Dozens of petrol and diesel vehicles have seen annual car tax charges “more than double” over the past 24 months as fees continue to rise. Shahzad Sheikh, founder and presenter of the YouTube channel @BrownCarGuy, stressed that brand-new, highly polluting cars have seen costs soar dramatically over just a “short period”. 

The “brutal rise” saw Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) rates for certain high-performance models double in 2025, with further hikes scheduled in 2026. First-year rates for brand-new cars emitting over 255g/km of CO2 paid just £2,745 over the 2024/25 tax year. However, Labour doubled fees last year, leading to prices jumping to £5,490. A further £200 increase is then set to come into effect on April 1, 2026.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Shahzad said: “Cars registered after 2017 that emit over 255g/kn of CO2 will now attract a first-year VED rate of £5,690. That’s a £200 inflation increase for 2026/27. It comes on top of a brutal rise that over a very short period, has effectively more than doubled the top rate compared to where it was just a couple of years ago. 

“Around 60 cars now fall into this top brand. Yes, it includes the obvious stuff: big V8S, high-performance SUVs, exotic cars. But look closely and it also includes cars that until recently were possibly seen as obtainable, practical maybe workmanlike.”

Cars emitting over 255g/km, which will pay the new hefty costs, include models from major brands such as Audi, BMW, Ferrari, Mercedes and Porsche. Cars such as the Ford Mustang and Ford Ranger make the list, alongside the Toyota Land Cruiser and Volkswagen Amarok.

Vehicles are only subjected to the expensive first-year costs once, with models then reverting to the standard VED charge which currently stands at £195 per year.