BMW · BMW 5 SERIES · Cars
BMW 5 SERIES Common
As of 2026 Q1, 239,356 BMW 5 SERIESs remain registered in the UK — still a familiar sight on today's roads. That's down from a peak of 273,651 in 2019 Q3 — only 87% of the high-water mark, a loss of about 34,295 cars. They're disappearing at roughly 7,434 a year (3.1% of what's left), a pace that would halve the survivors by around 2048 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 239,356 on the road.
Rarer than 1% of the 2,429 UK car models we track.
Fuel breakdown
📉 Rate of decline
Disappearing at about 7,434 a year (3.1% of survivors). At that pace roughly 204,423 would remain in 5 years, and half the current fleet is gone by around ~2048.
About the 5 SERIES
The BMW 5 Series is an executive car manufactured and marketed by BMW since 1972. It is the successor to the BMW New Class sedans and is currently in its eighth generation. The car is sold as either a sedan or, since 1991, a station wagon (marketed as "Touring"). A 5-door fastback (marketed as "Gran Turismo") was sold between 2009 and 2017. Each successive generation has been given an internal G-code designation since 2017. Previously, a F-code designation was used between 2010 and 2016, while an E-code designation was used between 1972 and 2010. These are used to distinguish each model and generation...
BMW 5 SERIES — questions & answers
How many BMW 5 SERIES are left in the UK?
As of 2026 Q1, 239,356 BMW 5 SERIES were still registered in the UK — 196,706 licensed and on the road, plus 42,650 declared SORN (off-road). The figures come from official DVLA vehicle licensing data.
Is the BMW 5 SERIES rare?
The BMW 5 SERIES is common, with 239,356 still on the road, making it rarer than 1% of the 2,429 UK car models we track.
Is the BMW 5 SERIES increasing or decreasing?
Over the last year the number of BMW 5 SERIES on UK roads fell by 6,574 (2.7%). At the current rate of decline, roughly 204,423 would remain in 5 years.
What fuel do most BMW 5 SERIES use?
Most BMW 5 SERIES run on diesel — about 69% of those still registered, with the rest split across petrol, plug-in hybrid, hybrid.
When did the BMW 5 SERIES peak?
The BMW 5 SERIES peaked at 273,651 registered in 2019 Q3, and was first recorded in the data in 2014 Q3.