[eye30]

Last year, we discussed potential trouble ahead for diesel drivers. It was a highly emotive subject – something proven by the 26 pages of comments we received about the article.

Now, 2017 seems set to be the year that diesel drivers are hit with a perfect storm of issues and difficulties, with chatter already building about the potential for tax hikes and even diesel vehicle bans in cities.

Many diesel drivers have a solid reason to feel aggrieved by the government’s rapidly evolving stance on diesel vehicles and the emissions they produce. Under the last Labour government, people were positively encouraged to switch to diesel and Gordon Brown even gave tax breaks to individuals purchasing them.


Of course, that’s all changed since evidence emerged that diesel vehicles are far more damaging to the environment. Now the present government finds itself in the awkward position of having to disincentivise the use of vehicles that people were once proactively encouraged to buy – in a country with over 10 Million diesel cars on the road.

Read on here:

PetrolPrices.com | What?s in Store for Diesel Drivers in 2017?

[Dazzler]

It's a very complicated situation. I feel sorry for people like Steve who relatively recently invested in another diesel. I don't think there is any doubt the diesel versions of the i30 have a little more character than the petrol versions.

[AlanHo]

I changed to petrol in February 2014 because even then there were signs that diesel was more polluting than petrol and there would be repercussions. I was also concerned about the cost of replacing a DPF or DMF should I keep a vehicle beyond its warranty. Sure enough - 18 months later - the balloon went up with the VW scandal erupting in September 2015.

It is almost certain that governments will have to discourage the sale of high pollution vehicles - and this will hit diesel the hardest. However,  high powered petrols will not escape notice.

I am now about to go petrol hybrid which I consider to be a stepping stone towards all-electric vehicles and the way forward for at least the next 5 years. Early owners of the KIA Niro report favourably on the vehicle and quote impressive economy figures. But I am sceptical unless they publish brim to brim calculations and check the accuracy of their odometer. Trip computers cannot be relied upon to give a dead accurate figure.

Watch this space. My car is promised for first week of March - so it will be free of road tax until the law changes. Had the car arrived after April 1st road tax would have been £140 per year.

[eye30]

 My car is promised for first week of March - so it will be free of road tax until the law changes. Had the car arrived after April 1st road tax would have been £140 per year.

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