If you are looking to buy a new car you may have spent some time researching the different options available. You will have noticed that fuel consumption and emissions figures are often quoted to highlight the fuel efficiency of the model. Ford offers a wide range of vehicles with excellent environmental credentials, with no compromise on performance, comfort or practicality.
But what are the actual benefits of driving a fuel-efficient car?
If you want to minimise the impact that your journeys have on the environment, fuel efficiency is an important consideration. Models with low fuel consumption use less petrol or diesel, both of which come from crude oil which is a finite resource. You should also look at CO2 emissions, as higher emissions will have a greater impact on environmental issues such as climate change.
Driving a fuel-efficient car reduces the running costs you will have to pay throughout the lifetime of your vehicle. There are many different savings associated with fuel efficiency, and together they add up to a significant amount of money.
If your car is fuel efficient and goes further per litre of petrol or diesel, your fuel costs will be significantly reduced. Diesel engines in particular are more frugal than ever and can cover distances of more than 80 miles on one gallon of fuel.
As well as saving you money, this also means that you do not have to stop so often to fill up the tank. As the driver of a fuel-efficient model you can spend less time standing on chilly fuel station forecourts and more time enjoying your car’s performance from behind the wheel.
Some taxes are unavoidable, but not all. The amount of Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) you pay is based on your car’s fuel type and level of CO2 emissions. The more fuel-efficient your model is the less tax you pay, and if you choose a car with very low emissions you are completely exempt from paying VED.
All cars are classified into a band from A to M, to decide how much tax the driver should pay. If your car emits between 101g/km and 130g/km of CO2 it is in band B, C or D and you are exempt from VED for one year from registration. Vehicles which emit less than 100g/km of CO2 are in band A and are exempt from VED completely.
If you want to avoid paying VED you can choose from many Ford models in band A, including the Fiesta, Focus and Mondeo ranges. There are also many Ford models which fall into bands B, C and D, including the Kuga, S-MAX and Tourneo Connect ranges.
If your car emits less than 75g/km of CO2 then you do not have to pay the Congestion Charge for driving in central London. There are currently only a few vehicles which achieve this, and they are mainly electric vehicles and hybrid models.
If you are looking for the best option for vehicles in your fleet, you will need to consider Whole Life Costs in order to work out which model is the most cost-effective in the long run. The amount you spend on fuel and Vehicle Excise Duty is a large contributory factor to the Whole Life Cost, so choosing a fuel-efficient car is a sound business decision.
To find out more about our range of cars and vans for sale, contact a member of our team today who will be happy to help. We also have a great range of quality used Ford cars for sale.