2026 eco-penalty: what changes when buying a new car

Since January 1st 2026, the eco-penalty scale has tightened significantly: the threshold dropped to 108g of CO2/km, down from 113g/km in 2025. In practice, a growing number of petrol vehicles — and even some conventional hybrids — now fall into the taxed zone, when they escaped it just last year.

The weight penalty, a second filter

On top of the CO2 penalty, the weight penalty now kicks in from 1,500kg (down from 1,600kg in 2025). Many family SUVs, hybrids included, exceed that threshold once equipped — which can stack both penalties on the same vehicle.

The result: by some estimates, around 72% of new cars sold in France are now hit by at least one of the two penalties, up from a minority just two years ago.

What about the eco-bonus?

The purchase bonus for electric vehicles has also been revised downward: it's now capped at €4,200, far from the €7,000 offered in 2023. The "social leasing" scheme, relaunched in July 2026 with payments under €200/month and no down payment, remains an attractive option for lower-income households — but it can't be combined with the standard bonus.

Why this complicates the choice

These successive regulatory adjustments make comparing powertrains harder than before: the sticker price at the dealership no longer reflects the real out-the-door cost, and the gap between two similar trims (petrol vs hybrid, or two different weights) can now represent several hundred, even thousand, euros in penalties.

This is exactly what Compar'Car factors into its comparison: by showing the price and indicative monthly payment for each vehicle side by side, new or used, it becomes much easier to see the real impact of these rules before deciding.