FORD · FORD ESCORT · Cars
FORD ESCORT Common
As of 2026 Q1, 48,830 FORD ESCORTs remain registered in the UK — still a familiar sight on today's roads. That's down from a peak of 67,151 in 2014 Q3 — only 73% of the high-water mark, a loss of about 18,321 cars. Unusually, the numbers are actually rising — up 546 (1.1%) over the past year, as imports and barn-finds rejoin the register faster than cars leave it. Tellingly, 73% are declared SORN — kept off the road in garages and barns rather than driven, the signature of a car being looked after rather than used up.
Survivors over time
How rare is it?
Common — still a familiar sight, with 48,830 on the road.
Rarer than 7% of the 2,429 UK car models we track.
Fuel breakdown
Trend
About the ESCORT
The Ford Escort is a small family car that was manufactured by Ford of Europe from 1968 until 2004. In total, the six generations were spread across three basic platforms: the original, rear-wheel-drive Mk.1/Mk.2 (1968–1980), the "Erika" front-wheel-drive Mk.3/Mk.4 (1980–1992), and the final CE-14 Mk.5/Mk.6 (1990–2002) version. Its successor, the Ford Focus, was released in 1998, but the final generation of Escort was phased out gradually, with the panel van version ending production in 2002 in favour of the Ford Transit Connect. The Escort was frequently the best-selling car in Britain during...
FORD ESCORT — questions & answers
How many FORD ESCORT are left in the UK?
As of 2026 Q1, 48,830 FORD ESCORT were still registered in the UK — 13,144 licensed and on the road, plus 35,686 declared SORN (off-road). The figures come from official DVLA vehicle licensing data.
Is the FORD ESCORT rare?
The FORD ESCORT is common, with 48,830 still on the road, making it rarer than 7% of the 2,429 UK car models we track.
Is the FORD ESCORT increasing or decreasing?
Over the last year the number of FORD ESCORT on UK roads rose by 546 (1.1%).
What fuel do most FORD ESCORT use?
Most FORD ESCORT run on petrol — about 96% of those still registered, with the rest split across diesel.
When did the FORD ESCORT peak?
The FORD ESCORT peaked at 67,151 registered in 2014 Q3, and was first recorded in the data in 2014 Q3.