Revealed: 2023’s most-scrapped cars

According to the findings, 798,363 vehicles were destroyed from January to October 2023 – which is 60,000 less when compared to the previous year.

Data retrieved from a Freedom of Information (FOI) request by Autocar showed that the Ford Focus was the most scrapped car of the year, closely followed by the Vauxhall Astra and Vauxhall Corsa, which came in second and third place respectively.

The report also highlighted that twice as many cars and vans were registered in the UK when compared to the total that were scrapped during the same time period.

The top 10 most scrapped cars in 2023

1. Ford Focus – 42,639
2. Vauxhall Astra – 35,578
3. Vauxhall Corsa – 34,405
4. Ford Fiesta – 32,935
5. Vauxhall Zafira – 26,898
6. Volkswagen Golf – 25,903
7. Renault Clio – 14,955
8. Ford Mondeo – 14,218
9. Volkswagen Polo – 13,722
10. BMW 3 Series – 13,642

Further analysis of the FOI request showed that there was more than double of the number of new vehicles compared to the amount that were scrapped.

In total, 1,889,758 new cars and LCVs were bought by drivers over the same time period.

Also, according to the Mayor of London’s office, up until October 2023, more than 37,200 people had scrapped their vehicle as part of the London Ultra Low Emission Zone scrappage scheme.

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How to scrap a car

In order to scrap a car in the UK, there are a few simple steps.

First, you will need to contact a licenced Authorised Treatment Facility – or ATF – that is registered with the Environment agency in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.

The next step is to get a quote. If you are happy with this, then you will need to book a time and date – as well as provide proof of ownership and the reasoning for scrapping the vehicle.

To do this, you will need your V5C Form.

On the day, make sure that you have removed all personal items from the vehicle before handing over the keys.

Following this, you will receive a Certificate of Destruction – which you will then need to provide the details of to the DVLA.

If you have any questions about scrapping a vehicle, leave them in the comments below.