Summary

How long are your journeys? 

If your driving is made up of mostly short journeys or you do less than 12,000 miles per annum, a diesel might not be the most suitable fuel type for you. Firstly, you need to weigh up the additional cost of diesel compared to petrol and electric, because there is a good chance it will outweigh any savings you would have made from being more fuel efficient.  

You also need to consider the DPF filter that all diesel cars come with. I'll try not to bore you with the details (which are here), but a DPF filter helps capture soot from your exhaust, which helps lower the car's emissions. However, if you do not drive long enough distances, this filter can become blocked and cost you to repair.   

If you drive long distances regularly, or do more than 12,000 miles per annum, then diesel might be the perfect option for you.  

Towing Goods & Overall Durability 

Diesel can often be a suitable option if you are towing heavy goods (caravan, horse box, trailer, etc). This is because diesel engines tend to be more durable and produce the power required to do such a thing, without affecting your overall fuel efficiency compared to if you were to tow with a petrol or electric vehicle.  

Company Cars

If you're looking at a diesel car as a company car, you might find the BIK payments to be lower than the equivalent petrol. However, you still need to consider all of the above, as it might work better to lease an EV, which will be unmatched when it comes to BIK. 

Clean Air Zones 

There are 15 (as of me writing this) clean air zones (CAZ) in UK towns and cities, one being ULEZ which you'll find in and around London. This is mainly a concern if you are leasing an older diesel car, as it can cost you every time you want to drive it in and out of these zones.