THE ICONIC Toyota Prius Hybrid has become the first electric-compatible vehicle to appear in the official list of the UK’s most written-off cars.
The world’s original mass-produced hybrid, which is worth around £37,895 new, appeared in 2024 at number nine before leaping up to third last year.
The Ford Fiesta Zetec has topped the list every year since 2019 in the timeframe provided by the Driver Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).
In 2025, the Fiat 500 Lounge came second, the Mini Cooper fourth and the Ford Focus Zetec TDCI fifth.
The figures have been released at a milestone time for electric vehicles (EVs), with a record two million on the road at the end of December.
Gareth Jones, managing director at CRS Ltd, a Malvern-based scrap metal and recycling facility, said: “As the only accredited end-of-vehicle site in Malvern we destroy and recycle thousands of cars annually and we see Fords high on our list.
“I’m sure this is due to the amount sold in the UK.
“With the amount of Toyota Priuses being sold I’m sure they’re going to be creeping up the list in the coming years.
“In the UK approximately 95% of vehicle materials can be recovered and reused, which prevents about a million tonnes of waste annually.”
The Zetec topped the most written-off cars list in 2025 (Image: NQ staff/Datawrapper)
In total, 4,152 Fiesta Zetecs were written off last year, followed by 1,143 Fiat 500 Lounges and 957 Toyota Prius Hybrids.
For those cars that cannot be returned to the road, sites like CRM Metals, which processes around 40,000 tonnes of metal annually, are the final point of call.
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“It’s interesting working in the end of life vehicle (ELV) industry as we deal with many different types of vehicles, all of which would have been someone’s pride and joy when they were new,” Mr Jones said.
“Now at the end of their useful life they will be recycled to produce new materials that could go on to be used in another vehicle or any industry in need of the raw materials.
“Virtually every vehicle on the road today will have been made using steel, aluminium and other metals that previously had another life.
End of the line: The CRS Ltd site in Malvern (Image: Court Reclamation Salvage Ltd, www.crs-malvern.co.uk)
“Approximately 1.8 million ELVs are scrapped in the UK each year and with more and more vehicles on the roads that figure is obviously set to rise, making ELV sites around the UK even more important for sustainable recycling.”
The figures were provided by the DVLA at a time when there is a record number of zero-emission cars licensed for use, with the total up 31% in a year.
Labour’s electric car grant, which provides discounts of up to £3,750, the roll-out of charging points and better EV models have been cited for the rise.