A lot of emphasis is being placed on car manufacturers to make their vehicles more fuel efficient, due in part to the continually rising costs of petrol and diesel fuels, but also because of environmental concerns.
CO2 (carbon dioxide) emissions are bad for the environment as we all know, and since 2001 the British government have been banding car tax prices based on the amount of emissions an engine produces. The higher the emissions, the higher the car tax you will have to pay.
If you are in the market for a new car, and you want to get something that is good on fuel and has low emissions, take a look at these 7 cars:
Smart Fortwo Pulse Coupe 1.0 Petrol
The Smart Fortwo Pulse is a city car which comes with a 84 brake horsepower 1.0-litre 12-valve turbocharged petrol engine.
- Fuel consumption: up to 70.6 MPG;
- CO2 emissions (g/km): 98;
- Cost of 12 months car tax: £0.
The price for a new Smart Fortwo Pulse Coupe 1.0 Petrol is £9,575.
Ford Fiesta Studio 1.6 TDCi
The Ford Fiesta Studio is a supermini which comes with a 94 brake horsepower 1.6-litre 16-valve TDCi (Turbo Diesel Common Rail Injection) engine.
- Fuel consumption: up to 85.6 MPG;
- CO2 emissions (g/km): 87;
- Cost of 12 months car tax: £0.
The price for a new Ford Fiesta Studio 1.6 TDCi is £13,845.
Kia Rio 1 Air 1.1 CRDi
The Kia Rio 1 Air is a supermini which comes with a 74 brake horsepower 1.1-litre 12-valve CRDi (Common Rail Diesel Injection) engine.
- Fuel consumption: up to 85.6 MPG;
- CO2 emissions (g/km): 85;
- Cost of 12 months car tax: £0.
The price for a new Kia Rio 1 Air 1.1 CRDi is £11,345.
Hyundai i20 1.1 CRDi Blue
The Hyundai i20 Blue is a supermini which comes with a 74 brake horsepower 1.1-litre 12-valve CRDi (Common Rail Diesel Injection) engine.
- Fuel consumption: up to 94.2 MPG;
- CO2 emissions (g/km): 84;
- Cost of 12 months car tax: £0.
The price for a new Hyundai i20 1.1 CRDi Blue is £11,895.
Renault Clio Dynamique MediaNav Eco² 1.5 dCi 90
The Renault Clio Dynamique MediaNav Eco² is a supermini which comes with a 74 brake horsepower 1.5-litre 8-valve dCi (Diesel Common Rail) engine.
- Fuel consumption: up to 94.2 MPG;
- CO2 emissions (g/km): 83;
- Cost of 12 months car tax: £0.
The price for a new Renault Clio Dynamique MediaNav Eco² 1.5 dCi 90 is £15,545.
Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid 1.8 petrol
The Toyota Prius is a mid-size hatchback which comes with a 98 brake horsepower 1.8-litre 16-valve petrol engine and an 80 brake horsepower electric motor.
- Fuel consumption: up to 134.1 MPG;
- CO2 emissions (g/km): 49;
- Cost of 12 months car tax: £0.
The price for a new Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid 1.8 petrol is £28,245.
Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid 2.4 D5
The Volvo V60 is a executive luxury estate which comes with a 215 brake horsepower 2.4-litre 20-valve diesel engine and a 70 brake horsepower electric motor.
- Fuel consumption: up to 155.2 MPG;
- CO2 emissions (g/km): 48;
- Cost of 12 months car tax: £0.
The price for a new Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid 2.4 D5 is £43,775.