59 Car Models Face £5,690 Vehicle Tax Hike in April: Full List of Affected Vehicles

59 Car Models to Face £5,690 Vehicle Tax in April: Full List of Vehicles Affected

A staggering and eye-watering rise of £2,745 for some models is set to hit drivers from April 1, 2026, as new Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) rates come into force. The Labour Party government has chosen to dramatically increase first-year VED charges for petrol and diesel vehicles, with substantial fees paid by purchasers of brand-new cars before they transition to the standard rate.

Substantial Fee Increases on a Sliding Scale

Charges have increased on a sliding scale, with the majority of higher bands experiencing fees that double from their 2024 levels. Vehicles emitting over 255 g/km of CO2 faced the steepest £2,745 rise, impacting some of the most widely-driven cars on Britain's roads. They rose to £5,490 for the first year - and this is expected to rise to £5,690 from April 1 2026.

Government Statement on the Changes

Chancellor Rachel Reeves said: "To help drive the transition to electric vehicles the government is strengthening incentives to purchase EVs by widening the differentials in Vehicle Excise Duty First Year Rates between EVs and hybrids or internal combustion engine cars." The government is also maintaining EV incentives in the Company Car Tax regime and extending 100% First Year Allowances for zero emission cars and EV charge points for a further year.

Budget Document Details

The Budget document detailed: "Vehicle Excise Duty first-year rates are paid for the first year of a car's lifecycle, at the point of registration, and vary based on emissions." It added: "From 1 April 2025, the Vehicle Excise Duty first-year rates will be changed to widen the difference between zero-emission, hybrid and internal combustion engine cars."