What is the Difference Between Petrol and Diesel Cars?
When it comes to investing in a new car, one of the questions that gets asked a lot is ‘diesel or petrol?’ and more often than not, you’ll get a variety of answers from a range of sources. Some will say diesel is by far the better option, while others will say there is truly no difference. But what is the difference between petrol and diesel?
We’ve put together some information detailing the differences between the two, to help you make the right choice.
How to Identify a Petrol and a Diesel Car
When buying a car, or leasing one from Car Leasing, you will find that all of our listed cars indicate the type of fuel it needs to run. When using our leasing website, you will find a drop down labelled ‘Fuel’, of which you can search for a petrol, diesel, liquid petroleum gas (LPG), hybrid petrol, electric, plugin hybrid petrol, or plugin hybrid diesel car amongst our range.
If you have recently leased a car from us, or purchased from a dealership and forgotten what fuel type the car is, there are a number of ways to identify the fuel type. These include:
Looking at your car manual
Checking the fuel cap
Look at the fuel gauge or dashboard, some cars identify the fuel type with text or a symbol
Listen to the engine. You will find that diesel engines are typically louder than petrol.
How to Choose Between a Petrol and a Diesel Car
Truth be told, the choice of fuel for your car is determined by you. It’s all about what you want from your car. Consider your budget, your current circumstances and your preferences, then you can decide which option is better for you.
We have listed a few things to consider when you are leasing a petrol or diesel car.
Noise Level: Diesel cars are noisier than petrol cars. This is due to the way the fuel is burnt into energy. The combustion in a diesel engine is much more violent, resulting in higher vibrations. Thus, making the noise of a diesel engine louder.
Insurance Costs: Due to the worth of the car, diesels tend to be more expensive to insure than petrol cars. This is because it tends to cost more to repair a diesel car and if a diesel car is stolen, there is a higher overall price to replace it.
Running Costs: In terms of fuelling, initially diesel is more expensive than unleaded fuel. However, while you are paying a larger amount to fill your tank, you can get more miles per gallon from a diesel car than you can a petrol. So, in the long run, it works out cheaper to fuel a diesel car if you drive sensibly.
Servicing and Maintenance Costs: When it comes to servicing and maintenance costs, the difference between a petrol car and a diesel isn’t much. Typically, diesel cars don’t need many repairs in comparison to a petrol car, however when they do need a repair, it is likely to be a little more expensive than the repair on a petrol car.
Environmental Impacts: Diesel engines tend to emit more CO2 emissions and noxious gases per litre of fuel than petrol-powered engines. Despite this, diesels use less fuel, therefore a diesel engine will emit less CO2 emissions over time.
When Will Petrol and Diesel Cars Be Banned?
During September 2023, Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak postponed the ban of petrol and diesel vehicles in the UK from 2030 to 2035. This revised policy states:
You will still be able to drive petrol and diesel cars after 2035.
You will still be able to purchase second hand cars, and lease used cars after this date.
Car manufacturers will not be able to make new cars that require petrol or diesel fuel.
Rushi stated that the recent changes to the green policy will “adopt a more pragmatic, proportionate and realistic approach to meeting net zero which eases the burden on working people”. He believes with the original goals of 2030 and investment from manufactures around the world, the majority of cars will be electric, but this new change will only relieve financial costs and pressures on car manufactures and drivers.
What countries are banning these cars?
Other countries committed to the banning of petrol and diesel cars include Norway, Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Ireland, France, and Spain. Although some countries have set out to meet these green goals earlier than others, all countries will be following the new policy by 2040.
Frequently Asked Questions: Petrol and Diesel
Do diesel engines last longer?
Yes, it is very common for a diesel engine to last longer than a petrol engine.
Are petrol cars faster than diesel cars?
Yes, petrol powered cars are commonly faster than diesel powered cars and can be more exciting to drive!
Why is diesel fuel so expensive?
There are numerous reasons for diesel fuel being more expensive than petrol/unleaded fuel. For example, the tax on diesel is much more expensive, there’s a much higher demand for diesel in other countries and sometimes, seasonality can impact the price – when the demand for heating oil increases in winter, the price of diesel tends to increase too.
Can you use the same oil for petrol and diesel cars?
In the majority of circumstances, you will be able to use the same oil for both petrol and diesel cars but it is important that you refer to the manufacturer handbook before putting oil into your vehicle.
When will petrol and diesel cars be banned?
The UK government has set the green policies, and goal to ban manufactures producing new petrol and diesel cars by 2035.