Statement: ‘Road tax for diesel cars must be reduced’

Traditionally, cars with a diesel engine are ideal for those who spend a lot of time on the road. A liter of diesel was almost always a few dimes cheaper than a liter of petrol. Despite the fact that the motor vehicle tax for diesel cars is considerably higher than that for cars with, for example, a petrol engine, you could save considerably with a diesel car if you had a high enough annual mileage. At the end of the summer, a liter of diesel was for the first time in Dutch history more expensive than a liter of petrol (E10). The Average National Recommended Price (GLA) of a liter of diesel is now slightly below that of a liter of petrol (€2,084) at €2,067, but the difference is so small that a diesel car can hardly be justified in terms of costs per kilometre. Please note: the excise duty on diesel has also been lower than that on petrol since the temporary reduction in excise duty that was implemented on 1 April this year and which will apply until mid-2023.

Of course there are various arguments to still go for a car with a diesel engine. They are often cheaper on the second-hand market – especially now – than comparable cars with a petrol engine, so you can already grab a substantial, albeit temporary, discount when purchasing. In addition, there are plenty of people who simply prefer the character of a diesel engine to that of a petrol car or car with an electric powertrain. A diesel car is also generally more economical than a comparable petrol car. A reduction in the motor vehicle tax for cars with a diesel engine to compensate for the high price of diesel could again increase the raison d’être of diesel cars in the Netherlands.

On the other hand, there is a lot of criticism of diesel cars. Especially since Volkswagens dieselgate and comparable diesel scandals at other manufacturers, the diesel engine is in a bad light. Various cities that have an environmental zone are stricter in banning older diesel cars than older cars with a petrol engine. There are plenty of people who believe that the time of diesel has passed and that the rising diesel prices are a good reason to make the diesel car disappear from the streets.

As you can see, we are very curious about your opinion! Time for a voting round in which we posit the following statement:

‘Road tax on diesel cars must be reduced’

Do you agree with that? Why or why not? To be clear: the statement does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the AutoWeek editors.

You can add explanations and arguments in the comments. And, as always, your opinion does not have to be someone else’s. We should all be on AutoWeek.nl because we have a thing for cars, so be kind to each other and try not to get too carried away.