Euro 6 diesel cars list: compliant ULEZ-exempt cars

Euro 6 has gone from a little-known industry standard to the buzzword at the front of many diesel buyers' minds.

It's the name of current emissions standards, which every new car must meet. More importantly, diesel cars must be Euro 6-compliant to avoid daily charges of £12.50 in London's new ultra-low emissions zone (ULEZ), which began operating on April 8 2019.

Diesel drivers will also need a car that meets the Euro 6 standard to avoid charges in Birmingham's clean air zone (CAZ), which comes into force in 2020, as well as in other low emission zones that are being considered. The rules are less strict for petrol cars: any model that's less than 13 years old will be unaffected.

• Virtually all new cars registered since September 2015 have been Euro 6-compliant
• Click below to search for all diesel cars that meet Euro 6 regulations

Some Euro 6-compliant cars were sold before September 2015. These older cars will also be exempt from low emission zone charges and are cheaper than more recent models making them a great value choice if you want to avoid paying emission zone charges. For example, Euro 6 diesel Vauxhall Astras have been sold since 2014 and prices start at £6,350 or £122 per month with finance.

Scroll down for a full list of cars that met Euro 6 standards at least a year early, or click on a manufacturer below to jump straight to their early Euro 6-compliant models.

Early Euro 6 diesel cars: manufacturer list

• Audi
• BMW
• Citroen
• Mazda
• Mercedes
• Mini
• Peugeot
• Vauxhall
• Volkswagen
• Volvo

Early Euro 6 diesel cars list

The cars below were available with at least one Euro 6-compliant engine in 2014 or earlier. The date next to each model shows when these cleaner engines first appeared.

Stocks of earlier Euro 5 cars continued to be sold for a short period, so you should ask a car retailer to confirm a vehicle's Euro rating before you buy. You can also check whether a specific model requires you to pay the London ULEZ emissions charge or not by using Transport for London's checker tool.

Audi Euro 6-compliant diesel cars

Drivers after a Euro 6-compliant diesel engine can take their pick from A3 hatchbacks and cabriolet models, plus the larger A4 saloon and A6 saloon and estate models.

Versions of both 1.6-litre and 2.0-litre engines met the Euro 6 standard from as early as September 2013.

BMW Euro 6-compliant diesel cars

BMW models dating as far back as January 2012 may meet the Euro 6 diesel standard. First to arrive were 1 Series, 3 Series and 5 Series models in 2012, with a wide variety of other models joining the fray over 2013 and 2014.

Surprisingly, it's not just 2.0-litre models that met the standard early but versions fitted with large and powerful 3.0-litre, six-cylinder diesel engines. Similarly, some versions of large BMWs - including the hefty X5 SUV - as well as smaller models meet the standard, giving plenty of choice.

*Early cars must have been fitted with the optional BluePerformance pack to be Euro 6 compliant

Citroen Euro 6-compliant diesel cars

Mazda Euro 6-compliant diesel cars

Mercedes Euro 6-compliant diesel cars

Mini Euro 6-compliant diesel cars

Peugeot Euro 6-compliant diesel cars

Vauxhall Euro 6-compliant diesel cars

Volkswagen Euro 6-compliant diesel cars

Volvo Euro 6-compliant diesel cars