Interest in diesel cars has taken a substantial hit in recent months as the price of fuel has hit its highest recorded level in UK history. New Auto Express exclusive data reveals that buyer enquiries for diesel models on our sister site, Carwow, have fallen by a third in the last six months. Drivers are instead turning to hybrids and EVs amid pressure on the global oil market. Between March and the end of September 2026, enquiries – i.e requests to dealers for quotes or test drives – dropped by 33 per cent, while interest in petrol cars only fell by around a quarter. At the same time, enquiries for EVs rose by 28 per cent; curiously, enquiries for hybrids dropped by eight per cent, suggesting high fuel prices are turning drivers away from fossil fuels altogether and forcing them to consider full-electric models. In fact, enquiries for diesel fell by 14 per cent in the last week alone compared to the week prior, driven largely by a recent spike in the cost of fuel. Diesel cars have so far accounted for 4.6 per cent of new car registrations in 2026, which is perhaps no surprise given the dwindling number of options available to buyers. Late last year, Auto Express discovered that just 91 diesel car models were on sale in the UK, compared with 240 a decade prior. That number has reduced even further in the months since. According to the RAC, filling up at the black pump will now set drivers back on average £1.99 per litre on average, with the typical motorway service station charging as much as £2.16. The cost to brim the average diesel car’s 55-litre fuel tank now stands at over £109 – £30 more than at the start of the US-Iran war that’s caused the cost of petrol and diesel to spiral out of control. This figure eclipses the previous high of 199.09 pence per litre experienced during the early stages of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in the summer of 2022 and, in the words of the RAC’s head of policy, Simon Williams, it marks an entry into “new uncharted territory”. Similarly, the price of petrol has also seen a huge rise since the kick-off of hostilities; the average UK price of petrol now sits at £1.74 per litre – almost 40p more than in February. This means filling up the average petrol car will now set you back almost £96, which is roughly £23 more than seven months ago. At motorway service stations, petrol is also almost on the brink of breaking the £2-per-litre mark. CarFill-up cost (28/02/26)Fill-up cost (28/09/26)Vauxhall Corsa 1.0l (Petrol, 40L)£53.13£69.65Ford Puma 1.0l mHEV (Petrol, 42L)£55.79£73.13Skoda Superb 2.0 TDI (Diesel, 66L)£93.97£131.46Kia Sportage Hybrid (Petrol, 52L)£69.07£90.55Land Rover Defender 110 D350 (Diesel, 89L)£126.72£177.27 “These extraordinarily high prices are another reminder of just how exposed the UK is to events occurring far away from its shores,” said Williams. The cost for a barrel of Brent Crude – the type of oil that’s refined into motor fuel – now sits at around $100 per barrel, up from just over $70 before 28 February. “Only a sustained lower oil price – over several weeks, not days – will lead to cheaper prices at the pumps,” Williams explained. In March, the Government under ex-Prime Minister Keir Starmer commissioned the Competition and Markets Authority, the UK’s chief market regulator, to monitor the fuel sector for any evidence of price gouging. While the CMA is yet to find any evidence of retailers changing their pricing tactics to profiteer from the high oil prices, the regulator has pointed out that a lack of competition in the sector has led to “passive” pricing strategies. These keep prices high for consumers, because retailers are sluggish to react to fluctuations in the price of oil, instead waiting for others to do so first. “The UK might have limited leverage when it comes to ending the US/Iran war and ultimately bringing oil prices down, but the Government could take steps to ease the burden on drivers by lowering fuel duty further or reducing VAT,” Williams said. As of the time of writing, the Government is set to reverse the temporary five pence cut to fuel duty in the Spring – something that was pushed back from September in light of the high fuel prices caused by the war in Iran. As for whether this reversal will still take place next year or whether any other relief will be granted; Chancellor John Healey told the BBC’s Newscast podcast that “as far as diesel prices go, I’m acutely conscious of how hard this is hitting people… and I will be able to make more commitments [and] set out more detail of any moves that we’re able to make to ease the cost of living at the [Autumn] Budget.” Relief cannot come soon enough, though, given that the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) suggests that due to gradually dwindling oil reserves, the price of fuel – particularly diesel – could continue to soar well into 2027. A HM Treasury spokesperson told Auto Express: “Since the outset of the war in Iran this government continues to protect the British people and businesses from this crisis.” “This means drivers benefit from the extension of the five pence fuel duty cut, with diesel 11 pence per litre cheaper until the end of the year than it would have been compared to plans inherited from the previous government.”
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