The near-death of diesel has been one of the most dramatic changes to the car market in the last 10 years.
This was the go-to fuel for premium and company car drivers, accounting for almost 50% of the car market in 2016. Then came the fallout from Dieselgate, followed by the shift to hybrid and electric cars amid a crackdown on CO2 emissions, and 10 years later diesel’s UK market share stands at just 5.5% (in January 2026, according to the SMMT).