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Driving the green mile

March 31st 2009 is judgement day for owners of heavy polluting cars, as it's the last day before new road tax bands are introduced.

While eco-friendly drivers are rewarded, most owners must pay more for their tax discs.

But if you drive a car with CO2 emissions of 181g/km or more, you’ll really fill the pinch in 2009.

Which cars are worst affected?

It’s particularly bad news for owners of cars releasing between 181-184g/km CO2. Currently, they qualify for road tax band E, which costs £170 per year. But, from April 2009, that amount leaps up by £90 to £260, as they will be regrouped into costlier Band J.

This includes owners of a 2.0-litre diesel Nissan Qashqai, 1.6-litre Seat Leon or 2.0-litre Audi TT. All of which are popular cars and not normally considered to be heavy polluters.

So what can I do to avoid this?

There are alternatives for all of the cars mentioned above that will help their owners avoid heftier pay-outs every time road tax becomes due. In the case of the Nissan Qashqai, a 1.5-litre dCi turbodiesel model will cost less than half as much in road tax as it will be charged only £120 in 2009.

It’s the same with the Seat Leon. Go for the 1.9-litre TDi and you’ll not save £140 on the road tax bill, as well as gaining better economy. As for the Audi TT 2.0-litre, the new turbodiesel-powered TT Coupe looks like a much better bet with its 139g/km – you’ll pay £110 instead of £260. A big annual saving.

Careful scrutiny and comparison of the spec sheet could save you more than £100 when the road tax system changes in April 2009. A little thought now will also pay off for years to come, when the road tax system punishes high-emission cars even harder.

Example: Mercedes C-Class Estate

A prime example of the how the changes need careful consideration now is the Mercedes C-Class Estate (00-08) C200 CDi. Both the Avantgarde and Sport models sit in the thin band that will see road tax rise by £90, while the Classic and Elegance versions will only experience a £35 increase as they emit 180g/km CO2.

That makes the Classic and Elegance more attractive propositions to buy now as they will ease the road tax burden in the future.

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Will your car be hit hard?

Have your say

Post a comment and tell us what you think about this article.

Added: 07 August 2008 23:17

I own a 3.0 turbo diesel (the devils car if you listened to the government). It's a 7 seater which we need as we have 4 children and felt it was the safest buy. We average 32 mpg, do 6000 miles a year, where as a smaller car will do twice the mileage causing more pollution, and if the government think you will sell your car to buy a new one you will have a job as they have just halved the value. Working families are just pushed and pushed, you are better off not working and living on benefits...

Phillip keay, west midlands

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Added: 28 July 2008 15:16

I am in the motor trade and would like to point out that there are a high number of imported Mitsubishi Pajeros in our area mostly the 2800cc Turbo Diesel variant. These vehicles are rated as 342g/km CO2 but are classed as PLG. They are therefore £185 VED now, £185 VED next year and £200 VED in 2010. An 05/55 plate Shogun (Pajero) 3.2 Auto Diesel emmits 278g/km CO2 (which is a lot less) but is £210 now, £300 next year and £455 in 2010. Wheres the logic? Older cars tend to be less fuel efficient.

Brett Duke, Gosport

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Added: 28 July 2008 14:53

This whole "green" tax is a sham. I car-share and therefore drive around 6,000 miles per year in my so-called high polluting car. Compare my ANNUAL CO2 emissions to that of Mr Mondeo man racking up 20,000 miles in his car and you find he pollutes overall more than I do. Yet my tax is higher.

If this really is a green tax, offer discounts or incentives to those like me who do less miles or share. Or put tax on the fuel so you pay for what you use...oh no...hang on a moment......

Jon Dymond, Worthing

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See all 12 comments for this article

Added: 16 July 2008 03:33

Countries traditionally thought of as being 3rd world countries (eg China and Korea) must be laughing at the state of our whole transportation infracstructure and how the system is run. They're thinking.... if we're 3rd world, UK must now be 4th world. Planes are always delayed, trains are dirty, filthy and late and the road network is old and in major need of upgrading. Govt's answer???? Tax tax tax. But how do they resolve the problems using this tax revenue??? I don't even think they know.

A Law, Edinburgh

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Added: 14 July 2008 07:43

Hi,
Regarding increase in road tax this is just revenue raising if you are serious about being green make low emmisson cars zero rate when new, high emmisions double vat, or better register car abroad, can this be done were in the EU there big bucks in this for somebody.

bill, selby

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Added: 13 July 2008 10:55

The answer is simple. Keep your big SUV (Land Cruiser for me) and move to foreign shores.
I am sure I will never earn (or pay tax) in this 3rd world country we call "Great Britain" ever again.
The time has come, and it is different for everyone, to just say, enough is enough! the amount of "spare money" I had left in my pocket was reducing at an ever increasing rate.
Over and Out !

G, Ral

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Added: 12 July 2008 22:30

I feel that these road tax changes are more to remove the poor from the roads to make way for the rich.Lets be honest,even if they quadruple the road tax and petrol prices,the rich will still get the benefit of roads that we all paid for but can no longer afford to use.This fits in very well with NuLabours record of sucking up to the rich at the expense of the poor.

k flemington, london

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Added: 11 July 2008 19:57

You think this is bad. By 2020 when we hit 'peak oil' and production goes into exponential decline, you can bless your car goodbye. Unless you can afford £500 to fill her up. Recommended reading: The Last Oil Shock by David Strahan, and Oil Apocalypse by Vernon Coleman. What's happening now is a walk in the park compared with what's going to happen.

Chris, Felixstowe

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Added: 11 July 2008 12:51

I find this government an absolute disgrace. More and more taxes some stealth but this has been on the cards for a while even if somewhat unpublicised until just recently by the media.

Being somewhat qualified in this area, there is no reason for this new tax hike other than using the environment as a perfect excuse for taking yet more money from the motorist.

Some of us have no choice but to drive and not all of us can afford NEW ECO friendly cars.

Cars are just credit cards now!!!

Mark Dorsett (CAE Eng Tech AMIMI), Hayes

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Added: 10 July 2008 15:56

My namesake should be ashamed of this. In my case, i own a 2002 Zafira 2.0Dti comfort. My years tax will rise next year from £170 to £205 whereas if I had purchased a 2001 model, then I would pay less next year for probably a more polluting vehicle. It will also kill the 2nd hand market of post 2001 cars - many people will buy a pre 2001 car as opposed to a newer one as they will have less tax, but in all probability be more polluting. I am ashamed to share the same name as this buffoon.

Gordon Brown, Falkirk

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Added: 25 June 2008 21:19

When the Goverment only receives from direct taxation enough money to keep the NHS afloat where do you think they are going to raise the requirement for everything else-why of course the motorist-its the easy option.
They could cap their tax revenue based on one pound per litre and allow market conditions for any increase. They are raking in billions due to the present oilprice.Watch out for the next move-Road Pricing-It will arrive by 2010, so make the most of your car and look to emigrate.

c.hall, newport

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Added: 19 June 2008 19:38

goverment makeing the poor poor they say it about makeing things green if that was the case, they should make public transport cheaper and trains as well.
they should tax car maker for not make better cars that better mpg. this woulld lead in time to poorer people getting hold of them, if they are serices get getting co2 down make a loan that cheaper than the high street to get lower co2 cars.

john , wakefield

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Which cars are worst affected?

So what can I do to avoid this?

Example: Mercedes C-Class Estate

Have your say

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