New data from scrap price comparison service Scrap Car Comparison has revealed which car makes and models hit the scrap heap most often in 2022, based on internal data scrapped by the provider over the last year.
Ford Focus was the UK’s most scrapped car model in 2022

Scrap Car Comparison’s data revealed that for the sixth year running it was once again the Ford Focus which hit the scrap heap the most in 2022. With the average age of scrapped vehicles sitting at around 14 years old, it’s easy to see why so many of these cars are now hitting the scrap heap – the Ford Focus topped the charts as the most sold car in 2001 and maintained this position through to 2007, so many are likely to be coming to the end of their driveability some twenty years later.

The Vauxhall Astra and Vauxhall Corsa followed as the second and third most scrapped car models last year, with the Ford Fiesta and Volkswagen Golf completing the top five, which is identical to that of 2021. With models such as the Ford Fiesta having been discontinued in early 2022, it’s likely that this top five will remain largely unchanged over the coming years, with many more Fiestas predicted to hit the scrap heap in the years to come.

Despite last year’s list being largely reflective of 2021’s most scrapped models, there were a few new additions to this 2022’s top ten, including the executive BMW 3 Series – which is the first time a BMW vehicle has ranked in Scrap Car Comparison’s top ten list. The Ford Transit (often the van of choice for tradespeople) and the retro Mini Hatch (Cooper/One) were also new additions to the list, with some of 2021’s top ten vehicles instead including the Peugeot 206, Volkswagen Polo and Ford Mondeo, which dropped just outside of the top ten in 2022.

Top 10 most scrapped car models in 2022

Ford Focus
Vauxhall Corsa
Vauxhall Astra
Ford Fiesta
Volkswagen Golf
BMW 3 Series
Ford Transit
Mini Hatch (Cooper/One)
Vauxhall Zafira
Renault Clio
Ford is also revealed as the most scrapped car manufacturer of 2022

With the Ford Focus revealed as the most scrapped car model of 2022, and two other Ford models placing in the top ten, it was no surprise that Ford also ranks as the most scrapped car manufacturer overall, with almost 16% of all cars scrapped in 2022 made by the maufacturer. The Ford models which were scrapped most in 2022 included the Focus (#1), Fiesta (#4), Transit (#7), Mondeo(#13), and Ka (#26). Ford was followed by Vauxhall, with the most scrapped models including the Corsa (#2), Astra (#3), Zafira (#9), Insignia (#22) and Vectra (#27). Volkswagen, Peugeot and Renault made up the top five most scrapped car brands – which also remain unchanged compared to 2021.

New entry car manufacturers to the top ten included German brands BMW, Audi and Mercedes. BMW’s rankings were significantly boosted by the number of recorded 3 Series being scrapped – more than the 1 Series, 5 Series and X5s combined. Audi ranked in eighth position as a result of the number of A4 and A3 models being scrapped throughout 2022 – with 4% more of A4 models being scrapped than A3s. Scrap numbers of Mercedes’ C, A, and E Class models, as well as the Vito and Sprinter from the brand’s van range, propelled them into 10th position, rounding off the top ten most scrapped car manufacturers.

Top 10 most scrapped car manufacturers in 2022

Ford
Vauxhall
Volkswagen
Peugeot
Renault
BMW
Citroen
Audi
Toyota
Mercedes

Dan Gick, Managing Director of Scrap Car Comparison commented:

“It’s always interesting to sift through the data and see which cars are the most frequently scrapped across the country. This is the sixth year running where we’ve seen the Ford Focus come out on top as the most scrapped car, and we expect to see it featuring highly in our most scrapped lists for many years to come. Popularity will always have a bearing on which cars are scrapped, and 2022’s results help to spotlight the enduring popularity of the Focus model, even if many do eventually meet the scrap heap.

After being broken down and crushed, every single one of these top scrapped cars and vans will be put to good use in a number of different ways. 95% of the mass of every car must, by law, be recycled, and this ensures that the absolute minimum of each vehicle goes to waste.

No matter the age of your car, it’s always worth trying to get as much life out of a vehicle as possible, but if you feel like your car is nearing the end of its life, it could be time to consider scrapping it.”

You can view the full findings of the study at: https://www.scrapcarcomparison.co.uk/blog/the-most-scrapped-cars-of-2022/