Petrol or diesel Toyota Avensis?

Toyota Avensis: should I go for petrol or diesel? I do twice daily runs 15 miles each way and about 9,000 miles yearly maximim. Looking at a 2010/2011 model maybe petrol tax higher but cheaper to buy looking to keep long term. Will diesel maintanence cost more long term as I don't do huge mileage?

Pat Cashman (Cork)

Apr 2014 Filed under: fuel economy and emissions

---

Expert answer

Hi Pat,

If you're doing low mileage then you are way better off sticking with petrol. Even taking the higher tax into account, you'll still never make back the higher purchase price in fuel savings and with low mileage you're almost certainly going to run into diesel particulate filter issues. 

The good news is that the 1.6 Avensis is pretty economical for a small petrol engine in a big car. Drive it gently and you should regularly see the sunny side of 40mpg.

Hope that helps

Neil Briscoe - Complete Car Adviser
@neilmbriscoe