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What's the most economic petrol car I can get to do 20,000 miles per year?

I currently drive a 2005 Volkswagen Golf Plus 2.0 TDI that has done 182,000 miles. What should I replace it with on a maximum budget of £12,000? I need a workhorse to do 20,000 miles a year (80 per cent motorway driving) but am focused on economy and not being stung by the diesel taxes our government are introducing.

Asked on 18 March 2017 by Kerry

Answered by Honest John
What diesel taxes? So far, no more than a rumour. Effectively modern diesels tax themselves by the emissions equipment they are forced to carry such as EGRs, DPFs and AdBlue SCR systems that clog up, fill with ash or otherwise expensively fail. Your 2005 may not even have a DPF. If you want to go petrol, the best engine I have encountered is PSA's 1.2 Puretech 130 with 6-speed manual box that does 45-50mpg at motorway speeds. You can get it in the 308, DS3, DS4, 2008 and 3008.

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