ROVER · ROVER 45 · Cars
ROVER 45 Uncommon
As of 2026 Q2, 4,699 ROVER 45s remain registered in the UK — an increasingly uncommon sight on today's roads. That's down from a peak of 34,850 in 2014 Q3 — only 13% of the high-water mark, a loss of about 30,151 cars. They're disappearing at roughly 579 a year (12.3% of what's left), a pace that would halve the survivors by around 2031 if it held — though in practice the last, most-cherished examples tend to linger far longer. Tellingly, 76% 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?
Uncommon — a few thousand still about (4,699).
Rarer than 22% of the 2,315 UK car models we track.
Fuel breakdown
📉 Rate of decline
Disappearing at about 579 a year (12.3% of survivors). At that pace roughly 2,436 would remain in 5 years, and half the current fleet is gone by around ~2031.
About the 45
The Rover 400 Series, and later the Rover 45, are a series of small family cars that were produced by the British manufacturer Rover from 1990 to 2005. The cars were co-developed as part of Rover's collaboration with Honda. The first-generation 400 was based on the Honda Concerto, and the Mark II 400 (later the Rover 45) was based on the Honda Domani/Civic. Honda petrol engines were used in some Rover models, while the market competitive Rover L-series diesel engine was used from the mid-1990s in Hondas, before they designed their own diesel engine.
ROVER 45 — questions & answers
How many ROVER 45 are left in the UK?
As of 2026 Q2, 4,699 ROVER 45 were still registered in the UK — 1,151 licensed and on the road, plus 3,548 declared SORN (off-road). The figures come from official DVLA vehicle licensing data.
Is the ROVER 45 rare?
The ROVER 45 is uncommon, with 4,699 still about, making it rarer than 22% of the 2,315 UK car models we track.
Is the ROVER 45 increasing or decreasing?
Over the last year the number of ROVER 45 on UK roads fell by 301 (6.0%). At the current rate of decline, roughly 2,436 would remain in 5 years.
What fuel do most ROVER 45 use?
Most ROVER 45 run on petrol — about 77% of those still registered, with the rest split across diesel.
When did the ROVER 45 peak?
The ROVER 45 peaked at 34,850 registered in 2014 Q3, and was first recorded in the data in 2014 Q3.