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Petrol is up over 26% this year. If running costs are becoming a concern, now could be a good time to see what your car is worth.
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Fuel is a big part of it. Petrol has gone from 133p a litre at the start of 2025 to 168p in September 2026, a rise of more than 26%. For someone covering 10,000 miles a year at 40mpg, that is roughly £380 a year extra, and it turns up every time you fill up rather than once on an annual bill.
The 2035 cut-off for new petrol sales is the other factor. It does not affect the car on your driveway today, but it may shape what buyers want, and interest in electric continues to grow.
Some drivers are choosing to move now while petrol values are holding, rather than waiting to see what the market looks like in a few years.
Fuel prices tend to move in one particular shape: a sharp spike, then a long slow drift back down. The 2022 peak of 191p came with the invasion of Ukraine. Prices fell through 2023 and 2024, but never returned to where they started.
Sources: GOV.UK weekly fuel prices (historical). Projections are illustrative and based on current market trends as of September 2026.
The 2026 spike has a different cause, with tensions in the Middle East pushing crude prices up. If the pattern holds, any retreat is likely to be gradual rather than sudden, and the floor tends to end up higher than it was before.
Unlike diesel, petrol cars are mostly outside clean air zone charges. Nearly all petrol cars registered after 2005 meet the Euro 4 standard, so no daily fee in London or Birmingham. The pressure here is fuel cost, not charges. Our guide on whether petrol prices are going up explains what sits behind the numbers.
The rules are the same as for diesel. New petrol cars cannot be sold in the UK from 2035. Used petrol cars stay legal to drive, buy, sell, tax and insure, with no plan to change that.
Petrol appears to be holding its value better than diesel at the moment. There are no clean air zone charges to factor in, maintenance is generally cheaper with no DPF or AdBlue to worry about, and the pool of buyers may be wider, particularly for smaller cars doing town miles.
That advantage is unlikely to last indefinitely. As 2035 gets closer and more used EVs reach the market, petrol values could come under the same pressure diesel is feeling now. If selling was already on the cards, doing it while demand is strong may be the better timing.
For most people, yes. Petrol cars under ten years old with sensible mileage and a service history are typically in solid demand, and dealers are often actively bidding for them.
The familiar names tend to do best. A Fiesta, a Polo or a Corsa in decent condition could attract competing offers without much effort, because there is usually demand for a cheap, simple car that is easy to insure and easy to fix.
Older petrol cars also tend to hold up better than diesel equivalents of the same age, largely because there is no clean air zone penalty hanging over them. Rather than guess, put the registration in and let the bids tell you where you stand.
Get it valued before you commit
Enter your reg and see what dealers will actually pay. It takes a couple of minutes, costs nothing, and you are under no obligation to sell.
Get the MOT done
A fresh MOT is likely to be worth real money at sale time. A car with eleven months left tends to look more appealing than one with three weeks.
Gather your paperwork
Service history, the V5C, and receipts for recent work. A stamped book and a folder of invoices could do more for the price than a valet.
Be honest about condition
Dealers inspect the car at collection. Flagging the stone chip or the worn tyre up front avoids the offer being revised on your driveway.
Do not leave it too long
Petrol values are holding up well for now, but 2035 gets closer each year and the used EV market keeps growing. Strong demand today is not guaranteed demand next year.
Check the MOT history with our free MOT checker, and confirm tax status with the tax and ULEZ checker, before you list.
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Value Your CarPetrol owners are typically under less pressure than diesel owners. There is no clean air zone charge to dodge, and no looming compliance problem. The case for switching is mostly about running costs.
Charging at home works out around 2p to 5p a mile against roughly 15p to 19p for petrol at today's prices. Servicing tends to be cheaper too, with fewer moving parts to wear out. The trade-off is a higher purchase price and the need to think about where you charge. Our electric vehicles hub covers the practicalities, and you can compare EV insurance before deciding.
A hybrid is the halfway house: better economy around town, no range planning, no charger needed at home. If you are weighing it all up, our cost of running a car guide compares the totals. And if it is a diesel you are moving on from, see selling a diesel car instead.
Common questions about petrol values, running costs, and the 2035 ban.
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