MOTORING
Look beyond the price tag
Price is usually the most important consideration for new car buyers - but two other figures are crucial when making your decision. Ashley Martin explains
A
ll motoring taxes - including Vehicle Excise Duty - are linked to a car’s CO2 emissions so the higher the figure, the higher the tax bill. And, with UK petrol and diesel pump prices at close to record levels a model’s miles per gallon (MPG) performance is undoubtedly critical when making your choice of which car to buy. There is a direct link between CO2 emissions and fuel consumption. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has published a table (below) highlighting comparison amounts that directly link the respective figures.
However, choosing a low emission company car with first class fuel economy does not mean driving a small car. There are more than 7,600 model variants on sale in the UK and last year almost a quarter (24.3%) had CO2 emissions of 130 g/km or below - the benchmark figure to qualify for the £0 first year Vehicle Excise Duty rate. As illustrated below, new cars in the mini, supermini and lower medium segments have below market average CO2 emissions. Model segment
2011 average new car CO2 figure (g/km)
Lowest CO2 emitter in class (g/km)
107.8
0
CO2 emissions (g/km)
MPG - petrol (approx)
MPG - diesel (approx)
Mini
100
67.3
74.3
Supermini
124.6
87
120
56.5
61.4
Lower medium
132.5
0
130
52.3
58.0
Upper medium
139.3
27
140
48.7
54.3
Executive
153.4
117
160
41.5
47.1
Luxury
221.8
174
180
37.2
41.5
Specialist sports
177.7
0
200
33.6
37.2
Dual Purpose 4x4
184.2
115
220
30.7
33.6
MPV
150.2
107
240
28.2
31.4
300
22.4
24.8
350
19.3
21.4
400
16.8
18.8
450
14.9
16.6
Source: Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders New car CO2 emissions dropped to an average 138.1 g/km last year 27.2% lower than 15 years ago (189.8 g/km) and 4.2% down on 2010 (144.2 g/km) - according to the SMMT’s newly published ‘New Car CO2 Report 2012’ . Meanwhile, motor manufacturers will continue to drive down new car emissions as they seek to meet new European Commission environmental targets. The New Car CO2 Regulation demands that pan-European average new car emissions are reduced to 130 g/km in 2012-15 and to 95 g/km by 2020 - the latter figure remains subject to review. One of the reasons behind the reduction in CO2 emissions on an annual basis is the rising new car market share of diesel cars (a record 50.6% last year) and ultra-low emission alternatively fuelled models (1.3% last year). Diesel cars have grown in popularity because emissions are lower and MPG is significantly better than petrol-engined equivalents, but unless motorists are clocking up more than 6,000 miles in a new diesel car (or 10,000 miles in a used diesel) it is likely to be a false economy as the price premium is unlikely to be recouped, according to car valuation experts at Glass’s Guide.
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Source: Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders However, says the SMMT, there are vehicles with CO2 emissions around 30% below the segment average available in every sector, highlighting the low emitting choices available. Where the lowest emitter is shown with emissions of 0 g/km it highlights the sector availability of electric models. Emission and MPG winners So, look carefully and there are some clear emission and MPG ‘winners’ in the various marketplace sectors. For example, order books have now opened for the new Volvo V40 five-door, five-seat lower medium model where the D2 1.6 litre 115 bhp variant has emissions of 94 g/km and returns 78.5 mpg on the combined fuel cycle. The Swedish marque has adopted an emissions-busting ‘DRIVe Towards Zero’ strategy and has recently announced that from model year 2013 cars are now available to order - almost all diesel-powered versions of its S60, V60, V70 and S80 will have emissions below 120 g/km. Late this year Volvo will also launch its V60 Plug-in Hybrid - the world’s first diesel plug-in hybrid - with CO2 emissions of 49 g/km (more than 100 mpg) and a range of up to 621 miles.With indicative pricing of between £45,000 and £50,000, the front wheels of the Plug-in Hybrid are powered by a five-cylinder 2.4 litre turbo diesel producing 215 bhp and the rear axle by an electric motor producing 70 bhp. Meanwhile, Jaguar has introduced a 2.2 litre 161 bhp diesel version of its XF model (£29,950 on the road), which emits 149 g/km of CO2 and has combined cycle fuel economy of 52.3 mpg. It really is worth looking at the whole picture before you make your purchase.
NENE VALLEY LIVING june 2012
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21/5/12 16:38:43