No Road Tax Cars: Which One Is Right For You?

BMW i8

BMW i8Road tax can be one of those costs that easily creeps up on you. It can be as much as £505 if you have a six-litre engine car and, as such, isn’t exactly a welcome surprise.

But what if you could avoid this tax? The lowest bracket of road tax is actually £0 and this exemption is for cars that spew out the least amount of pollution (up to 100g CO2 per km). You might think that this only covers a series of impractical vehicles, but you’d be wrong. Many manufacturers have worked hard to create models that meet the requirements for a zero road tax rate.

It is, therefore, well worth considering this when looking for your next vehicle – whether you are scouring the pages of Auto Trader, touring dealerships or looking to lease. Here’s the best ‘no road tax’ cars to stick on your shopping list:

Nissan Qashqai
The Qashqai offers a big family SUV that, if you shop for the 1.5l dCi diesel engine, is free from road tax. As Car Buyer points out, it might be a modest size but it certainly does the job – managing up to 74.3 mpg too. The mid range Acenta Premium model is recommended.

BMW i8
As motoring.co.uk points out: “This is a car that was received with global acclaim, and took top honours at the Car of The Year 2015 awards thanks to its revolutionary design and technological advancements over anything else on the marketplace at the time. The i8 truly is a unique vehicle.” You won’t have dreamt of a car with better looks or specifications in this emissions bracket.

Volkswagen Passat Estate
This model proves beyond doubt that there is much quality to be had in the ‘no road tax’ sector. With a top class interior, top class handling and performance and, as Car Wow puts it, a ‘huge’ boot – there’s much to love here.

Toyota Yaris Hybrid
Putting the super into ‘supermini’, this is an astonishingly good choice in the ‘zero road tax’ market. Next Green Car reckons it ‘feels eerily like a limousine as it glides smoothly away under electric power’.

Ford Fiesta Econetic
An eco-friendly road-tax-free version of this popular Ford favourite, this 1.6l turbo-diesel model allows you to benefit from super-low emissions with no compromise on performance and style. An all-round winner.

SEAT Leon
Search out the 1.6l TDI diesel model to benefit from a road tax exemption in this stylish and efficient Spanish favourite. The Ecomotive model has the lowest emissions, but even the non-Emotive comes in just under the 100g/km.

Porsche Cayenne Hybrid
Luxury 4x4s are surely all emission-heavy right? Not so. This packs in all of the quality you’d hope and expect from a Porsche, with no need for road tax thanks to 79g/km. Perfect for anyone who works at one of the increasing number of workplaces that benefit from car charging points.

These are just seven of the models open to you if you wish to buy or lease a road tax-free car. The list should demonstrate the sheer range of options – and the quality available – but this is only the starting point.

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