Models we import from the USA
Twelve American models, with the age rules that decide the test for each.
Every model against the 40-year line
Each bar is a generation, from the first year it was built. The left dashed line is a build date before 1986, the 2026 vehicle tax cut-off for the 40-year exemptions. The right one is 2016, the 10-year line between needing approval and not.
- Over 40 years old
- Early builds over 40
- Over 10 years old
- Either side of 10 years
- Under 10 years old
- Ford Mustang 7 generations
Ford Mustang: Gen 1, 1964.5-1973, over 40 years old. Gen 2, 1974-1978, over 40 years old. Gen 3, 1979-1993, early builds over 40. Gen 4, 1994-2004, over 10 years old. Gen 5, 2005-2014, over 10 years old. Gen 6, 2015-2023, either side of 10 years. Gen 7, 2024-present, under 10 years old.
- Chevrolet Corvette 8 generations
Chevrolet Corvette: C1, 1953-1962, over 40 years old. C2, 1963-1967, over 40 years old. C3, 1968-1982, over 40 years old. C4, 1984-1996, early builds over 40. C5, 1997-2004, over 10 years old. C6, 2005-2013, over 10 years old. C7, 2014-2019, either side of 10 years. C8, 2020-present, under 10 years old.
- Chevrolet Camaro 6 generations
Chevrolet Camaro: Gen 1, 1967-1969, over 40 years old. Gen 2, 1970-1981, over 40 years old. Gen 3, 1982-1992, early builds over 40. Gen 4, 1993-2002, over 10 years old. Gen 5, 2010-2015, over 10 years old. Gen 6, 2016-2024, either side of 10 years.
- Dodge Challenger 3 generations
Dodge Challenger: Gen 1, 1970-1974, over 40 years old. Gen 2, 1978-1983, over 40 years old. Gen 3, 2008-2023, either side of 10 years.
- Ford F-150 6 generations
Ford F-150: 9th gen, 1992-1997, over 10 years old. 10th gen, 1997-2004, over 10 years old. 11th gen, 2004-2008, over 10 years old. 12th gen, 2009-2014, over 10 years old. 13th gen, 2015-2020, either side of 10 years. 14th gen, 2021-present, under 10 years old.
- Chevrolet Silverado 4 generations
Chevrolet Silverado: Gen 1, 1999-2006, over 10 years old. Gen 2, 2007-2013, over 10 years old. Gen 3, 2014-2018, either side of 10 years. Gen 4, 2019-present, under 10 years old.
- Ram 1500 5 generations
Ram 1500: Gen 1, 1981-1993, early builds over 40. Gen 2, 1994-2001, over 10 years old. Gen 3, 2002-2008, over 10 years old. Gen 4, 2009-2018, either side of 10 years. Gen 5, 2019-present, under 10 years old.
- Jeep Wrangler 4 generations
Jeep Wrangler: YJ, 1987-1995, over 10 years old. TJ, 1997-2006, over 10 years old. JK, 2007-2018, either side of 10 years. JL, 2018-present, under 10 years old.
- Ford Bronco 6 generations
Ford Bronco: Gen 1, 1966-1977, over 40 years old. Gen 2, 1978-1979, over 40 years old. Gen 3, 1980-1986, early builds over 40. Gen 4, 1987-1991, over 10 years old. Gen 5, 1992-1996, over 10 years old. Gen 6, 2021-present, under 10 years old.
- Chevrolet Tahoe 5 generations
Chevrolet Tahoe: Gen 1, 1995-1999, over 10 years old. Gen 2, 2000-2006, over 10 years old. Gen 3, 2007-2014, over 10 years old. Gen 4, 2015-2020, either side of 10 years. Gen 5, 2021-present, under 10 years old.
- Cadillac Escalade 5 generations
Cadillac Escalade: Gen 1, 1999-2000, over 10 years old. Gen 2, 2002-2006, over 10 years old. Gen 3, 2007-2014, over 10 years old. Gen 4, 2015-2020, either side of 10 years. Gen 5, 2021-present, under 10 years old.
- Harley-Davidson 6 families
Harley-Davidson: 1957 to 1986, over 40 years old. 1986 to 2016, over 10 years old. 2016 to 2017, either side of 10 years. 2017 to today, under 10 years old.
Written for 2026. Both lines roll forward each year. The Ford F-150 is drawn from 1992 only, because we have not confirmed build years for the earlier trucks.
Muscle cars
Four nameplates, each with at least two generations over 40 years old. The newer ones sit either side of the 10-year line.
Pickup trucks
Almost all under 40 years old, so the 10-year line does the work. How HMRC classes the truck matters, and we confirm it before you commit.
SUVs and 4x4s
The Bronco is the only one here with generations over 40. The Wrangler comes close, as sources put the first YJ in early 1986.
Motorbikes
One make, with its own approval scheme and its own duty rate.
The test follows the car's own date, not its generation. gov.uk, vehicle approval and historic vehicles
Generation years are model-year spans as commonly quoted, and start and end dates differ by a few months. Where sources disagree, the page says so or leaves the point out. If your car is not here, the vehicle pages cover the wider types.
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