Petrol or diesel car: which is the best?

Paul Green, National Remarketing Manager, Wednesday, 13 July 2022
Updated: Thursday, 21 September 2023

Petrol vs Diesel

You’ve made the big decision to buy a new car, but should you opt for a petrol or diesel engine? This choice can play a vital role in your final decision, so if you’re struggling to make up your mind, it can be useful to look at the pros and cons of both petrol and diesel engine cars.

Petrol vs Diesel

You’ve made the big decision to buy a new car, but should you opt for a petrol or diesel engine? This choice can play a vital role in your final decision, so if you’re struggling to make up your mind, it can be useful to look at the pros and cons of both petrol and diesel engine cars.

Pros Cons
Diesel - Cheaper and easier to drive on longer journeys
- Emit less CO2 than petrol cars
- Can be more reliable
- More fuel efficient 		- Often more expensive to tax
- Can be more expensive to buy
- More expensive to fix
- Produces chemicals that can be harmful in built-up areas
- Diesel cars can be more noisy
Petrol - Cheaper to buy and fill up for shorter journeys
- Less expensive to insure and tax
- Emit less harmful chemicals for built up areas
- Smoother and more fun to drive 		- Emits more Co2 than a diesel
- Less efficient for long journeys than a diesel
- Less reliable
- Easier to stall
- Less fuel efficient
Pros Cons
Diesel - Cheaper and easier to drive on longer journeys
- Emit less CO2 than petrol cars
- Can be more reliable
- More fuel efficient 		- Often more expensive to tax
- Can be more expensive to buy
- More expensive to fix
- Produces chemicals that can be harmful in built-up areas
- Diesel cars can be more noisy
Petrol - Cheaper to buy and fill up for shorter journeys
- Less expensive to insure and tax
- Emit less harmful chemicals for built up areas
- Smoother and more fun to drive 		- Emits more Co2 than a diesel
- Less efficient for long journeys than a diesel
- Less reliable
- Easier to stall
- Less fuel efficient

Costs of petrol or diesel cars

It is widely accepted that diesel cars are more expensive to buy, with manufacturers sometimes asking more for diesel models than their petrol equivalents (depending on the make and model). If you drive a lot of miles a year, then the higher fuel efficiency of diesel cars can give you better value for money.

Although diesel cars may be more fuel efficient in the long run, you may want to keep in mind the slightly higher cost of maintenance and servicing. Diesel cars can be more expensive to buy due to lower running costs, but in turn can be more expensive to service. However a petrol engine may have more problems throughout it’s lifetime versus a diesel engine. 

Insurance prices also vary for diesel and petrol cars, with diesel sometimes coming out a little more expensive, but it’s always useful to get a few insurance quotes to ensure you’re seeing the full picture. 

The cost of a petrol or diesel car will also be very different depending on whether you decide to lease, finance, or buy the car outright, so if you are looking to finance your new car, then it may be worth trying out a car finance calculator to see what that cost would look like for your personally. 

It’s important to consider the resale value too. From our experience in selling vehicles, we can see that diesel cars that are around 5-10 years old are selling for around 8-10% more than their petrol counterparts, meaning diesel’s are currently holding their value more than petrol vehicles. This could very well change in the next few years, with almost all car manufacturers stopping production of new diesel cars, we are seeing less diesel’s making their way to the used car market. In September of 2022, petrol made up 54% of new cars with diesel only accounting for 10%. Hybrid/electric vehicles made up the other 36%.

Costs of petrol or diesel cars

It is widely accepted that diesel cars are more expensive to buy, with manufacturers sometimes asking more for diesel models than their petrol equivalents (depending on the make and model). If you drive a lot of miles a year, then the higher fuel efficiency of diesel cars can give you better value for money.

Although diesel cars may be more fuel efficient in the long run, you may want to keep in mind the slightly higher cost of maintenance and servicing. Diesel cars can be more expensive to buy due to lower running costs, but in turn can be more expensive to service. However a petrol engine may have more problems throughout it’s lifetime versus a diesel engine. 

Insurance prices also vary for diesel and petrol cars, with diesel sometimes coming out a little more expensive, but it’s always useful to get a few insurance quotes to ensure you’re seeing the full picture. 

The cost of a petrol or diesel car will also be very different depending on whether you decide to lease, finance, or buy the car outright, so if you are looking to finance your new car, then it may be worth trying out a car finance calculator to see what that cost would look like for your personally. 

It’s important to consider the resale value too. From our experience in selling vehicles, we can see that diesel cars that are around 5-10 years old are selling for around 8-10% more than their petrol counterparts, meaning diesel’s are currently holding their value more than petrol vehicles. This could very well change in the next few years, with almost all car manufacturers stopping production of new diesel cars, we are seeing less diesel’s making their way to the used car market. In September of 2022, petrol made up 54% of new cars with diesel only accounting for 10%. Hybrid/electric vehicles made up the other 36%.

Pros and cons of petrol and diesel cars

To decide which fuel type best suits your needs, we have made a petrol vs diesel comparison that shows the pros and cons of each:

Pros and cons of petrol and diesel cars

To decide which fuel type best suits your needs, we have made a petrol vs diesel comparison that shows the pros and cons of each:

Pros of diesel cars

Financial costs:

One of the main factors when considering whether to buy a petrol or a diesel engine car is fuel costs. For instance, if you do a lot of miles, diesel might be a better choice. Similarly, if you are driving a larger vehicle such as an SUV, a diesel engine car can be cheaper to run.

Diesel engines last longer on average than petrol engines as they use less energy to power the engine. This will mean your investment into a diesel engine car could last longer than if you bought a petrol engine car. Another advantage is that, although diesel cars can be more expensive to buy outright, they generally don’t depreciate as quickly as petrol engine cars.

Emissions and environment:

Diesel cars emit less CO2 than petrol cars, although they do produce other emissions at a higher rate such as nitrous oxide. However some newer diesel cars which comply with the latest emissions regulations (Euro 6), and use AdBlue to reduce the level of nitrous oxide created by diesel cars, will often not be charged for inner city charges that other older diesels will face. It’s always best to check before driving into any major UK city what regulations they have which may affect your vehicle. 

If you are considering a diesel and would like one that offers AdBlue then you should be looking for a diesel vehicle produced after 2016. 

Fuel Efficiency: 

Diesel fuel itself creates more energy for the car than petrol, making diesel more fuel efficient. A newer diesel will offer an average of 70mpg as opposed to 50mpg for it’s petrol counterpart. So although diesel is more expensive than petrol you also end up filling up less and spending less in the long run. 

Driving experience:

In general, diesel cars are regarded as offering a more relaxing and forgiving driving experience than petrol cars. This is due to diesel cars operating at a lower torque, which means they don’t rev as highly as petrol. Therefore, diesel cars are generally better for long distances as they require less effort than petrol cars.

Pros of diesel cars

Financial costs:

One of the main factors when considering whether to buy a petrol or a diesel engine car is fuel costs. For instance, if you do a lot of miles, diesel might be a better choice. Similarly, if you are driving a larger vehicle such as an SUV, a diesel engine car can be cheaper to run.

Diesel engines last longer on average than petrol engines as they use less energy to power the engine. This will mean your investment into a diesel engine car could last longer than if you bought a petrol engine car. Another advantage is that, although diesel cars can be more expensive to buy outright, they generally don’t depreciate as quickly as petrol engine cars.

Emissions and environment:

Diesel cars emit less CO2 than petrol cars, although they do produce other emissions at a higher rate such as nitrous oxide. However some newer diesel cars which comply with the latest emissions regulations (Euro 6), and use AdBlue to reduce the level of nitrous oxide created by diesel cars, will often not be charged for inner city charges that other older diesels will face. It’s always best to check before driving into any major UK city what regulations they have which may affect your vehicle. 

If you are considering a diesel and would like one that offers AdBlue then you should be looking for a diesel vehicle produced after 2016. 

Fuel Efficiency: 

Diesel fuel itself creates more energy for the car than petrol, making diesel more fuel efficient. A newer diesel will offer an average of 70mpg as opposed to 50mpg for it’s petrol counterpart. So although diesel is more expensive than petrol you also end up filling up less and spending less in the long run. 

Driving experience:

In general, diesel cars are regarded as offering a more relaxing and forgiving driving experience than petrol cars. This is due to diesel cars operating at a lower torque, which means they don’t rev as highly as petrol. Therefore, diesel cars are generally better for long distances as they require less effort than petrol cars.

Cons of diesel cars

Financial costs:

Although diesel cars are generally more economic on fuel, they are also generally more expensive to tax, service and to purchase than petrol cars. This also makes them on the whole more expensive to insure, which could make you question whether they are worth the higher upfront costs to get the other saving benefits down the line.

Diesel cars are generally regarded as more reliable than petrol cars, though can be more expensive to fix if something goes wrong with them. This is often due to one of the most common diesel engine faults – the diesel particulate filter (DPF). This component can get blocked up when driving short distances at slow speeds.

cons of diesel cars

Cons of diesel cars

Financial costs:

Although diesel cars are generally more economic on fuel, they are also generally more expensive to tax, service and to purchase than petrol cars. This also makes them on the whole more expensive to insure, which could make you question whether they are worth the higher upfront costs to get the other saving benefits down the line.

Diesel cars are generally regarded as more reliable than petrol cars, though can be more expensive to fix if something goes wrong with them. This is often due to one of the most common diesel engine faults – the diesel particulate filter (DPF). This component can get blocked up when driving short distances at slow speeds.

cons of diesel cars

Emissions and environment:

The main chemicals produced at a higher rate in diesel engines are called nitrogen oxides. These can be extremely harmful in built-up areas, which is why the government is trying to discourage diesel cars driving in London by creating a ultra low emission zone, and clear air zones in many other cities around the UK. Taxes have also become stricter on diesel cars to encourage drivers to consider more environmentally friendly vehicles.

Driving experience:

Diesel engines are traditionally known for being noisier than the more refined petrol engines, but this problem has improved over the past few years. If you are looking for a car which is nippier and generally faster on the road, petrol engines tend to cater towards this.

Emissions and environment:

The main chemicals produced at a higher rate in diesel engines are called nitrogen oxides. These can be extremely harmful in built-up areas, which is why the government is trying to discourage diesel cars driving in London by creating a ultra low emission zone, and clear air zones in many other cities around the UK. Taxes have also become stricter on diesel cars to encourage drivers to consider more environmentally friendly vehicles.

Driving experience:

Diesel engines are traditionally known for being noisier than the more refined petrol engines, but this problem has improved over the past few years. If you are looking for a car which is nippier and generally faster on the road, petrol engines tend to cater towards this.

Pros of petrol cars

Financial costs:

Running a petrol car is generally cheaper in the short term as petrol is around 20-25p cheaper per litre than diesel. Although this may seem insignificant, it can add up to a lot of money. Petrol cars generally have lower purchase prices as they are more common and cheaper to run. Petrol cars are also on the whole cheaper to insure, as they are cheaper to buy and have cheaper servicing costs. They also on average have cheaper tax. 

Emissions and environment:

Petrol engines don’t emit some harmful chemicals at the same rate as diesel engines, but petrol engines still emit CO2 at a high rate which contributes to global warming. This also means that generally petrol cars after 2005 might still be allowed to enter the ULEZ in London and any clean air zones elsewhere in the country. 

Driving experience:

Petrol engines are generally smoother than diesel engines, and create a much quieter and pleasant sound. As opposed to some diesels being noisy and slower, petrol cars are more responsive and generally have a better feel for performance when driving.

Pros of petrol cars

Financial costs:

Running a petrol car is generally cheaper in the short term as petrol is around 20-25p cheaper per litre than diesel. Although this may seem insignificant, it can add up to a lot of money. Petrol cars generally have lower purchase prices as they are more common and cheaper to run. Petrol cars are also on the whole cheaper to insure, as they are cheaper to buy and have cheaper servicing costs. They also on average have cheaper tax. 

Emissions and environment:

Petrol engines don’t emit some harmful chemicals at the same rate as diesel engines, but petrol engines still emit CO2 at a high rate which contributes to global warming. This also means that generally petrol cars after 2005 might still be allowed to enter the ULEZ in London and any clean air zones elsewhere in the country. 

Driving experience:

Petrol engines are generally smoother than diesel engines, and create a much quieter and pleasant sound. As opposed to some diesels being noisy and slower, petrol cars are more responsive and generally have a better feel for performance when driving.

Cons of petrol cars

Financial costs:

If you are planning on doing lots of long journeys in your new car, petrol may not be the best choice. This is because they are less efficient than diesel engines and use more fuel. As petrol engines operate at a higher rev range, they tend to be less reliable than diesel engines and run into problems more frequently.

Emissions and environment:

Petrol engines don’t emit some harmful chemicals at the same rate as diesel engines, but petrol engines still emit CO2 at a high rate which contributes to global warming.

cons of petrol cars

Cons of petrol cars

Financial costs:

If you are planning on doing lots of long journeys in your new car, petrol may not be the best choice. This is because they are less efficient than diesel engines and use more fuel. As petrol engines operate at a higher rev range, they tend to be less reliable than diesel engines and run into problems more frequently.

Emissions and environment:

Petrol engines don’t emit some harmful chemicals at the same rate as diesel engines, but petrol engines still emit CO2 at a high rate which contributes to global warming.

cons of petrol cars

Fuel Efficiency: 

Petrol fuel is less fuel efficient than diesel fuel. A petrol will offer on average around 20mpg less than a diesel equivalent. This does mean that although you may pay less every time you fill up, you may be filling up more, making a petrol car slightly more expensive to fill up than a diesel. A petrol car is great for inner city driving or short journeys where there may be low emission zones.  

Driving experience:

Petrol cars can be harder work to drive as they generally require more gear changes to get up to speed. Also, with regards to city driving, it can be easier to stall a petrol-powered car than a diesel car as there is a shorter biting point on the clutch.

Fuel Efficiency: 

Petrol fuel is less fuel efficient than diesel fuel. A petrol will offer on average around 20mpg less than a diesel equivalent. This does mean that although you may pay less every time you fill up, you may be filling up more, making a petrol car slightly more expensive to fill up than a diesel. A petrol car is great for inner city driving or short journeys where there may be low emission zones.  

Driving experience:

Petrol cars can be harder work to drive as they generally require more gear changes to get up to speed. Also, with regards to city driving, it can be easier to stall a petrol-powered car than a diesel car as there is a shorter biting point on the clutch.

Should I buy a diesel or petrol car?

The answer to which fuel type is better is dependent on personal preference and which suits your lifestyle better. Considering all the outlined pros and cons, we have roughly summarised which fuel type might be a better fit for you when buying a new car.

It’s also important to consider that less and less diesel and petrol cars are being produced as we get closer to the scheduled ban on producing new petrol and diesel vehicles in 2035. With petrol only making up 54% of new cars registered in September 2022, and diesel only accounting for  10%. However there is still plenty of second-hand diesel and petrol cars on the market as you will still be able to drive them beyond 2035, and we are still seeing thousands of people every month getting finance for petrol and diesel vehicles.

Should I buy a diesel or petrol car?

The answer to which fuel type is better is dependent on personal preference and which suits your lifestyle better. Considering all the outlined pros and cons, we have roughly summarised which fuel type might be a better fit for you when buying a new car.

It’s also important to consider that less and less diesel and petrol cars are being produced as we get closer to the scheduled ban on producing new petrol and diesel vehicles in 2035. With petrol only making up 54% of new cars registered in September 2022, and diesel only accounting for  10%. However there is still plenty of second-hand diesel and petrol cars on the market as you will still be able to drive them beyond 2035, and we are still seeing thousands of people every month getting finance for petrol and diesel vehicles.

Is a diesel car right for you?

You should consider buying a diesel engine car if you do a lot of miles, and if most of your miles are spent on the motorway. If you want a smooth and comfortable drive which you don’t have to think too much about, a diesel car might be best for you.

A diesel would not be right for someone living in a major city that has a clear air zone / ULEZ or in a city that intends to make one in the next few years. 

Pros of petrol cars

Is a diesel car right for you?

You should consider buying a diesel engine car if you do a lot of miles, and if most of your miles are spent on the motorway. If you want a smooth and comfortable drive which you don’t have to think too much about, a diesel car might be best for you.

A diesel would not be right for someone living in a major city that has a clear air zone / ULEZ or in a city that intends to make one in the next few years. 

Pros of petrol cars

Is a petrol car right for you?

You should consider buying a petrol engine car if you want a car that you aren’t going to be doing a lot of miles in, and if you live in a major city and want something generally cheaper for the short term.

Is a petrol car right for you?

You should consider buying a petrol engine car if you want a car that you aren’t going to be doing a lot of miles in, and if you live in a major city and want something generally cheaper for the short term.

Which car should I buy?

For the average motorist, you should buy the type of car that you want to drive and will enjoy driving, as in most cases the cost differences should be small. We’ve created a guide on what you might want to consider before buying your next car. Read our guide ‘how to decide what car to buy‘ to find out more.

Once you’ve decided the type of car you want and your preferred fuel choice, read our car buying guide which takes you through the process of purchase. You may also have just decided after reading all of this that you’re ready for a hybrid or electric vehicle, if so that’s great, we also finance most hybrid and electric vehicles. 

Want to read more? Check out our fuel saving tips. It explores lots of different questions and gives some tips on how you could save diesel or petrol.

Which car should I buy?

For the average motorist, you should buy the type of car that you want to drive and will enjoy driving, as in most cases the cost differences should be small. We’ve created a guide on what you might want to consider before buying your next car. Read our guide ‘how to decide what car to buy‘ to find out more.

Once you’ve decided the type of car you want and your preferred fuel choice, read our car buying guide which takes you through the process of purchase. You may also have just decided after reading all of this that you’re ready for a hybrid or electric vehicle, if so that’s great, we also finance most hybrid and electric vehicles. 

Want to read more? Check out our fuel saving tips. It explores lots of different questions and gives some tips on how you could save diesel or petrol.

Diesel vs petrol FAQs

A diesel car could be considered easier to move off from standstill as it requires less acceleration to move off. A diesel engine has more torque which means it can more easily move off, and you are less likely to stall.

A petrol engine is still easy enough to move off from, it’s just a matter of learning where the bite is in your car so that you don’t stall.

As of November 2022, diesel is around 20-24p more expensive per litre than petrol. Diesel has always been more expensive than petrol due to the way it is produced, but recently there has been a increase. To understand what is happening to the price of fuel take a look at RAC’s fuel watch.

Do diesel engines last longer than petrol engines? The answer is yes. Due to the way that the different engines work a diesel engine will last approximately 150,000 miles longer than it’s petrol equivalent. When a diesel engine runs, it lubricates part of the engine keeping it oiled and meaning it can run for longer. A petrol engine however, washes away the oil meaning it wears out quicker. 

Diesel vs petrol FAQs

A diesel car could be considered easier to move off from standstill as it requires less acceleration to move off. A diesel engine has more torque which means it can more easily move off, and you are less likely to stall.

A petrol engine is still easy enough to move off from, it’s just a matter of learning where the bite is in your car so that you don’t stall.

As of November 2022, diesel is around 20-24p more expensive per litre than petrol. Diesel has always been more expensive than petrol due to the way it is produced, but recently there has been a increase. To understand what is happening to the price of fuel take a look at RAC’s fuel watch.

Do diesel engines last longer than petrol engines? The answer is yes. Due to the way that the different engines work a diesel engine will last approximately 150,000 miles longer than it’s petrol equivalent. When a diesel engine runs, it lubricates part of the engine keeping it oiled and meaning it can run for longer. A petrol engine however, washes away the oil meaning it wears out quicker. 

 
Paul Green, National Remarketing Manager
Bringing you tips on buying and maintaining your vehicle to make life on the road less stressful.
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