Businesses in Middlesbrough and Wearside that will be hit after the new Government’s emergency Budget revealed a raft of vehicle tax increases, can in fact make savings if they opt for low emission cars that fall outside the hikes.
James Chorlton, franchise manager at Jennings Mazda in Middlesbrough, said; “Cost reduction and carbon emissions cutting go hand-in-hand. For fleet operators wanting to keep operating costs under control and company car drivers who want to keep their benefit-in-kind tax bills in check, low emission Mazda vehicles are the optimum choice.”
Now on show at Jennings Mazda, Mazda’s model range offers numerous models that emit less than 160g/km of CO2 a model-for-model basis. Impressively, the Mazda2 1.4 diesel 68ps and 1.6 diesel 90ps derivatives emit just 107g/km and 112g/km of CO2 respectively and fall into the cut-price 10 per cent (13% for diesel models) company car benefit-in-kind-tax band applicable to sub 120g/km models. In addition, the ultra clean 1.4 diesel also beats the 110g/km threshold for 100 per cent first year capital allowances which applies to the cleanest cars on sale.
Move up to the Mazda3 and 17 of the four-door saloon and five-door hatchback models emit less than 160g/km with power outputs from 105ps to 185ps. Indeed, the 1.6 109ps diesel emits just 119g/km of CO2.
Meanwhile, the Mazda6 – the model that put the brand on the company car map – has recently been revised and offers a wide selection of sub-160g/km models led by the 138g/km 129 ps.
James Chorlton also warns of the scheduled rise in VAT next year and expects this will result in local businesses bringing forward car buying decisions to beat the tax increase.
“We’re going to see local businesses continuing to adopt ‘greener’ fleet policies with more and more vehicles falling into lower CO2 categories because that is a sure-fire way to cut costs. Mazda’s range of low emission models is continuing to expand and we expect to win more fleet business as a result in 2010.”
To find out how Jennings Mazda can cut the cost of corporate motoring, please contact Middlesbrough on 01642 256655 or Sunderland on 0191 5375666.