Choosing a company car is a tricky business, as there are numerous factors at play. Price ceilings, restricted model lists, management policies and leasing contracts don’t always allow free choice for the company car driver, but if any of these 10 are on your list of potential business motors, you’ll struggle to go wrong with any of them.
10. Range Rover Evoque eD4 PureTech
It may be six years old, but the Range Rover Evoque still cuts an extremely stylish dash in the corporate car park. As a company car, it has brand appeal that, coupled to its distinctive styling, makes the Evoque really stand out. And in eD4 PureTech spec, the monthly tax liability for a standard rate tax payer is just £118. That’s a very cheap way into Range Rover ownership.
9. Vauxhall Astra 1.6 CDTi TechLine NAV EcoTEC
It might not be the most desirable badge in the company car park, but the Vauxhall Astra is a far better car than you might expect. Packed with tech and with an excellent combination of ride and handling, the British-built Astra is one of the best cars the brand has ever made. And in 1.6 EcoTEC form, it’s also one of the most efficient, with just 88g/k of CO2 emissions and 66mpg combined. Fleet managers love them, and there’s a good reason why.
8. Audi A4 3.0
A 3.0-litre diesel might not seem the most politically correct choice given the bashing that oil burners are getting in the press at the moment, but the six-cylinder A4 is actually quite a remarkable car. As well as having plenty of power and torque (268bhp and 442Nm), it produces a palatable 137g/km of CO2, putting it in the 22% tax band. There are other cars in the class that are more efficient, but the A4 offsets that with fierce acceleration and impressive economy. Perfect for user choosers.
7. Jaguar XE 2.0 R-Sport
Another car that’s hot property with fleet user choosers is the Jaguar XE, which in petrol-engined 2.0 R-Sport specification falls into the same BIK bracket as the 3.0-litre Audi. The XE does a similar job, but differently, with 198bhp fed through a four-wheel-drive system and eight-speed automatic gearbox. It’s the perfect compromise between small luxury cruiser and sporty compact exec, with a fine chassis.
6. VW Passat GTE
The first of our plug-in options, the Passat GTE is a sensible and practical choice for fleets that need big, comfortable cars that also have impressive eco-credentials. The Passat combines an electric motor with a 30-mile EV-only range with a 1.4 TSI petrol engine that acts as a range extender. It’s comfortable rather than particularly special to drive, but it works particularly well in estate mode, where it also gains handsome looks.
5. Volvo V60 D5 twin engine
Although not as spacious as the Passat, the V60 is one of the few genuinely competent plug-in hybrid estate cars, while it’s also extremely relaxing to drive and beautifully executed in terms of design and finish. The electric motor has an electric range of around 30 miles, and is backed up by Volvo’s traditional d5 five-cylinder diesel engine. It’ll sprint from 0-60mph in just 6.7 seconds.
4. Audi A3 Sportback e-Tron
Sharing its drivetrain with the Volkswagen Golf GTE, the A3 e-Tron has all of the upmarket appeal of the A3 hatch, but with a brilliant hybrid drivetrain that combines a 75Kw electric motor with a 1.4 turbo petrol engine. A three-hour charge gives you 25-30 miles of range, and 0-60 in 7.6 seconds, with a petrol engine to remove range anxiety. Stylish, well-made and with one of the most desirable names in the company car park.
3. Mercedes E350e PHEV
The E-Class E350e is very much the definition of the plug-in hybrid as a tax break, with a moderate 20-mile all-electric range. But the powertrain is enough to exempt it from the congestion charge and put it in one of the lowest BIK bands, which makes a lot of sense to both company car drivers and fleet managers alike. The purchase cost is steep, but its retained value means whole life costs are pretty sensible.
2. VW Golf GTE
The Volkswagen Golf GTE looks no different to other models in the Golf line-up, and is also sensibly priced. But it has a 30-mile electric range coupled to a 1.4 turbo petrol engine, helping it fall into the lowest BIK tax band of seven per cent thanks to CO2 emissions of just 35g/km. In full electric mode and range extended petrol mode, it behaves just like a normal Golf. That means it’s a handsome car, pleasant to drive, inexpensive to buy and extremely affordable to run, both from the perspective of fleet manager and user chooser.
1. BMW 330e iPerformance
BMW’s 3-Series has long been king of the company car park, and thanks to the company’s latest technological developments, it stays there. The BMW 330e iPerformance is one of the most usable plug-ins you can find, with a 25-mile electric only range and a 2.0-litre petrol engine in reserve, while it is BIK rated at just 44g/km, making it C-Charge exempt. With the equivalent of 250bhp, it’s able to sprint from 0-60mph in a shade over six seconds, while the handling is everything you’d expect from a BMW. It’s the hybrid car reimagined into a desirable executive saloon.