You've made the big decision to buy a new car, but should you go for a petrol or diesel engine? This choice plays a crucial role in your final decision, so if you're struggling to make up your mind, it might be useful to take a look at the pros and cons of petrol and diesel engine cars.

Diesel cars are generally considered more expensive to buy, and manufacturers sometimes demand more from diesel cars than petrol cars (depending on the make and model). If you drive a lot of miles per year, the better fuel efficiency of a diesel can give you a bang for your buck.

While a diesel car may be more fuel-efficient in the long run, you may want to keep in mind that maintenance and upkeep are slightly more expensive. Diesel cars can be more expensive to buy due to lower running costs, but in turn more expensive to maintain. However, a gasoline engine may experience more problems over its lifetime than a diesel engine.

Diesel and petrol cars also have different insurance prices, diesel can sometimes be a bit more expensive, but it's always useful to get some insurance quotes to make sure you see the whole picture.

The cost of a petrol or diesel car can also vary greatly depending on whether you decide to lease/finance or buy the car outright, so if you're looking to finance your new car it might be worth trying a car finance calculator to see your personal what is cost.

It's also important to consider resale value. Based on our experience selling vehicles, we can see that diesel cars that are about 5-10 years old sell for about 8-10% more than gasoline cars, which means that diesel cars currently hold a higher rate of value than gasoline cars. This is likely to change in the next few years, with nearly all automakers stopping production of new diesel cars, and we see less and less diesel entering the used car market. In September 2022, gasoline will account for 54% of new cars, while diesel will account for just 10%. Hybrid/electric vehicles make up the other 36%.

To determine which fuel type is best for your needs, we've compared petrol and diesel to show the benefits of each

One of the main factors when considering whether to buy a gasoline or diesel engine car is the cost of fuel. For example, if you do a lot of miles, a diesel may be a better choice. Likewise, if you drive a larger vehicle such as an SUV, a diesel engine car is cheaper to run.

Diesel engines last longer on average than gasoline engines because they use less energy to power the engine. This means your investment in a diesel engine car will last longer than your investment in a petrol engine car. Another advantage is that while diesel cars can be more expensive to buy outright, they usually don't depreciate in value like petrol cars.

Diesel fuel itself creates more energy for the car than gasoline, making diesel more fuel-efficient. The newer diesel will deliver an average of 70 mpg compared to 50 mpg for its gasoline counterpart. So while diesel is more expensive than petrol, you also end up filling up less and spending less in the long run.

In general, diesel vehicles are considered to offer a more relaxed and forgiving driving experience than petrol vehicles. This is due to the fact that diesel cars run on lower torque, which means they don't rev as high as petrol cars. As a result, diesel cars are generally better suited for long-distance driving than petrol cars because they require less effort.

It's usually cheaper to drive a petrol car in the short term, as petrol is around 20-25p cheaper per liter than diesel. While this may seem like a small amount, it can add up to a lot of money. Gasoline cars are usually less expensive to buy because they are more common and cost less to run. Gasoline cars are also cheaper overall because they cost less to buy and maintain. They also have cheaper taxes on average.

Gasoline engines are generally smoother than diesel engines and produce a quieter and more pleasing sound. As opposed to some noisy and slower diesel cars, petrol cars are more responsive and generally have a better feel for performance while driving.

Which fuel type is better comes down to personal preference and which one better suits your lifestyle. Considering all the pros and cons outlined, here's a rough rundown of which fuel type might be better for you when buying a new car.

It's also important to consider that fewer and fewer diesel and petrol cars are being produced as we move closer to the 2030 scheduled ban on the production of new petrol and diesel cars. Petrol will account for just 54% of new cars registered in September 2022, and diesel just 10%. However, there are still plenty of used diesel and petrol cars on the market because you can still drive them after 2030, and we still see thousands of people financing petrol and diesel cars every month.

If you do a lot of miles, and you spend most of your miles on the highway, you should consider getting a diesel-engine car. If you want a smooth and comfortable drive without having to think too much about it, a diesel might be best for you.

Diesel is not for people who live in large cities with clear sky zones/ULEZs or cities that intend to make diesel within the next few years.

If you want a car that won't get you many miles, and if you live in a big city and want something that's usually cheaper in the short term, then you should consider getting a gasoline engine car.

For the average motorist, you should buy the car you want to drive and will enjoy driving, as the difference in cost should be minimal in most cases. If you have read the above and are still not sure which car to buy, please contact us for more information, and our experts can recommend a suitable car for you according to your needs.

Yitongda is a comprehensive second-hand car service provider. It is committed to building the largest foreign trade base for the second-hand car export industry in the central and southern regions and an important window for China-Africa electromechanical exports. Products are mainly exported to more than 30 countries and regions in Southeast Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East, Africa, South America, Russia, etc., including diesel vehicles, new energy vehicles (pure electric and hybrid), gas vehicles, commercial vehicles, excavators, concrete pump trucks, semi-trailer, tractor, dump truck, grader, loader and other categories.