How can a 3.0-litre be taxed as a 2.0-litre?

I see a lot of larger engined cars for sale now saying "taxed as a 2.0-litre", when they are 3.0-litre. How can this be done?

Curious Joe (Dublin)

Jun 2014 Filed under: taxation

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Expert answer

Hi Joe,

We suspect the advertisers are being a bit ambitious there. Generally speaking, you cannot tax a 3.0-litre as a 2.0-litre – that’s called fraud. However, you can tax a commercial vehicle with a 3.0-litre engine for €333 a year, which is roughly equivalent to taxing a 2.0-litre diesel with Band C emissions, but it’s a very inaccurate way of describing a car.

Also, to tax a vehicle as a commercial means that you cannot, under any circumstances, use it for personal use, such as school drop-offs or shopping. If you’re caught, it can mean a fine of up to €4,000. Generally, we’d say anyone using a phrase such as ‘taxed as a 2.0’ is being a bit too fast and loose with the truth, so is best avoided.

Neil Briscoe - Complete Car Advisor
@neilmbriscoe