Petrol and diesel owners are among the most affected by new car tax changes coming into effect later this year.
Petrol and diesel car owners will be hit with new car tax bands (Image: Getty)
Petrol and diesel owners will pay up to hundreds of pounds more to use the roads from April as new 2026 car tax bands are revealed. Experts at Pete Barden have listed the new 2026 Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) charges, with combustion owners the worst hit.
Changes are coming into effect across the board, with standard and first-year charges up on current rates. It means owners of polluting petrol and diesel models will be forced to dive into their wallets and cough up more cash to retain their freedoms and stay behind the wheel after April 1.
Higher polluting cars will pay the highest fees (Image: Getty)
Cars registered after 2017
Vehicles registered over the past seven or eight years will pay the standard VED charge, which is up from £195 to £200 in 2026 .However, owners of brand new vehicles are worst hit with first-year tax rates set to soar once again.
Those with the keys to new cars emitting over 255g/km of CO2 will pay £5,690 to get behind the wheel, £200 up on the current £5,490 charge. Cars emitting between 226 and 255g/km will pay £4,850 in 2026, up from the annual £4,680 fee currently charged to road users.
Cars registered before 2017
VED fees for models registered between March 2001 and April 2017 are split across 13 different tax bands. Once again, higher polluting models will pay more with cars in Band M emitting over 255g/km of CO2 set to splash out £790 instead of £760.
Those in Band L will pay £25 more, with costs up from £735 to £760, while charges are up £15 in Bands I, J and K. According to Pete Barden, cars falling into Bands F, G and H will pay £10 more to use the roads from April.
Cars registered before 2001
Models registered before 2001 are charged VED based on their engine size instead of total emissions.
Cars with engines producing 1,549cc or lower will pay £10 more in 2026 with prices up from £220 to £230 per year.
Quicker models with engines above 1,549cc will have to cough up £375 per year, up from their £360 fee.
