Cost-of-living crisis sees drivers keep cars as most scrapped models are ranked
The automotive publication Autocar has revealed the most scrapped vehicles in the UK between January and October 2023.
During the 10 months, 798,363 passenger cars and light commercial vehicles (LCVs) were taken off the road in the UK, a fall of almost 7 percent compared to 12 months earlier.
Mark Tisshaw, editor of Autocar, noted that the drop in the number of vehicles being scrapped is a sign that a growing number of motorists are not able to afford a new model.
He explained: “It is telling that nearly 60,000 fewer cars and vans were scrapped in 2023 than during the same period in 2022.
“The rising cost of living is likely to be a factor, prompting motorists to hold on to their vehicles for longer – a situation not helped by uncertainty among consumers over making the switch to electric.”
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According to Autocar, the most scrapped model in the UK between January and October 2023 was the Ford Focus, with 42,637 examples of the popular family hatchback removed from roads.
The Focus’ rival, the Vauxhall Astra, came second, with over 35,500 models scrapped during the first ten months of the year, with the similarly sized Golf also featuring in the top ten.
However, many smaller hatchbacks made their way onto the list, including the Vauxhall Corsa and the Ford Fiesta, both models that have previously been the best-selling car in the UK.
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Top 10 Most Scrapped Cars in the UK (January-October 2023):
- Ford Focus – 42,637
- Vauxhall Astra – 35,578
- Vauxhall Corsa – 34,405
- Ford Fiesta – 32,935
- Volkswagen Golf – 25,903
- Vauxhall Zafira – 16,898
- Renault Clio – 15,955
- Ford Mondeo – 14,218
- Volkswagen Polo – 13,722
- BMW 3 Series – 13,642
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Whilst the number of vehicles scrapped during the first ten months of 2023 was lower than during the same period in 2022, Autocar highlighted that sales of new cars remained strong.
1,889,758 cars and LCVs were sold between January and October 2023, meaning the number of vehicles on the roads increased by nearly 1.1million.
According to the RAC Foundation, there were 33.48million cars and 4.7million LCVs registered in the UK during June 2023.
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