New economy and emissions labelling for used cars

04/11/09

Government plan means more and better eco-info for buyers of second-hand carsLook for this label when you next go used-car shopping. It’s a new idea from the Government, introduced to help you pick vehicles which travel further to the gallon and are low on CO2 emissions..

For now, it is up to dealers whether they put such labels on their used cars, although a similar scheme covering new cars has been compulsory for some years.
But the used car scheme was launched to motor traders this summer and so far over 1000 have signed up. They were given the choice of limiting labelling to cars up to two years old, or taking it back to 2001 (full economy and CO2 figures aren’t held for cars registered before then). Most decided to extend to the earlier date.

The labels list the car’s CO2 emissions (which determine how much road tax is payable), the cost of a year's road tax, its fuel economy and an estimate of its petrol or diesel costs over 12,000 miles – a typical year’s motoring.

The Automobile Association has welcomed the move, saying its research showed an overwhelming majority of used-car buyers would welcome the move.