What Car? Q&A - What's the lowdown on Euro IV

Q: When will all new diesel cars have to comply the Euro IV emission regulations?
Miles Buckland

A: All new cars on sale in the UK, whether they are diesel- or petrol-powered, will have to meet strict Euro IV emissions standards by January 1, 2006. Over the past year, manufacturers still selling cars which did not meet this standard have been removing or replacing them from their ranges – it’s one of the reasons Toyota is scrapping its Previa, MR2 and Celica from its UK range.

However, dealers who still have stocks of Euro III-compliant cars will be allowed to sell them until September 2006.

Euro IV regulations limit the amount of emissions, including carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide and particulate matter, which a car can produce.

Company car drivers who register a Euro IV diesel car before the end of 2005 will get a 3% reduction in their car tax bill, for as long as they keep the car. However, this tax break will also stop on January 1, 2006.