BMW · BMW 3 SERIES · Cars
BMW 3 SERIES Common
As of 2026 Q1, 588,106 BMW 3 SERIESs remain registered in the UK — still a familiar sight on today's roads. That's down from a peak of 705,609 in 2014 Q3 — only 83% of the high-water mark, a loss of about 117,503 cars. They're disappearing at roughly 17,670 a year (3.0% of what's left), a pace that would halve the survivors by around 2049 if it held — though in practice the last, most-cherished examples tend to linger far longer.
Survivors over time
How rare is it?
Common — still a familiar sight, with 588,106 on the road.
Rarer than 0% of the 2,429 UK car models we track.
Fuel breakdown
📉 Rate of decline
Disappearing at about 17,670 a year (3.0% of survivors). At that pace roughly 504,909 would remain in 5 years, and half the current fleet is gone by around ~2049.
About the 3 SERIES
The BMW 3 series is a line of compact executive cars manufactured by the German automaker BMW since May 1975. It is the successor to the 02 series and has been produced in eight generations. The first generation of the 3 Series was only available as a 2-door saloon; the model range expanded to include a 4-door saloon, 2-door convertible, 2-door coupé, 5-door estate, 5-door liftback ("Gran Turismo"; discontinued in 2019) and 3-door hatchback body styles. Since 2013, the coupé and convertible models have been marketed as the 4 Series; these styles no longer being included in the 3 Series. The 3 Series...
BMW 3 SERIES — questions & answers
How many BMW 3 SERIES are left in the UK?
As of 2026 Q1, 588,106 BMW 3 SERIES were still registered in the UK — 465,352 licensed and on the road, plus 122,754 declared SORN (off-road). The figures come from official DVLA vehicle licensing data.
Is the BMW 3 SERIES rare?
The BMW 3 SERIES is common, with 588,106 still on the road, making it rarer than 0% of the 2,429 UK car models we track.
Is the BMW 3 SERIES increasing or decreasing?
Over the last year the number of BMW 3 SERIES on UK roads fell by 17,705 (2.9%). At the current rate of decline, roughly 504,909 would remain in 5 years.
What fuel do most BMW 3 SERIES use?
Most BMW 3 SERIES run on diesel — about 49% of those still registered, with the rest split across petrol, plug-in hybrid, hybrid, electric.
When did the BMW 3 SERIES peak?
The BMW 3 SERIES peaked at 705,609 registered in 2014 Q3, and was first recorded in the data in 2014 Q3.