I am looking at a used Prius import from a garage but it doesn't flag up on any of the .gov or TFL webpages with a validated Euro class status. Does this mean that I will get pinged if I drive into a clean air zone?
I like the look of the car but if it might be an issue for driving into the city'
Thanks in Advance
I think (please correct me if I'm wrong) that cities like London no longer exempt hybrids like the Prius from the Congestion Charge, so really they aren't of much benefit monetarily over newer, highly efficient petrol / petrol hybrid cars, all of which (EU4 and better) are exempt from the ULEZ charge as the Prius is.
Better to go for a newer car, especially one with a full service history (and especially main dealer when in warranty) and nothing serious on the MOT record.
An import per se isn't a bad thing (my now 19yo [EU4] Mazda3 was originally from Cyprus, though I bought it unused when effectively new), but only if you know its history and its proven to be fully UK compliant (mine had a cert of conformity).
I can drive into London with no (hidden) issues - just the Congestion Charge to pay if I ventured into the inner area (which I wouldn't bother with - public transport is still vastly quicker).
If you're in a different region, then check with your local city's ULEZ/LEZ etc to see if there are any variations, thought most seem to use London as the basis for theirs, or are less stringent.
I'd always be wary of 'grey' imports.
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