Eco labels launched for used cars (UK)

First used on brand-new cars and now launched on used cars. A new 'green' labelling system for used cars has been launched with the support of over 2,000 dealers. The colour-coded system is similar to the one already applied to new cars, with the labels making it easy for buyers to tell how economical the car is.

The label gives details of a car's make and model, as well as:

• The car's CO2 emissions in grams per kilometre

• The official mpg figure

• The estimated fuel cost based on 12,000 miles driving

More economical cars are distinguished with green labels while cars with high fuel consumption and CO2 emissions get red labels.

Dealers that sign up for the scheme can choose whether to label cars up to two years old or whether to label cars that have been registered since 2001, when the modern scheme of CO2 banding was first introduced.

However, 94% of participating dealers have opted to label old cars, too. Minister for Transport, Sadiq Khan MP, said: 'I hope as many dealers as possible will participate and I encourage used car buyers to look for the label when they consider what to buy.'

From its launch over 2,000 garages have signed up to the scheme including franchised dealers, independent garages and car supermarkets. Over 200 Ford Direct centres are using the label, however, Ford plans that all 350 members of its franchised network to sign up as soon as possible.

Previous tax band table shown above

RHD Polos have higher CO2 emissions than LHD Polos (UK)

Right-hand-drive Volkswagen Polo diesels will have slightly poorer fuel economy and higher CO2 emissions than the left-hand-drive models sold in Mainland Europe.

This is because the oxidation catalyst and diesel particulate filter in the exhaust system have been moved to allow the controls to be switched to the right side of the car. The switch means that the 1.2 litre Polo Bluemotion, which has the lowest CO2 figure of any diesel car on sale in Europe at 87g/km, can't make the same claim in the UK.

The Polo's emissions in the UK are 90g/km, while fuel economy dips from 85.6mpg to 83.1mpg. The two 1.6 litre Polo diesels (74bhp and 89bhp) are also 3g/km worse off in right-hand-drive form, while the official fuel consumption figure falls from 67.3mpg to 65.7mpg. The Polo CO2 emissions in the UK are 112g/km, compared to 109g/km for Mainland Europe.

The good news is that both road tax and company car tax are unaffected by the right-hand-drive car's drop in efficiency – it's not significant enough to move the Polos up a tax band.

Other VWs are not affected by the transformation from left to right-hand drive because there is more bonnet space under the hood to re-route the controls.