April change means Land Rover drivers ‘hit with £60 tax every time’

Land Rover owners are feeling the pinch at the pumps as diesel prices peaked more than 36% higher in April than they were just nine weeks prior, according to new analysis by Land Rover Monthly. Weekly UK fuel price data from PetrolPrices.co.uk shows that petrol climbed from 131.46p per litre on February 9, 2026, to 158.17p on April 13, 2026, a rise of 20.3%. Diesel surged from 140.72p per litre to 192.14p over the same period, representing an increase of 36.5%.

Fuel prices have soared on the back of turmoil in the Middle East, with oil costs rocketing after US and Israeli strikes on Iran commenced at the end of February, with no resolution yet in sight between the parties involved.

For many Land Rover owners, the consequences are felt most acutely at the forecourt. A 70-litre petrol fill-up at the April peak would have set drivers back around £110.72, compared with £92.02 in February. A 70-litre diesel fill-up would have cost approximately £134.50, up from £98.50.

Land Rover Monthly’s analysis further revealed that, at the April fuel-price peak, nearly £60 of a 70-litre diesel fill-up would have comprised fuel duty and VAT alone. Fuel duty is currently levied at 52.95p per litre on both petrol and diesel, while VAT is applied at 20% on most fuel.

Land Rover Monthly stated the fuel squeeze had emerged as one of the most widespread concerns affecting the 4×4 community, especially for owners who depend on their vehicles for rural driving, work, towing, family use, shows and long-distance travel. Nevertheless, the magazine noted the situation was more nuanced than the stereotype of Land Rovers as mere “gas guzzlers”.

It revealed LRM analysis of insurance-sector mileage and insured-value discovered that many older Land Rovers are now treasured low-mileage vehicles rather than daily transport. Pre-1990 Land Rovers in the data averaged 1,425 miles annually, while 1990 to 2000 vehicles averaged 3,188 miles.

In comparison, 2000-2016 Defenders in the same data averaged 7,263 miles annually, rendering them considerably closer to ordinary everyday vehicles in terms of yearly use. The Department for Transport’s 2024 National Travel Survey placed average car mileage at approximately 7,100 miles per year.

The same Land Rover Monthly analysis discovered that classic Land Rovers maintain substantial insured value. Series I models, including Minerva examples, ranged from £4,000 to £115,000, with an average insured value of £22,389. Series II models averaged £11,834, Series III models averaged £11,467 and Land Rover 101 Forward Control models averaged £15,547. Defender, 90, 110 and 127 models up to 2016 displayed the broadest insured-value range, with examples recorded from £2,500 to £180,000.

Steve Miller, publisher of Land Rover Monthly, said: “Fuel prices have become one of the biggest shared frustrations in the Land Rover community. Land Rovers are part of rural life, work, family memories and British motoring heritage. For some owners, they are cherished classics used sparingly. For others, especially later Defenders, they are still practical vehicles used week in, week out.

“What unites everyone is that the cost of fuel is being felt every time they fill up. When almost £60 of tax can be built into a single 70-litre diesel fill-up, ministers need to recognise the pressure on rural drivers, working vehicles and classic 4×4 enthusiasts.

“That is why events like Land Rover Monthly Live matter. They bring the community together, not only to celebrate the vehicles, but to talk about the real issues affecting ownership today.”

Land Rover Monthly Live is set to return to the Three Counties Showground in Malvern on Saturday, May 16, and Sunday, May 17, 2026. The two-day spectacular will encompass camping, trade stands, club displays, a live events arena, autojumble, a beer tent, live music, family entertainment and dog-friendly access.

General admission tickets come with one month’s access to Land Rover Monthly’s All-Access Digital Vault, while camping tickets include three months’ access.