8:24 am, December 13, 2023
It’s a crushing victory for the Ford Focus as it tops a list of the most scrapped used cars in 2023.
A Freedom of Information request has found that a staggering 798,363 used cars met their maker this year and were scrapped for good.
The data looked at figures from January to the end of October and were compiled by Autocar.
The publication said there was a vast drop in the numbers scrapped compared to 2022 when 857,107 vehicles were removed from the roads in the same period.
Some 42,637 Ford Focus models were scrapped, making it the most crushed car of the year.
The Vauxhall Astra was in second place, with 35,578 models scrapped, and the Vauxhall Corsa third, with 34,405 disappearing for good.
Most scrapped used cars of 2023
Source: DVLA, Autocar
- Ford Focus – 42,637
- Vauxhall Astra – 35,578
- Vauxhall Corsa – 34,405
- Ford Fiesta – 32,935
- Volkswagen Golf – 25,903
- Vauxhall Zafira – 16,898
- Renault Clio – 15,955
- Ford Mondeo – 14,218
- Volkswagen Polo – 13,722
- BMW 3 Series – 13,642
The figures show that nearly 80,000 cars are scrapped every month. Meanwhile, more than twice as many new cars and LCVs were registered during the same period at 1,889,758.
Autocar editor Mark Tisshaw said: ‘It is telling that nearly 60,000 fewer cars and vans were scrapped in 2023 than during the same period in 2022.
‘The rising cost of living is likely to be a factor, prompting motorists to hold on to their vehicles for longer – a situation not helped by uncertainty among consumers over making the switch to electric.’
When a car has reached the end of its life it must be scrapped at an authorised facility, says the government.
The government says: ‘When your vehicle has reached the end of its usefulness, you must get it scrapped at an authorised treatment facility (ATF). These are sometimes known as a scrapyard or breaker’s yard.’
The process is different if your car is an insurance write-off. The company will pay you what they think the car is worth and will then deal with scrapping it for you.
You need to send the log book to the insurance company and tell the DVLA the car has been written off, though. You can be fined £1,000 if you do not tell the DVLA.
Whether you are scraping your car or the insurance company, you can still keep the registration number if you want to. To do this you must apply to the DVLA.
