A post-Budget poll has revealed that 50% of people thinking about buying a new car are now significantly less likely to buy a high-emissions vehicle.
Direct Line Car Insurance commissioned Opinium Research to conduct the survey of over 2000 UK adults to assess the demand for high-emissions vehicles in the wake of the government’s new vehicle tax regime.
A further 14% of respondents said that they were ‘a little less likely’ to purchase a petrol-guzzling vehicle like a four-wheel drive. In all nearly two thirds of the total said that their future vehicle buying decisions were going to be affected by the tax hike.
Men in general and drivers over the age of 55 were most likely to be put off buying high-emission vehicles in the future. Of those aged between 18 and 34, only 44% said their buying decisions would be affected by the levy.
Jennifer Culley, of Direct Line, said that the shift in public opinion demonstrated that by hitting people’s pockets, the Chancellor has made a difference to vehicle buying behaviour. “Darling has made people think twice before heading to the forecourt”.
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