Sun, 12 Oct 2025

Sun, 12 Oct 2025 Carmakers go on trial over emissions cheat claims

The trial is the latest chapter of what has become known as the "dieselgate" scandal.

* A major lawsuit against five leading carmakers (Mercedes, Ford, Peugeot/Citroën, Renault and Nissan) accused of cheating on emissions tests is set to begin at the High Court.
* The case involves 220,000 car owners who claim they were misled about their vehicles' emissions levels.
* The trial is expected to determine whether systems installed in diesel cars by the five carmakers were designed to cheat clean air laws and lower readings of nitrogen oxide emissions.
* If the court finds against the carmakers, a further trial to determine levels of compensation is expected to begin in autumn 2026.
* The case could eventually involve 1.6 million car owners and has been described as one of the largest class actions in English and Welsh legal history.
* The five carmakers deny the accusations, with some claiming that their vehicles were compliant with regulations at the time.
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