Which Of The UK’s Cars Are Most At Risk Of Extinction?

Every driver knows how nostalgic it is to think of your first car. Just like the stuffed animal you wouldn’t go anywhere without as a child, our first cars are special to us. And new Dick Lovett research finds that more than a third (34%) of British drivers admit to missing their old banger.

Is it a case of the ‘car that got away’ for British drivers? Well, it seems first cars occupy a special place in British nostalgia, with 3 in 5 (58%) drivers feeling nostalgic when they think about their first car. Another two-fifths (41%) of drivers even went so far as to say they still feel attached to their first car.

While Brits may miss their first cars, Dick Lovett’s research found that they didn’t hold onto them for long, as the average driver only kept their first car for around 3 years.

However, with the average age of cars getting scrapped in 2023 sitting at 17, there’s a good chance many Brits’ first cars aren’t around anymore. Similarly, as car manufacturers discontinue old fuel models in favour of EVs, many of the UK’s most popular first cars could now be at risk of ‘extinction’.

But, which ones could be the first to go?

To allow Dick Lovett to make their extinction predictions, they looked at which of the UK’s most popular first cars are no longer in production and analysed how many of them are still licensed to drive on British roads, as well as the rate at which they’ve been scrapped over the past 5 years.

Check the top 10 out below:

The Vauxhall Nova, which we found was the eighth most popular first car in the 80s and 90s, is the one Dick Lovett found most at risk of extinction. With just 841 road-worthy Novas left in the UK, if it keeps getting scrapped at the same rate (an average of 4,806 being scrapped every quarter over the past 5 years), then the Nova could have just 2 weeks left on our roads.

Following the Nova is the Peugeot 205. Dick Lovett’s research found that the 205 peaked in popularity of first cars in 90s and noughties, but with just 3,288 left on UK roads, and an average of 11,528 being scrapped every quarter over the past 5 years, the 205 could be gone from UK roads in just 4 weeks if things keep going the same way.

In third place is the Citroen Saxo. The Saxo was the tenth most popular first car in the 2000s, however, if they continue to get scrapped at their current rate, with an average of 12,845 getting scrapped every quarter, the Saxo also has just 4 weeks left.

Another popular first car making at risk list was the Ford Fiesta. Given the Fiesta’s recent end in production, Dick Lovett’s calculations predict the iconic Ford vehicle is also at risk of complete eradication in the next 4 years and 2 months if it keeps getting scrapped at the same rate.

Similarly, the MINI Clubman, which Dick Lovett found peaked in popularity with drivers who got their first cars in the 60s, 70s and 80s, is also at risk of complete extinction, with potentially just 8 years and 3 months left. The Clubman is known for its iconic, signature split rear doors, and while it had a bit of a comeback after its rebrand in 2007, MINI discontinued production at the start of 2024.

Full tabled details of top 10 data below:

Which of the UK’s most popular first cars are most at risk of extinction?

Make & Model	Number left in UK	Avg. Quarterly SORN last 5 years (ignoring Q4 2019)	Number of years until extinct	Exact time left figures
Vauxhall Nova	841	4,806	0.04	2 weeks
Peugeot 205	3,288	11,528	0.07	4 weeks
Citroen Saxo	3,652	12,485	0.07	4 weeks
Peugeot 106	5,097	14,868	0.09	1 month
Peugeot 206	48,175	40,687	0.3	4 months
Fiat Punto	63,393	24,641	0.64	8 months
Volkswagen Beetle	44,193	14,938	0.74	9 months
Ford Ka	177,250	28,246	1.57	1 year and 7 months
Ford Fiesta	1,396,786	85,105	4.1	4 years and 2 months
MINI Clubman	25,840	784	8.24	8 years and 3 months

Which of the UK’s favourite first cars are the ‘rarest’?

While some of the UK’s first cars are more at risk of extinction than others, which are you least likely to see on the roads?

Looking at all the most popular first cars – both those still in production and discontinued – Dick Lovett’s analysis found the following 10 to have the least amount of ‘road-worthy’ cars left in the UK:

Car Make & Model	Number of road-worthy vehicles left in UK
Vauxhall Nova	841
Vauxhall Cavalier	1,113
Ford Capri	2,210
Peugeot 205	3,288
Citroen Saxo	3,652
Peugeot 106	5,097
MINI Clubman	25,840
Vauxhall Viva	37,405
Volkswagen Beetle	44,193
Peugeot 206	48,175

Is your car on the list? Let us know in the comments.

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Derrick

1 month ago

Nope my first car isnt on the list, a Morris Oxford still on the road though called the ambasador in India, mainly used for dignitaries and taxis now
When it came out, it was the only car you could buy in India
Easy to work on, kerbside mechanics was king with it