Save £££s by buying a greener car. With road tax rates increasing in March 2009 and again the following year, owners of high-polluting vehicles will pay the biggest price.
Avoid paying more with these green small 4x4s...
The Kuga blends on-road agility with off-road, chunky looks. The greenest car of its type, it emits just 169 g/km CO2 and falls into a lower road tax band as a result.
The X3 is an excellent all-round small off-roader. It's good to drive, has some outstanding petrol and diesel engines and can even perform in the mud when it's needed. Plus it's practical, stylish, comfortable and very well built. The 2.0d diesel is the cleanest in the range.
Read Parker's review
RAV4 competes much more closely with the BMW X3 than it did before - it almost matches it for cleanliness.
CR-V is one of the UK's favourite 4x4s. Far from being a polluting, inefficient monster truck, the CR-V takes up no more road space than a family saloon and returns fuel consumption of up to 43.5mpg in everyday driving.
The second-generation Outlander is the best car Mitsubishi has produced in years. It's also one of the most effificent and one of the cleanest seven-seaters you can buy.
Jimny harks back to previous small Suzuki 4x4s with utilitarian styling and off-road practicality. But this model is more urban than agricultural. The 1.3 engine is capable around town and cost-efficient, too.
SEAT's first foray into the 4x4 market, the Freetrack 4 - is still very much in the mould of a stylish and practical hatchback - which should be no surprise, as it's based on the excellent - and efficient - Altea.
Jeep's entry-level 4x4 model matches the average family hatchback for emissions and economy - in spite of its butch off-roader looks.
The second generation Terios is larger and more upmarket than the car it replaces with room for four adults, but is still one of the most compact and affordable off-roaders on the market.
Sportage is roomy, comfortable, robust and offers permanent four-wheel drive. It competes with soft-roaders on ability, but is offered at a low price and with efficient engines to tempt drivers away from mainstream hatchbacks.
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