VOLVO · VOLVO 740 · Cars
VOLVO 740 Uncommon
As of 2026 Q1, 2,424 VOLVO 740s remain registered in the UK — an increasingly uncommon sight on today's roads. That's down from a peak of 4,285 in 2014 Q3 — only 57% of the high-water mark, a loss of about 1,861 cars. They're disappearing at roughly 67 a year (2.8% of what's left), a pace that would halve the survivors by around 2051 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 (2,424).
Rarer than 26% of the 2,429 UK car models we track.
Fuel breakdown
📉 Rate of decline
Disappearing at about 67 a year (2.8% of survivors). At that pace roughly 2,106 would remain in 5 years, and half the current fleet is gone by around ~2051.
About the 740
The Volvo 700 series is a range of executive cars produced by the Swedish manufacturer Volvo Cars from 1982 to 1992. The 700 series was introduced in 1982 with the premium 760 models, followed two years later by the more basic 740s, which benefited from the 760's prestige, while sharing the same bodywork. The 700 series was then gradually replaced, beginning in 1990, by the 900 series. The 700, designed by Jan Wilsgaard, was originally to have been a replacement for the 200 series, but production of that model continued until the early nineties. The expensive 780, a Bertone-designed coupé version...
VOLVO 740 — questions & answers
How many VOLVO 740 are left in the UK?
As of 2026 Q1, 2,424 VOLVO 740 were still registered in the UK — 592 licensed and on the road, plus 1,832 declared SORN (off-road). The figures come from official DVLA vehicle licensing data.
Is the VOLVO 740 rare?
The VOLVO 740 is uncommon, with 2,424 still about, making it rarer than 26% of the 2,429 UK car models we track.
Is the VOLVO 740 increasing or decreasing?
Over the last year the number of VOLVO 740 on UK roads fell by 19 (0.8%). At the current rate of decline, roughly 2,106 would remain in 5 years.
What fuel do most VOLVO 740 use?
Most VOLVO 740 run on petrol — about 93% of those still registered, with the rest split across diesel.
When did the VOLVO 740 peak?
The VOLVO 740 peaked at 4,285 registered in 2014 Q3, and was first recorded in the data in 2014 Q3.