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Car makes and models disappearing fast from our roads…

A study by the Confused.com car insurance experts has revealed the car makes & models that are most at risk of going extinct.

They tell us:

The study analysed data from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency to find the number of each model licensed in the UK. The data from 2022 was compared with data from 2012, to reveal the car models and brands that have seen the biggest decline in the past decade.

The 10 car models that have seen the biggest decline:

Rank

Model

Licensed cars (Q1 2012)

Licensed cars (Q1 2022)

Difference

1

Fiat Brava

14,995

767

-94.88%

2

Daewoo Lanos

16,020

1,034

-93.55%

3

Kia Shuma

4,185

278

-93.36%

4

Daewoo Tacuma

6,994

466

-93.34%

5

Kia Mentor

1,383

95

-93.13%

6

Hyundai Lantra

5,358

424

-92.09%

7

Kia Clarus

249

20

-91.97%

8

Daewoo Nubira

4,891

394

-91.94%

9

Fiat Marea

5,205

423

-91.87%

10

Proton Wira

3,421

301

-91.20%
The car that has seen the biggest drop in numbers since 2012 is the Fiat Brava. It is the twin to the Fiat Bravo and is a small 5-door fastback, family car. The last one was produced in 2003. It was pitched as a futuristic car, but this look was actually received negatively by critics, and was later replaced by the Fiat Stilo.
In second is the Daewoo Lanos, which has seen its numbers dwindle by 93.55% over the last decade. The Lanos was a compact car that ceased production in 2002. It prioritised reliability over any fancy features but was a popular car in its day. It’s since been replaced by the Daewoo Kalos, which is a rare sight on British roads these days too, with just 1,368 remaining.
Third is the Kia Shuma, another car that ceased production in the early 2000s. Like others on this list, the Shuma was sold as a value option, with a focus on reliability and practicality. Better known as the Kia Mentor here in the UK, over 4,000 existed under the Shuma nameplate as of 2012.

The top 5 car brands that have seen the biggest decline:

Rank

Brand

Licensed cars (Q1 2012)

Licensed cars (Q1 2022)

Difference

1

Daewoo

86,538

9,018

-89.58%

2

Sao

6

1

-83.33%

3

Proton

24,805

5,073

-79.55%

4

Rover

461,852

117,313

-74.60%

5

Tata

479

124

-74.11%
Daewoo is the car brand that’s disappeared from our roads the most over the last decade. Daewoo vehicles were popular due to their affordability, as well as their policy of offering free servicing on new vehicles for the first 3 years. However, the brand hit financial difficulties and sold most of its assets to General Motors, who stopped using the brand name in 2011.
Below: The three brands with numbers of remaining examples shrinking fast:
Further study insights:

  • There are currently 41 different car models in the UK that have just 1 vehicle left licenced in the UK, including the Lamborghini Centenario and Maserati MC12.

  • The Fiat 500 is the car model that has increased the most in popularity since 2012, with its numbers having over quadrupled.

Below: The three models that have increased most significantly in number in the last 10 years:

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