The Government has marked 2030 as the date that petrol and diesel cars will no longer be sold new in the UK, but that does not mean that these cars will cease to exist from this date. The vast majority of the millions of cars currently on the roads are petrol or diesel, and the infrastructure to support them such as petrol stations and servicing will have to remain in place for many years to come - so the 2030 date shouldn't affect your decision on buying a diesel car today.

However, based on recent changes announced to road tax (VED) both for this year and 2025, it seems inevitable that petrol and diesel cars will be taxed more heavily in the coming years. The Government has already announced road tax will apply to EVs too, but the burden will increase on petrol and diesel in the short and medium term at least.

Unless you can afford to buy an EV now, a diesel is likely to be the most economical conventional powertrain you can buy, unless you do a lot of short journeys with a low annual mileage. In this case a small petrol or a hybrid might be a better option.