Running costs
Know what a car actually costs to run before you commit.
The sticker price is only half the story. Fuel, emissions, and road tax vary enormously between models. We estimate annual running costs from official CO₂ data so you can compare like for like — before you even visit the seller.
£1,800
avg. annual fuel cost, UK car
12k
miles driven per year, UK average
A–M
emissions bands we calculate
How it works
We take the CO₂ emissions figure recorded by the DVLA and the vehicle’s fuel type, then convert that into an estimated miles-per-gallon figure and an annual fuel cost at current pump prices. It’s not a laboratory test — it’s a practical estimate based on real government data.
What you see
Two headline figures: estimated annual fuel cost at 10,000 and 12,000 miles per year. Plus an emissions band chart that shows exactly where this car falls on the UK’s A–M scale — useful for understanding road tax and clean air zone charges.
Why it matters
Two cars at the same price point can have wildly different running costs. A 2.0-litre diesel and a 1.0-litre petrol turbo might cost the same to buy, but the difference in fuel over three years can easily exceed £2,000. Better to know that before you commit.