Drivers planning to buy a new petrol or diesel car next year may face an eye-watering extra cost before they even leave the dealership.
From April 2026, the first-year tax bill for almost 60 models will rise to £5,690, following another increase to Vehicle Excise Duty (VED).
The hike comes after a major overhaul of VED in April 2025, when first-year charges for new petrol and diesel cars jumped from £2,745 to £5,490. The levy is paid upfront when a vehicle is first registered, before dropping to a significantly lower standard rate in subsequent years.
As the rules tighten, drivers are being forced to weigh up higher upfront costs alongside fuel, insurance and maintenance, reshaping the UK car market in the process.
Is your vehicle affected?
The highest tax band applies to cars emitting more than 255g/km of CO₂, a threshold that now captures a wide range of vehicles, not just niche supercars. Models affected include high-performance sports cars and large luxury SUVs, with manufacturers such as Audi, BMW, Ford, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Land Rover, Bentley, Ferrari and Lamborghini caught by the charge.
For new vehicles, first-year tax varies according to emissions, starting at £10 and rising to £5,690. Only zero-emission cars qualify for the lowest rate, while any vehicle producing as little as 1g/km of CO₂ will face a £110 charge.
A typical petrol car emitting around 143g/km of CO₂ would attract a first-year bill of about £560, while an average diesel model producing roughly 164g/km would be charged closer to £1,360.
Electric vehicles (EV) have also been brought into the system for the first time, with EV owners now required to pay VED. A separate pay-per-mile scheme is due to be introduced from April 2028.
For drivers of cars already on the road, road tax remains far lower, although it is still rising. From April, the standard annual rate charged from a vehicle’s second year onwards will increase from £195 to £200.
Here are the 59 models facing the £5,690 first-year tax bill:
- Alfa Romeo Stelvio 2.9 V6 Bi-Turbo
- Aston Martin DB12 4.0 V8
- Aston Martin DBX 4.0 V8
- Aston Martin Vantage 4.0 V8
- Audi R8 5.2 FSI V10
- Audi RS6 4.0 TFSI V8
- Audi RS7 4.0 TFSI V8
- Audi RSQ8 4.0 TFSI V8
- Audi S8 4.0 TFSI V8
- Audi SQ7 4.0 TFSI V8
- Audi SQ8 4.0 TFSI V8
- Bentley Bentayga 4.0 V8
- Bentley Continental 4.0 V8
- Bentley Continental 6.0 W12
- Bentley Flying Spur 4.0 V8
- BMW Alpina XB7 4.4 V8
- BMW M8 4.4 V8
- BMW X5 M 4.4 V8
- BMW X6 M 4.4 V8
- BMW X7 M 4.4 V8
- Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 6.2 V8
- Ferrari Purosangue 6.5 V12
- Ferrari Roma 3.8T V8
- Ford Mustang 5.0 V8
- Ford Ranger 2.0 TD EcoBlue
- Ford Ranger 3.0 EcoBlue
- Ford Ranger 3.0 V6
- INEOS Grenadier 3.0P
- Jaguar F-Pace 5.0 P575 V8
- Jeep Wrangler 2.0 GME
- Lamborghini Huracan 5.2 V10
- Lamborghini Revuelto 6.5 V12
- Lamborghini Urus 4.0 V8 BiTurbo
- Land Rover Defender 110 5.0 P425 V8
- Land Rover Defender 90 5.0 P425 V8
- Lotus Emira 3.5 V6
- Maserati Levante 3.0 V6
- Maserati Levante 3.8 V8
- Maserati MC20 3.0 V6
- McLaren GT 4.0T V8
- Mercedes-Benz AMG GT 4.0 V8
- Mercedes-Benz G400D
- Mercedes-Benz G63
- Mercedes-Benz GLC63
- Mercedes-Benz GLE63
- Mercedes-Benz GLS63h
- Mercedes-Benz SL55
- Porsche 718 Cayman 4.0 GT4
- Porsche 911 3.7T 992 Turbo
- Porsche Cayenne 4.0T V8
- Porsche Macan 2.9T V6
- Range Rover 4.4 P530 V8
- Range Rover 4.4 P615 V8
- Range Rover Sport 4.4P V8
- Rolls-Royce Cullinan 6.75 V12
- Rolls-Royce Ghost 6.75 V12
- Toyota Hilux 2.8D
- Toyota Land Cruiser 2.8D
- Volkswagen Amarok 3.0 TDI
