If you’re thinking about buying a new car, you might want to check this list first.
From 1st April 2026, the first-year road tax on 59 car models is jumping up to £5,690. That’s a £200 increase from the current rate – and the second big rise in two years.
Back in April 2025, this same band doubled from £2,745 to £5,490. Now it’s going up again.
Which Cars Are Actually Affected?
The 59 cars hit by this charge all produce more than 255 grams of CO2 per kilometre.
Here’s the full list:
Alfa Romeo: Stelvio 2.9 V6 Bi-Turbo
Aston Martin: DB12 4.0 V8, DBX 4.0 V8, Vantage 4.0 V8
Audi: R8 5.2 FSI V10, RS6 4.0 TFSI V8, RS7 4.0 TFSI V8, RSQ8 4.0 TFSI V8, S8 4.0 TFSI V8, SQ7 4.0 TFSI V8, SQ8 4.0 TFSI V8
Bentley: Bentayga 4.0 V8, Continental 4.0 V8, Continental 6.0 W12, Flying Spur 4.0 V8
BMW: Alpina XB7 4.4 V8, M8 4.4 V8, X5 M 4.4 V8, X6 M 4.4 V8, X7 M 4.4 V8
Chevrolet: Corvette Stingray 6.2 V8
Ferrari: Purosangue 6.5 V12, Roma 3.8T V8
Ford: Mustang 5.0 V8, Ranger 2.0 TD EcoBlue, Ranger 3.0 EcoBlue, 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, Revuelto 6.5 V12, Urus 4.0 V8 BiTurbo
Land Rover: Defender 110 5.0 P425 V8, Defender 90 5.0 P425 V8
Lotus: Emira 3.5 V6
Maserati: Levante 3.0 V6, Levante 3.8 V8, MC20 3.0 V6
McLaren: GT 4.0T V8
Mercedes-Benz: AMG GT 4.0 V8, G400D, G63, GLC63, GLE63, GLS63h, SL55
Porsche: 718 Cayman 4.0 GT4, 911 3.7T 992 Turbo, Cayenne 4.0T V8, Macan 2.9T V6
Range Rover: 4.4 P530 V8, 4.4 P615 V8, Sport 4.4P V8
Rolls-Royce: Cullinan 6.75 V12, Ghost 6.75 V12
Toyota: Hilux 2.8D, Land Cruiser 2.8D
Volkswagen: Amarok 3.0 TDI
More news:
A Few Surprises on That List
Most of these are exactly what you’d expect – Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Bentleys.
But the Ford Ranger, Toyota Hilux, and Land Cruiser might catch people off guard.
These are working vehicles for builders, farmers, and tradespeople. Not flashy status symbols.
What If You Already Own One?
This charge only applies when you buy a brand-new car and register it for the first time.
If you already own one of these models, your annual tax is just going up from £195 to £200.
Everyone pays a bit more, just not nearly as much as someone buying new.
What About Everyone Else?
Most people won’t pay anywhere near £5,690. An average petrol car (around 143g/km) faces roughly £560 in first-year tax.
An average diesel (around 164g/km) pays about £1,360.
Zero-emission vehicles pay just £10.
The Luxury Car Tax Adds Up Too
If your new car cost more than £40,000, there’s another charge to think about.
The “Expensive Car Supplement” adds £425 per year on top of your standard road tax for five years.
So a £50,000 Range Rover in the top emissions band would cost £5,690 in year one, then £625 per year for the next five years.
Electric vehicles only trigger this if they cost more than £50,000.
How to Check Your Own Car
You can check any car’s tax band using the DVLA tool at gov.uk.
Worth doing before you buy anything new.
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Disclaimer: Content on this page is for informational purposes and does not constitute financial advice. Always do your own research before making a financially related decision.
