Excise does not follow price; it follows engine size, age and fuel. Two cars at the same price can therefore produce very different customs bills.
Diesel pays more than petrol at the same engine size. The bigger the engine and the older the car, the sharper the rise — and the two together multiply the effect.
What that means in practice
- For a small city car, petrol is usually cheaper overall — even if it uses slightly more fuel.
- Diesel pays off when you drive a lot of kilometres a year and the engine is not large.
- Engines above two litres get expensive fast, especially in older cars. Check the bill before you fall in love with the car.
Our customs calculator takes all three at once. Enter engine size, age and fuel and compare two cars before you travel to see them.