People with diesel cars are set to pay a 15p per mile charge this month. Brits getting behind the wheel of a diesel vehicle will be paying 2p less on average than they would for petrol, according to new research.
The UK’s average fuel fees stand at 143.25p per litre for diesel and 134.4p per litre for petrol. According to the motoring and insurance website Nimblefins, the average driver gets 43 miles per gallon of diesel and 36 miles per gallon of petrol. Based on the current price per litre, road users are set to pay an average of 15.1p per mile to run their diesel vehicles in January. Petrol vehicle owners will pay slightly more, at 17p per mile.
Fees are slightly down, with road users likely to pay around £151 for every 1,000 miles driven with diesel. Over an average annual total of around 8,000 miles, drivers with diesel cars are expected to pay £1,211 to use the roads. In December, motorists with diesel cars were paying 144.27p per litre. According to RAC, this was down 2.3p from November. Petrol finished the year at 135.37p, meaning both fuels finished 2025 about 1.5p lower than they began the year (petrol 136.85p and diesel 142.91p – January 1, 2025).
Drivers choosing to refuel at a supermarket-operated forecourt saved themselves 3p a litre in December, as unleaded petrol sold for an average of 132.65p and diesel for 141.24p, both having decreased by 1.8p over the month.
This equates to a saving of £1.50 a tank when filling up a 55-litre family car. A full tank of petrol at a supermarket costs £72.96, compared to the UK average cost of £74.45. The diesel equivalent is £77.68, versus £79.35.
The new data comes after the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) warned that fuel margins remain high compared to historic levels, despite falling pump prices - a blow for petrol and diesel drivers who are forced to top up regularly.
Last month, Dan Turnbull, senior director of markets at the CMA, explained: “Fuel margins remain at persistently high levels – and our new analysis shows operating costs do not explain this.
“This indicates competition in the sector is weak – if it were working well, drivers could see lower prices at the pump. We know fuel costs are a big issue for drivers, especially at this time of year, with millions making journeys across the country.
“This is why the fuel finder scheme is crucial – it will put power back in the hands of motorists and save households money.”