end of 2025, 73.1% have an engine of 2,301cc to 2,400cc, and 25.9% have an engine of 1,901cc to 2,000cc. The share with an engine of 1,901cc to 2,000cc has fallen from 31.1% in 2014 to 25.9%.

Engine sizes, end of 2025

DVLA records engine size in 100cc bands.

Volvo 940s licensed in the UK at the end of 2025, by engine size
Engine size Share of those licensed
2,301cc to 2,400cc 1,481 licensed 73.1%
1,901cc to 2,000cc 524 licensed 25.9%
Other sizes 22 licensed 1.1%

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

Engine size and fuel together, end of 2025
Engine size Fuel Licensed Share
2,301–2,400cc Petrol 1,375 67.8%
1,901–2,000cc Petrol 520 25.7%
2,301–2,400cc Diesel 91 4.5%

Engine sizes, 2014 to 2025

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

Volvo 940s licensed in the UK by engine size, share of each year’s total
Year 2,301–2,400cc1,901–2,000cc
2014 68.0%31.1%
2015 68.6%30.4%
2016 70.3%28.7%
2017 71.2%27.9%
2018 71.3%27.8%
2019 71.8%27.2%
2020 72.1%26.9%
2021 72.0%27.0%
2022 72.9%26.3%
2023 73.0%26.0%
2024 72.9%26.1%
2025 73.1%25.9%

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.

Volvo 940s licensed in the UK by fuel type, share of each year’s total
Year PetrolDieselOther
2014 94.6%4.8%0.6%
2015 94.4%5.0%0.6%
2016 94.3%5.2%0.5%
2017 94.5%4.8%0.7%
2018 94.5%4.8%0.7%
2019 94.3%5.2%0.6%
2020 94.3%5.1%0.6%
2021 94.2%5.1%0.7%
2022 94.4%4.9%0.7%
2023 94.3%4.8%0.8%
2024 94.3%4.7%1.1%
2025 94.3%4.9%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 940 safety recalls

We found no recalls for the Volvo 940 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 940. 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 940 with other Volvo models

Volvo 940 compared with other Volvo models
Model Licensed Change on a year SORN Rank Main fuel
Volvo 940 1,999 −4.6% 2,668 559 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

Datasets used on this page
Figures Source Period Records Updated
Licensed and SORN counts Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of March 2026 4,667 940 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.