New data from Scrap Car Comparison reveals that the Ford Focus was the most scrapped vehicle in the UK in 2024, marking its eighth consecutive year at the top. The model accounted for 6.3% of all vehicles scrapped, a 2% increase from the previous year.
Experts attribute the Focus's high scrappage rate to its immense popularity in the early 2000s, when it was the UK's best-selling car. Many of those vehicles are now reaching the end of their 20-year lifespan, making them uneconomical to repair. The average age of scrapped cars in 2024 was 17 years.
The Vauxhall Astra came second, representing 5.6% of scrapped vehicles. Production of the Astra ended in 2022, and many early 2000s models are now being retired. The Vauxhall Corsa followed at 4.8%, with the Ford Fiesta (4.4%) and Volkswagen Golf (2.5%) completing the top five.
Rounding out the top ten were the Renault Clio (2.5%), Vauxhall Zafira (2.3%), Mini Hatch (2.2%), Peugeot 207 (2%), and Volkswagen Polo (1.7%). Scrap Car Comparison noted that all these models sold in high numbers between 2000 and 2010, contributing to their current scrappage rates.
