How much road tax does a petrol car pay in the UK?

Petrol cars pay road tax based on their CO2 emissions. In year 1, rates range from GBP 0 (for zero-emission petrol hybrids at 0g/km) to GBP 600+ for high-performance cars over 255g/km. From year 2, standard petrol cars pay GBP 180/year. Small petrol cars in Bands A-D pay GBP 0-120 in year 1, then GBP 180/year thereafter.

Are petrol cars cheaper to tax than diesel cars?

From year 2, yes — petrol cars pay GBP 180/year while diesel cars pay GBP 190/year (the GBP 10 diesel supplement). In year 1, petrol and diesel cars with equivalent CO2 emissions pay the same. The real difference is that diesel cars typically have higher CO2 emissions than equivalent petrol models, placing them in higher VED bands.

What CO2 band does my petrol car fall into?

Your petrol car is placed in a VED band based on its factory-fitted CO2 emissions figure from the V5C log book. Bands range from A (0-100g/km) to M (over 255g/km). You can check your exact band at GOV.UK/check-vehicle-tax by entering your registration number. Bands A-D qualify for reduced first-year rates, while E+ pay standard or premium first-year rates.

Do petrol cars over GBP 40,000 pay extra road tax?

Yes. From year 2 of registration, all vehicles over GBP 40,000 (including petrol cars) pay a first-year rate of GBP 205 instead of GBP 180. This supplement applies for the first 5 years from year 2 of the vehicle's life. A petrol car over GBP 40,000 therefore pays GBP 205/year for years 2-6, then GBP 180/year thereafter.

Has the road tax for petrol cars changed in 2026?

No significant changes to petrol car road tax rates occurred in 2026. The standard annual rate remains GBP 180/year from year 2. First-year rates are based on CO2 bands and have remained stable. The main recent change affecting all vehicles is the premium supplement for vehicles over GBP 40,000, which has been in place since 2017.

UK Road Tax Petrol Cars 2026 — Standard VED Rates Explained

UK Road Tax Petrol Cars 2026

Petrol remains the most common fuel type for UK cars, and understanding petrol car road tax helps you budget for vehicle ownership. Most petrol cars fall into moderate CO2 bands, making them relatively affordable to tax. ITV.es and DGT.

Petrol Car VED Rates

First-Year Rates by CO2 Band

| CO2 (g/km) | Band | First Year Rate |

|-----------|------|----------------|

| 0 | A | £0 |

| 1-50 | B | £0-30 |

| 51-75 | C | £15-30 |

| 76-90 | D | £120 |

| 91-100 | E | £130 |

| 101-110 | F | £145 |

| 111-120 | G | £160 |

| 121-130 | G | £195 |

| 131-140 | H | £215 |

| 141-150 | H | £255 |

| 151-165 | I | £285 |

| 166-175 | I | £335 |

| 176-185 | J | £375 |

| 186-200 | J | £435 |

| 201-225 | K | £495 |

| 226-255 | L | £545 |

| Over 255 | M | £590 |

Standard Annual Rate (Years 2+)

| Vehicle Type | Annual Rate |

|-------------|------------|

| Standard petrol | £180 |

| Premium petrol (£40,000+) | £205 (years 2-6) |

| Premium petrol (£40,000+) | £180 (years 7+) |

Common Petrol Car Road Tax

Small Hatchbacks

|---------|--------|-----|--------|----------|--------------|

| Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 | Petrol | 104g/km | £130 | £180 | £850 |

| Ford Fiesta 1.0 | Petrol | 97g/km | £130 | £180 | £850 |

| VW Polo 1.0 TSI | Petrol | 106g/km | £130 | £180 | £850 |

| Hyundai i20 1.0 | Petrol | 99g/km | £130 | £180 | £850 |

| Toyota Yaris 1.5 | Hybrid | 76g/km | £30 | £180 | £750 |

Family Hatchbacks and Estates

|---------|--------|-----|--------|----------|--------------|

| Ford Focus 1.0 | Petrol | 114g/km | £160 | £180 | £880 |

| VW Golf 1.5 TSI | Petrol | 121g/km | £195 | £180 | £915 |

| Skoda Octavia 1.5 | Petrol | 118g/km | £160 | £180 | £880 |

| Honda Civic 1.5 | Petrol | 121g/km | £195 | £180 | £915 |

| Mazda 3 2.0 | Petrol | 114g/km | £160 | £180 | £880 |

SUVs and Crossovers

|---------|--------|-----|--------|----------|--------------|

| Nissan Qashqai 1.3 | Petrol | 137g/km | £215 | £180 | £935 |

| Kia Sportage 1.6 | Petrol | 144g/km | £255 | £180 | £1,035 |

| Hyundai Tucson 1.6 | Petrol | 149g/km | £255 | £180 | £1,035 |

| Seat Ateca 1.5 | Petrol | 139g/km | £215 | £180 | £935 |

Performance Cars

|---------|--------|-----|--------|----------|--------------|

| BMW M3 Competition | Petrol | 230g/km | £545 | £205 | £1,565 |

| Mercedes A45 AMG | Petrol | 186g/km | £435 | £205 | £1,460 |

| Porsche 911 Carrera | Petrol | 205g/km | £495 | £205 | £1,520 |

| Audi RS3 | Petrol | 188g/km | £435 | £205 | £1,460 |

Performance cars over £40,000 pay £205/year for years 2-6 due to the premium supplement.

How to Check Your Petrol Car's CO2

Finding Your CO2 Figure

Your vehicle's CO2 emissions are shown on:

1. V5C log book (section D) — factory CO2 figure

2. GOV.UK/check-vehicle-tax — enter registration number

3. MOT certificate — CO2 during last test

4. Manufacturer's spec sheet — official combined CO2 figure

CO2 vs MPG

Lower CO2 generally means better fuel economy, but the relationship is not linear:

CO2 is measured in grams per kilometre
MPG measures fuel efficiency
A car with 120g/km CO2 gets roughly 50-55 MPG
A car with 180g/km CO2 gets roughly 35-40 MPG

Petrol vs Diesel vs Electric Road Tax

Direct Comparison

|---------|-----|------|--------|----------|--------------|

| Ford Fiesta 1.0 | 97g/km | Petrol | £130 | £180 | £850 |

| Ford Focus 1.5 TDCI | 105g/km | Diesel | £130 | £190 | £850 |

| Renault Zoe EV | 0g/km | Electric | £0 | £180 | £720 |

| Toyota Prius Hybrid | 76g/km | Petrol HEV | £30 | £180 | £750 |

For typical family cars, the road tax difference between fuel types is modest. Total cost of ownership depends on fuel prices, mileage, and purchase price.

Tips for Reducing Petrol Car Road Tax

Choose Lower CO2

The simplest way to reduce road tax is choosing a vehicle with lower CO2 emissions:

Band A (0-100g/km): GBP 0-130 year 1, cheapest to tax
Band B (101-110g/km): GBP 130-145 year 1, good value
Band C (111-120g/km): GBP 145-160 year 1, common for efficient petrols

Consider a Hybrid

Self-charging hybrids like the Toyota Prius offer:

Lower CO2 than equivalent petrol-only cars
GBP 30 first-year rate vs GBP 130-160 for standard petrol
GBP 750 total over 5 years vs GBP 850-900 for equivalent petrol

Buy Pre-Owned

Pre-owned vehicles may already be past the premium supplement period:

A 6-year-old petrol car over GBP 40,000 pays GBP 180/year (no supplement)
First-year rate already paid by original owner
Older, efficient petrol cars are often cheapest to own

Key Takeaways

1. Most petrol cars pay £130-195 in year 1 road tax

2. Standard rate is £180/year from year 2 onwards

3. Premium petrol (£40,000+) pays £205/year for years 2-6

4. Small efficient petrols (Bands A-C) cost £30-160 in year 1

5. Petrol is cheaper than diesel by £10/year from year 2

6. Hybrid petrol can cost as little as £30 in year 1

7. Performance petrol cars pay £435-590 in year 1

8. Choose lower CO2 to reduce road tax — aim for Band D or below

Petrol cars are the benchmark for road tax costs in the UK. Most family petrol cars fall into Bands D-G, paying £120-195 in year 1 and £180/year thereafter. The difference between petrol and diesel road tax is modest.

Official Resources: ITV.es - ITV Booking | DGT - Direccion General de Trafico

UK Road Tax Petrol Cars 2026 — Standard VED Rates Explained

UK Road Tax Petrol Cars 2026

Petrol Car VED Rates

First-Year Rates by CO2 Band

Standard Annual Rate (Years 2+)

Common Petrol Car Road Tax

Small Hatchbacks

Family Hatchbacks and Estates

SUVs and Crossovers

Performance Cars

How to Check Your Petrol Car's CO2

Finding Your CO2 Figure

CO2 vs MPG

Petrol vs Diesel vs Electric Road Tax

Direct Comparison

Tips for Reducing Petrol Car Road Tax

Choose Lower CO2

Consider a Hybrid

Buy Pre-Owned

Key Takeaways

Questions

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