As well as saving the environment, one of the reasons that car buyers often go for the green option, is the fact that they could be saving money. You would think that with high fuel costs, buying the greenest car such as the VW Polo Bluemotion, would make economic sense.

However, a study by Auto Express Magazine, has found that this is only true if you are prepared to hang on to the car for the long term. The study on a range of green model options, matched the premium buyers pay for the green badge, against the benefits in terms of reduced fuel consumption. It found that while a car such as the Polo Bluemotion does exceed the standard model by 20 mpg, at current pump prices it would take on average six and half years to justify the higher price. Even when lower road tax rates are taken into account, it seems that you have to hang on to a green model for many years before you start making savings.