According to a recent survey conducted, almost two-thirds of consumers found themselves rejecting the thought of buying a diesel car.

The survey from CarBuyer pointed to 61% being put off, while 33% stated that they’ve been unaffected by the negative effects of diesel engine emissions. A further 6% of responders said that they weren’t even aware of any issues with diesel-powered vehicles.

According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), diesel sales were already down 9.2% last month compared to February of 2016, whereas alternative-fuel vehicles sales were up 48.9% over the same period.

“Our poll and the SMMT’s sales data both suggest diesel’s unpopularity could well grow in the coming months. While diesel can still be a cost-effective choice for high-mileage motorists and those running larger cars, we regularly advise buyers that modern petrol, hybrid and plug-in vehicles can be a better option for shorter trips and urban motoring in particular,” said CarBuyer editor Stuart Milne.

Despite not producing as much CO2, diesel units can be more polluting than petrol engines due to their high levels of nitrogen oxide and particulate matter – in turn posing a threat to human health. Another study, conducted by the Royal College of Physicians and the Royal College of Pediatrics & Child Health, found that no fewer than 40,000 early deaths per year in the UK are associated with air pollution.

“A few months ago, customers would look at the petrol and diesel models and decide on cost and fuel consumption,” said someone representing a car dealership. “Now some are just flat-out refusing to consider diesel, which is something we’ve never seen before. Those that don’t refuse outright are more wary and are asking more questions.”

With regulations looking to get even more strict, the price of diesel cars is expected to go up. Add to that the fact that diesel is more expensive to purchase than petrol and it could all lead to the extinction of the diesel supermini within a few years.

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