Two thirds of UK motorists would now buy a car with better green credentials to avoid paying higher road tax.

Polls earlier this year identified an unwillingness among car buyers to pay extra for CO2-cutting technologies.

In March, a study carried out by the AA revealed that four out of five UK drivers put making financial ends meet ahead of environmental concerns in their list of motoring priorities.

Since then plans for higher road tax, calls for a £2,000 ‘showroom tax’ and a tripling of the London congestion charge for vehicles with the worst emissions levels are just some of the pressures that will influence buying decisions.

Commenting on the company’s findings, Motorpoint operations director, Paul Winfield, said: “A lot of the feedback we get from customers suggests that they are increasingly putting a car’s green credentials higher up their lists of important features and benefits.”