Climate-conscious citizens of the UK are increasingly going green, with a quarter (26 per cent) of drivers choosing carbon footprint as a top priority when buying a new car, according to new research from AA Cars, the AA’s used car website.  AA Cars is the UK’s number one online resource for buying a used car.

The AA-Populus poll, which surveyed over 17,000 drivers, found that apart from comfort and safety, low CO2 emissions was the biggest factor for consumers when looking for a new car.

On top of this, the number of Brits (15 per cent) that consider low toxic emissions – that fall under the Euro Standard – as a key consideration has rocketed in the last 10 months ago, with only a fraction (1 per cent) of Brits chose it as the top priority in April last year.

The latest data from the UK’s Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders (SMMT) reveals that the sales of the alternative fuel vehicles (AFV’s) has increased by over a third (34 per cent) in the last year despite overall sales of new cars suffering over the same period.

On the other hand, the majority of the younger age group are more concerned with the appearance of their car – with a stylish interior (22 per cent), in car gadgets (24 per cent) and the colour of their car (14 per cent) topping the priority list.

In addition to this around one in 10 (11per cent) drivers believe top speed and performance is a key concern when choosing a car – with men more likely to opt for these traits. In general, women (56 per cent) tend to think more about the safety features in a new car, with men less focused on these as a top priority (43 per cent).

Simon Benson, director of motoring services at AA Cars, said: “Over the course of the last year, there’s been a notable shift in drivers’ priorities when it comes to buying new cars – one of the most striking trends amongst consumers is to more consciously consider the ‘green’ aspects of their next vehicle when heading down to the forecourt.

“This is a definite move in the right direction as drivers are now carefully considering CO2 emissions when buying a new car. On top of this, it is great to see an increasing awareness of pollution and air quality issues.

“Having said that, some stereotypes still hold true with younger drivers first and foremost picking style and colour over any other considerations.

“While this overall shift to a greener mindset is to be applauded, some clarity from the government around emitting vehicles would be welcomed. Many hoped this would be cleared up in last year›s Budget announcement but sadly millions of car owners were left scratching their heads as to what this all means for them and their vehicles.”

Populus interviewed 17,007 AA members on the AA-Populus online panel between January 16 and 23. Populus is a founder member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules.