Riley 1.5

821 on UK roads in 2025-2 vs 2024

On the road

821

821 licensed

Change vs 2024

-0.2%

-2 cars

New in 2025

first-time registrations

Electrified

hybrid, plug-in & battery

The Riley 1.5 is an uncommon sight on UK roads, with 821 licensed in 2025 - down 0.2% on 2024. None were registered new in 2025, so the fleet can only shrink as cars are retired. The fleet is overwhelmingly petrol (100%), with most in the 1.0-1.6L class. Most date from the Before 2000 era.

How many are left?

Licensed Riley 1.5 cars on the road over time

New registrations

First-time registrations per year

What the typical Riley 1.5 looks like

Fuel, engine size and age across every Riley 1.5 on the road today.

Fuel mix

Current split

821total

Petrol99.9%
Other0.1%

Engine size

Cars on the road by engine capacity

Under 1.0L1
1.0-1.6L769
1.6-2.0L47
2.0-3.0L3
Over 3.0L1

How old are they?

Share of cars by the year they were first registered

Before 2000100%
2000-20040%

MOT & reliability

2025 MOT data

How a Riley 1 5 holds up at its MOT and how it's driven - from 27 tests, tracked across 2022-2025.

First-time pass rate

Average for its class

88%

27 MOT tests in 2025 · 25 first-time

Pass rate over time

2022

94.3%

2023

100%

2024

82.1%

2025

88%

▼ 6.3 pts since 2022

Pass rate by age

First-time pass rate by the car's age (tested in 2025)

Too new for an age breakdown - most haven't reached MOT age (3 years) yet, so there isn't enough history to chart.

How a Riley 1 5 is driven

tracked across 2022-25

How much it's driven

miles a year, from 29 cars tracked across years

2,044miles a year · low use

96.6%

low · <5k

avg · 5-15k

3.4%

high · 15k+

Most cover 140-879 miles a year (median 375).

Miles driven by age

Yearly mileage as the car ages

Driven most when newer, easing as it gets older.

Mileage & condition

Typical mileage at test

Odometer when tested (2025)

47,444

10,565middle 50%: 26,113-70,11891,472

Typical odometer rising: 42,730 → 46,224 → 48,178 → 47,444

Holds up by mileage

Pass rate as the odometer climbs

Under 40k

88.9%

40-80k

84.6%

80-120k

100%

Petrol vs diesel

First-time pass rate by fuel

Not enough data.

A 2025 Riley 1 5 passes first time 88% of the time - above the 77.6% UK average, and easing slightly year on year. The typical one is driven about 2,044 miles a year, and reliability is mostly about miles: 88.9% of low-mileage cars pass versus 100% past 120k.

Why a 1.5 fails its MOT

2025 MOT data

Of 3 first-time fails, here's what gets flagged most. Most cars fail on more than one item, so shares add up past 100%.

Where a 1.5 fails

Share of failed tests, by area

Brakes66.7%

Visibility33.3%

Tyres33.3%

Body & structure33.3%

Lamps & electrical33.3%

Top specific defects

Exact items most often recorded as the reason a car failed

Parking brake inoperative on one side2

Brakes imbalance across an axle such that the braking effort from any wheel is less than 70% of the maximum effort recorded from the other wheel on the same axle.1

A door will not open using the relevant control or close properly1

Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value1

A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED1

Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake1

Audible warning inoperative1

Body, cab or chassis corroded at mounting points to the extent that overall security or stability is impaired1

Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen1

Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen1

100% flagged dangerous·5.7 defects per fail·3 fails analysed

Riley 1.5 - frequently asked

How many Riley 1.5 are left in the UK?

There are 821 Riley 1.5 cars still licensed on UK roads in 2025, down 0.2% on 2024.

How many new Riley 1.5 were registered in 2025?

None were registered new in 2025, so the number on the road can only shrink as older cars are retired.

What fuel does the typical Riley 1.5 use?

Most are petrol - about 100% of all Riley 1.5 on the road, with the majority in the 1.0-1.6L engine class. In total, 0% are electrified (hybrid, plug-in or battery).

How old is the typical Riley 1.5?

Most Riley 1.5 cars on the road today date from the Before 2000 era.

How reliable is the Riley 1.5?

88% of Riley 1.5 cars pass their MOT first time, compared with a UK average of 77.6% across all cars. The typical tested Riley 1.5 has around 42,720 miles on the clock.

Buying a Riley 1.5?

Before you buy a specific Riley 1.5, run its registration through AnalyzeMyCar for MOT history, mileage checks, service history and valuation.

Check a car

What the typical Riley 1.5 looks like

Fuel, engine size and age across every Riley 1.5 on the road today.

Fuel mix

Current split

821total

Petrol99.9%
Other0.1%

Engine size

Cars on the road by engine capacity

Under 1.0L1
1.0-1.6L769
1.6-2.0L47
2.0-3.0L3
Over 3.0L1

How old are they?

Share of cars by the year they were first registered

Before 2000100%
2000-20040%

MOT & reliability

2025 MOT data

How a Riley 1 5 holds up at its MOT and how it's driven - from 27 tests, tracked across 2022-2025.

First-time pass rate

Average for its class

88%

27 MOT tests in 2025 · 25 first-time

Pass rate over time

2022

94.3%

2023

100%

2024

82.1%

2025

88%

▼ 6.3 pts since 2022

Pass rate by age

First-time pass rate by the car's age (tested in 2025)

Too new for an age breakdown - most haven't reached MOT age (3 years) yet, so there isn't enough history to chart.

How a Riley 1 5 is driven

tracked across 2022-25

How much it's driven

miles a year, from 29 cars tracked across years

2,044miles a year · low use

96.6%

low · <5k

avg · 5-15k

3.4%

high · 15k+

Most cover 140-879 miles a year (median 375).

Miles driven by age

Yearly mileage as the car ages

Driven most when newer, easing as it gets older.

Mileage & condition

Typical mileage at test

Odometer when tested (2025)

47,444

10,565middle 50%: 26,113-70,11891,472

Typical odometer rising: 42,730 → 46,224 → 48,178 → 47,444

Holds up by mileage

Pass rate as the odometer climbs

Under 40k

88.9%

40-80k

84.6%

80-120k

100%

Petrol vs diesel

First-time pass rate by fuel

Not enough data.

Why a 1.5 fails its MOT

2025 MOT data

Of 3 first-time fails, here's what gets flagged most. Most cars fail on more than one item, so shares add up past 100%.

Where a 1.5 fails

Share of failed tests, by area

Brakes66.7%

Visibility33.3%

Tyres33.3%

Body & structure33.3%

Lamps & electrical33.3%

Top specific defects

Exact items most often recorded as the reason a car failed

Parking brake inoperative on one side2

Brakes imbalance across an axle such that the braking effort from any wheel is less than 70% of the maximum effort recorded from the other wheel on the same axle.1

A door will not open using the relevant control or close properly1

Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value1

A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED1

Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake1

Audible warning inoperative1

Body, cab or chassis corroded at mounting points to the extent that overall security or stability is impaired1

Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen1

Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen1

100% flagged dangerous·5.7 defects per fail·3 fails analysed

Riley 1.5 - frequently asked

How many Riley 1.5 are left in the UK?

There are 821 Riley 1.5 cars still licensed on UK roads in 2025, down 0.2% on 2024.

How many new Riley 1.5 were registered in 2025?

None were registered new in 2025, so the number on the road can only shrink as older cars are retired.

What fuel does the typical Riley 1.5 use?

Most are petrol - about 100% of all Riley 1.5 on the road, with the majority in the 1.0-1.6L engine class. In total, 0% are electrified (hybrid, plug-in or battery).

How old is the typical Riley 1.5?

Most Riley 1.5 cars on the road today date from the Before 2000 era.

How reliable is the Riley 1.5?

88% of Riley 1.5 cars pass their MOT first time, compared with a UK average of 77.6% across all cars. The typical tested Riley 1.5 has around 42,720 miles on the clock.

Buying a Riley 1.5?

Before you buy a specific Riley 1.5, run its registration through AnalyzeMyCar for MOT history, mileage checks, service history and valuation.

Check a car