The best cars with low road tax 2025

Which cars have low road tax?

Cars with low road tax are an ideal way to cut down on the costs of running a vehicle.

Vehicle Excise Duty (VED, or more commonly known as road tax) is a legal requirement in the UK for any car that’s driven or stored on the public road. Even if your road tax is free, you still need to tax your vehicle.

With insurance prices rising and fuel costs getting steeper, road tax is an area where you might be able to save some money.

Why do some cars have no road tax?

Technically, all cars that are stored or driven on UK roads must have road tax but there are some vehicles that don’t need to pay.

Electric vehicles (EVs) are free to tax until 1 April 2025. This is because road tax is calculated by the amount of emissions a car emits – and EVs don’t give off any while driving.

There are a few other vehicles that are free to tax, including historical vehicles, disabled passenger vehicles, cars with disability exemption and vehicles used for agriculture such as tractors.

Low road tax cars

Take a look at our top picks for cars with low road tax.

• Nissan Qashqai

• Skoda Fabia

• BMW 2 Series

• Ford Fiesta

• Hyundai i10

• Kia Sportage

• Ford Focus

• Mercedes GLA

• Audi A3

• Renault Zoe

Nissan Qashqai

If you want a car with low road tax, the Nissan Qashqai is a top pick. Not only is it ideal for keeping running costs low, but it’s a great all-rounder to live with.

With a roomy interior and a 504-litre boot, the Qashqai is hard-wearing and built to withstand daily use. It will be well-suited to busy families that need practicality and reliability.

Nissan Qashqai models from 2021 will cost upwards of £190 per year to tax. This is the current flat rate for vehicles in the UK from the second payment onwards.

An older Qashqai from before 2017 can cost as little as £20 per year to tax.

• Read our Nissan Qashqai review

Skoda Fabia

The Skoda Fabia is another low-road tax car that'll cost you £190 per year for models after 2021.

Older models from before 2017 can cost as little as £20 per year to tax.

Our motoring editor, Sam Sheehan, says: “It’s practical, stylish, effortless to drive and affordable to run. The Skoda Fabia is one of the best-used superminis you can buy.”

We think this one will suit drivers who aren’t buying into the SUV trend and want something sleek for day-to-day use.

Skoda even claims you can achieve up to 80mpg with the diesel engines, but we think you’re likely to get closer to 60mpg in the real world – meaning it’s still going to be cheap to run all-round.

• Read our Skoda Fabia review

BMW 2 Series

If you want a luxury vehicle that’s comfortable to drive and you’ll be proud to be seen in, the BMW 2 Series is a car with low road tax surprisingly.

In fact, a 2 Series from 2021 onwards can cost you as little as the £190 standard rate per year.

Even a spicy 220i M Sport model can be taxed at that rate, and you’ll get to enjoy 181hp and a 0-62mph time of just seven seconds.

It’s worth noting that cars with a list price of over £40,000 from brand-new have to pay an extra £410 per year for the first five years of standard tax. This might be an incentive to keep specifications and extras to a standard level.

• Read our BMW 2 Series review

Ford Fiesta

A Ford Fiesta is a staple on UK roads and for good reason. These practical hatchbacks are reliable, tasteful and comfortable to drive.

The Fiesta is one of the best cars with low road tax that money can buy and will usually only set you back £190 per year for models from 2017 and beyond.

It’s easy to upkeep and maintain a Fiesta because its popularity means parts are widely available. Insurance costs are usually low as well, depending on the individual driver.

Plus, you can expect to achieve up to 56.5mpg from the 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine, so you won't be splashing out on fuel costs either.

• Read our Ford Fiesta review

Hyundai i10

The Hyundai i10 is part-city car and part-supermini. Well-equipped, peppy to drive and easily standing out on the roads, the i10 is a low tax car that rivals the VW Up.

Models from 2017 onwards will typically cost £190 per year to tax, but older i10 models can cost as little as £20 annually.

You won’t be forking out for fuel either, as the i10 can achieve up to 53.3mpg WLTP combined, while still being fun to drive.

Sam says: “Thanks to its lower and wider stance, the Hyundai i10 makes for a far better driving machine than ever before.”

• Read our Hyundai i10 review

Kia Sportage

SUVs don’t have to be expensive to run, and the Kia Sportage is a great example of that.

One of Kia’s best-selling models, its high-quality build is perfect for families that need something to back them for daily driving.

It’s one of the best cars with low road tax, coming in at £190 per year for models from 2022 onwards. You’ll want to skip the high-spec models with a list price over £40,000, as this will cost you the extra luxury car road tax fee.

There are also some plug-in hybrid variants on the market for cutting back on fuel costs, as well as a choice of manual and automatic gearboxes.

• Read our Kia Sportage review

Ford Focus

Another classic and fan favourite on UK roads is the Ford Focus – a low road tax car that will impress in plenty of areas.

The Focus is a family car that’s modern and excellent to drive. Most models can be taxed for just £190 per year, with some of the pre-2017 models costing just £20 a year.

It also claims up to 57.6mpg in 1.5-litre EcoBlue diesel models, so it’s an all-round cheap runner.

Plus, it comes well-equipped from standard with features on offer like the SYNC 4 infotainment system that runs Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as a 375-litre boot.

• Read our Ford Focus review

Mercedes GLA

The Mercedes GLA is a luxury SUV that’s comfortable and packed with features but is also one of the best low road tax cars you can buy.

Surprisingly, you can grab a GLA with road tax as low as £190 per year for models after 2020 if you stick to one of the more standard options. Choosing a flashier GLA will mean you’ll need to pay the extra luxury car fee.

Despite it being a chunky SUV, you can still get up to 42.8mpg from petrol models or 53.3mpg from a diesel.

There are also plug-in hybrid models on the market, but these will typically cost more to tax due to the higher list price.

• Read our Mercedes GLA review

Audi A3

Another luxury contender, the Audi A3, is not only one of the best cars with low road tax but also one of our favourite picks all-round.

It’s a handsome and elegant model that you can get in hatchback, saloon and convertible body styles, with that Audi finesse that’s hard to beat.

An A3 Saloon from 2020 onwards will usually cost upwards of £190 per year to tax, with the Sportback (the hatchback model) costing the same.

While flashy models like the Audi RS3 might be tempting, they’re not the best pick if you want cheap road tax. The standard price across that range is £600 per year, while the S3 model can cost the same if you choose a specced-out option.

• Read our Audi A3 review

Renault Zoe

The Renault Zoe offers very low road tax – it's currently free until 2025 thanks to its zero emissions.

A quirky five-door supermini that’s very easy to drive, the Zoe is ideal for a daily runner, costing you very little to get moving.

It can achieve up to 250 miles on a single charge, with instant torque making it nippy and energetic. It will get many motorists through a week of casual driving on a single charge.

Sam says: “The Zoe offers extremely low running costs and excellent environmental credentials that would be enough on their own.

Add in the great modern looks, the ease of driving and the comfortable, quiet ride and the Renault Zoe is even more appealing.”

• Read our Renault Zoe review

Learn more about road tax:

• How much is road tax in the UK?

• How much is road tax for electric cars?