What Car? Q&A - Which cars fall into low tax bands?

Thursday, May 24, 2007
I want to buy a car in a lower road tax band, ideally the £35 one. Can I obtain a list anywhere of the makes and models in each of these bands?
Mary Fisher, via e-mail


A: Cars registered on or after 1 March 2001 can benefit from an annual tax fee of £35 if they emit between 101 and 120g/km of carbon dioxide.

At present, there are only a few cars that fall into this category. The Toyota Aygo (both petrol and diesel versions) is one. Along with the Citroen C1 and Peugeot 107, it emits just 109g/km. Small-engined diesels such as the Renault Clio 1.5 dCi, Peugeot 207 1.4 HDI and Ford Fiesta 1.4 TDCI also make the grade.

If you can stretch to the cost of a hybrid, you could save even more and pay a yearly fee of just £15. The only two cars currently on the market that fit the bill are the Toyota Prius (starting at £17,780) and the Honda Civic Hybrid (£16,300), but many more will become available in the coming years.