Why does motor tax vary so much on a car?

Why would two exact same make, model and engined cars be different tax rates? Both 2010 Citroen C4 Grand Picasso, 1.6 diesel HDi?

Brian Ambrose (Castlemahon)

Oct 2019 Filed under: taxation

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Expert answer

Hi Brian,

Different versions of the same car can have different equipment levels, which can affect the weight of the vehicle and therefore its emissions. Equally, different model years can have different engine specifications (even if the basic bones of the engine are the same), which can affect the CO₂ rating. Or, of course, one could have a manual gearbox and one an automatic, which can have a major effect on the CO₂ levels.

Neil Briscoe - Complete Car Advisor
@neilmbriscoe