Petrol vs Diesel – Which Is Cheaper to Own?
Diesels usually cost more to buy but use less fuel. Enter your mileage to see whether a diesel pays back for you.
Petrol
Servicing & repairs per year
Diesel
Servicing & repairs per year
Petrol is £940 cheaper
Over 4 years and 40,000 miles, including the purchase price.
Petrol: fuel/charging per year
£1,364
Petrol: running costs per year
£1,859
Petrol: total over 4 years
£22,435
Diesel: fuel/charging per year
£1,174
Diesel: running costs per year
£1,719
Diesel: total over 4 years
£23,375
Years for the dearer car to pay back
10.7 years
Starting figures are examples only - replace them with real prices for the cars you're looking at. This doesn't include insurance or what each car will be worth when you sell it.
Buying this car? Check its history
Get a full history check before you hand over money: outstanding finance, write-off records, stolen status, mileage discrepancies and more.
See what's in a report →Frequently asked questions
Is diesel cheaper than petrol?
Diesel is usually more expensive per litre but diesel cars go further on each litre. Diesels tend to make sense for high mileage, mostly motorway drivers.
Can I drive a diesel in clean air zones?
Diesel cars generally need to meet Euro 6 to avoid charges in London's ULEZ and other clean air zones.