Buying A Car

If you are considering buying a new or used car, your choice of model can significantly affect your fuel consumption, running costs and environmental impact. The different effects are mainly linked to the engine size, body weight, age and fuel type of the car.

Type of car

In general, smaller engines produce less CO₂ emissions as they use less fuel per mile. Fuel costs will be less, and tax, insurance and purchase costs are also likely to be lower.

New vs Old

Newer cars are generally more efficient than older models, so may be cheaper to drive and less polluting. However, they may actually produce more CO₂ in total if they are larger, heavier, have more gadgets and take more energy to produce than their older counterparts.

When to change

Building a car emits five tonnes of carbon (10-20% of the car’s lifetime output) and uses up a great deal of energy and materials - around half the energy one person uses during a whole year. They are also expensive to buy!

For these reasons, the decision on when to upgrade your car depends on personal circumstances and also how many miles you drive in a year. If you drive a lot of miles, then the cost (environmental and financial) of buying a new car will be outweighed by the benefits you reap while driving it. If, however, you only drive a relatively small distance each year, the cost and environmental damage caused by building a new car will be more than you save through its improved efficiency. Whatever your driving habits, a study commissioned by the RAC Foundation concluded that any car over 18 years old ought to be replaced with a newer model.