What should your staff be driving? We’ve got the answers
Tired of seeing the same names on your company car list year after year? Well, give your fleet manager a nudge, because 2016 has seen a raft of superb new models join the UK’s constantly evolving and improving car market.
With manufacturers under pressure to drive down CO2 emissions while eking out every last mile from each gallon of fuel, rest assured that, as the cars available to you get bigger and safer, they’re also getting ever-more efficient.
Sport utility vehicles (SUVs) remain the area of biggest growth in the UK car market, as drivers swap saloons and hatchbacks for a higher driving position and the feeling of enhanced safety. But buying an SUV doesn’t mean heftier running costs, with the launch of vehicles with some of the lowest emissions and most frugal fuel use yet for SUVs.
Diesel remains the most popular fuel with fleet managers – although electrified movement is on the up. The UK’s public charging network is more abundant, while the number of home-charging schemes is growing and subsequently driving down costs. You’ll find a wide range of cars on these pages, from diesel SUVs to electric vehicles and open-top cars for a little more fun.
Land Rover Discovery Sport
2.0 TD4 150 SE
Price £31,095 | 0-62mph 11sec
Maximum speed 112mph | CO2 emissions 129g/km
BIK tax liability 25% | Official combined MPG 57.7mpg 2.0 TD4 150 SE
The Land Rover Discovery Sport is a family-friendly SUV that sits below the full-size Discovery in the Land Rover range. It’s a replacement for the Freelander model – discontinued in 2014 – but is based on the pricier Range Rover Evoque, although it offers much greater practicality.
All Discovery Sports have a 2.0-litre diesel engine and four-wheel drive, and most will opt for the seven-seat version rather than the cheaper (and cleaner and more fuel-efficient) five-seater we’re recommending here for business users.
Price wise, the Sport competes with the five-seat Audi Q5 and BMW X3, but seven-seat rivals include the cheaper, but less upmarket, Hyundai Santa Fe, Kia Sorento and Nissan X-Trail.
Truthfully, the Discovery Sport doesn’t really have a direct rival, since there are no similarly priced premium SUVs available with seven seats, and that gives it a unique appeal. All versions have a comfortable, relatively classy-feeling interior, are relaxing to drive and, by the standards of upmarket SUVs, the Discovery Sport isn’t overly expensive.
However, you can get a bigger car with much more equipment for a lot less money. So make sure the Discovery Sport is really worth the extra.
Jaguar F-Pace
2.0d 180 Prestige AWD Auto
Price £38,710 | 0-62mph 8.7sec
Max. speed 129mph | CO2 emissions 139g/km
BIK tax liability 27%
Official combined MPG 53.3mpg
The Jaguar F-Pace SUV is a rival to everything from the Audi Q5 and BMW X3 through to the prestigious Porsche Macan, such is the breadth of its engine options and pricing structure.
It’s roughly the same size as sister company Land Rover's Discovery Sport, with which it shares some of its oily bits. However, the F-Pace isn’t simply a rebadged Land Rover; its underpinnings actually have more in common with Jaguar’s XE and XF saloons.
The body is super-stiff with lots of aluminium to keep its weight down. This is very much a road-focused SUV, even though four-wheel-drive versions have some clever off-roading technology. It’s one of the best SUVs to drive that money can buy today, and offers ample room for a family of five.
The F-Pace is available with a choice of three engines. The biggest seller, and by far the cleanest and most frugal version, is the entry-level 2.0-litre diesel. More powerful V6 diesel and petrol versions are four-wheel drive only, and aimed squarely at drivers who are also considering the Macan.
Audi TT Roadster
2.0 TDI Ultra Sport
Price £32,845 | 0-62mph 7.3sec
Max. speed 147mph | CO2 emissions 121g/km
BIK tax liability 24% | Official combined MPG 61.4mpg
The TT Roadster is the soft-top version of Audi’s smallest coupé. Unlike its hard-top equivalent, the Roadster has only two seats, but otherwise it has most of the same virtues.
Its main rivals are the BMW Z4 and the Mercedes SLK, although unlike those cars the TT Roadster has a fabric hood rather than a folding metal one. That might sound less secure, but it makes the Audi lighter, which means it’s faster and more agile. The TT is also classier inside than its rivals, more practical and should hold on to its value better. Its hood is seriously quick to do its business; we timed it at just nine seconds from up to fully down.
Most buyers are best off sticking with the 227bhp 2.0 TFSI petrol engine, but we wouldn’t try to talk you out of this diesel model given its range-best CO2 emissions and fuel efficiency. The S tronic automatic gearbox changes gear rapidly, but it can be a bit jerky when parking. Unless you really need an automatic, we’d stick with the six-speed manual.
Sport trim has everything you need, but those after more aggressively sporty looks might want to upgrade to the S line trim. Be sure to choose the TT’s most comfortable suspension, though, as the S line version brings a harsh, sporty ride with those looks.
Volvo S90
2.0 D4 Momentum
Price £32,555 | 0-62mph 8.2sec
Max. speed 140mph | CO2 emissions 116g/km
BIK tax liability 23% | Official combined MPG 64.2mpg
The Volvo S90 is a large executive saloon, which shares a platform (and much of its interior) with the V90 estate and XC90 SUV.
Two 2.0-litre diesel engines are available: a 187bhp D4 or 232bhp D5, while a super-low CO2 emitting T8 petrol-electric hybrid will join the range later this year.
Trim choices are restricted to two – entry-level Momentum or range-topping Inscription – but the lesser trim is stacked with standard equipment, so that’s the one to go for.
The S90 is priced to compete against premium models such as the very capable BMW 5 Series, Audi A6 and Jaguar XF.
Buyers of large executive saloons are a demanding bunch; they expect a comfortable ride, superb refinement and generous levels of luxury equipment. Thankfully, the S90 has most of those bases covered.
For starters, its interior space is up there with the best in class, while quality is good, even if Audi still rules the roost in this area.
Volvo can’t claim to have outgunned BMW when it comes to handling, either, but the hushed and strong engines mean it plays Jekyll and Hyde very well.
Ultimately, while not a class leader, the S90 makes for a fine large executive car. It should certainly be on your test-drive list if you’re looking for comfortable premium motoring.
Škoda Superb
2.0 TDI 150 SE Business
Price £22,555 | 0-62mph 8.8sec
Max. speed 137mph
CO2 emissions 108g/km
BIK tax liability 21%
Official combined MPG 68.9mpg The Škoda Superb is a compact executive car competing against the likes of the Ford Mondeo and Volkswagen Passat, as well as premium offerings such as the BMW 3 Series. The range features petrol and diesel engines, manual or automatic gearboxes, and even two- or four-wheel drive on selected models.
There are many reasons to consider a Superb: it’s competitively priced (even when judged against other value propositions such as the Ford Mondeo), it’s well equipped, and its efficient engines and strong resale value make it surprisingly cheap to own.
One of the Superb’s strongest assets, though, is how roomy it is – it might be priced like a compact executive, but its space (particularly rear legroom) is more akin to an Audi A6 or BMW 5 Series.
The days of jokes surrounding the firm are long gone. The Superb cabin is well built and features the sort of materials you’d expect from its German rivals.
For business users, the 148bhp 2.0-litre diesel in SE Business trim makes the most sense as it delivers strong performance combined with low CO2 emissions and plenty of luxuries as standard.
SEAT Ateca
2.0 TDI 150 SE
Price £22,930 | 0-62mph 8.5sec
Max. speed 126mph | CO2 emissions 114g/km
BIK tax liability 22% | Official combined MPG 64.2mpg
The SEAT Ateca breaks new ground for the Spanish brand – its first-ever SUV. But while SEAT is undoubtedly late to the party, it’s making up for that with keen pricing, a spacious interior and class-leading handling.
Underneath the sharp bodywork is essentially the same mechanical platform that sits beneath the much more expensive Volkswagen Tiguan. True, the Ateca misses out on some of that car’s practical features – such as reclining and sliding rear seats – but it still has a large boot and masses of rear seat space.
Other rivals such as the Nissan Qashqai offer lower CO2 emissions, but the Ateca is still more than respectable on this front. It compares favourably to the Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson, for example, while offering strong performance from a wide range of engine options.
You can have a 1.0-litre petrol with 114bhp, right up to a 2.0-litre diesel with 187bhp. However, it’s the 148bhp diesel that makes the most sense, thanks to an excellent combination of power and economy.
There is the temptation to opt for one of the more powerful engines given this is the best handling small SUV at this price point. It might not be as good round corners as a hatchback such as the Ford Focus, but it still impresses with its combination of keen handling and supple ride.
Volkswagen Touran
1.6 TDI 110 SE
Price £25,260 | 0-62mph 11.9sec
Max. speed 116mph | CO2 emissions 112g/km
BIK tax liability 22% | Official combined MPG 65.7mpg
The Volkswagen Touran is a mid-size, seven-seat MPV for families who need the added versatility of what is, in effect, a high-roofed, spacious hatchback, and the occasional use of its additional sixth and seventh seats that fold up out of the boot floor.
It’s quite a bit smaller than full-size MPVs such as the Ford Galaxy and SEAT Alhambra, and competes with rivals such as the Ford S-Max, Citroën Grand C4 Picasso and BMW 2 Series Gran Tourer. Its unique selling point is its classy-feeling interior, which is also more spacious and practical than rivals’, and which even has five ISOFIX fittings for child seats.
There’s a wide range of engines to choose from and equipment is good, provided you avoid the entry-level S version. Our pick of the range is the 1.6 TDI 110 SE, because it’s a happy medium between cost, efficiency and performance. If you’re often carrying seven people over hilly terrain, the more powerful 2.0 TDI is a better bet.
However, like other models in the line-up, it is quite expensive. An equivalent Citroën Grand C4 Picasso is thousands of pounds cheaper, and you’ll get a more powerful Ford S-Max for the same price. Nevertheless, the Touran’s classy image ensures good residual values.
Mazda MX-5
SKYACTIV SE-L Nav
Price £20,865 | 0-62mph 8.3sec
Max. speed 127mph | CO2 emissions 139g/km
BIK tax liability 24% | Official combined MPG 47.1mpg
The Mazda MX-5 is the only two-seater sports roadster you can buy for less than silly money, so it’s really in a class of its own. The Toyota GT86 is its closest competitor, and that’s more expensive and unavailable as a convertible.
Rivals would need to be remarkable to better this fun, lightweight Mazda. Available with a 1.5 or 2.0-litre petrol engine, both offer easily accessible, free-revving performance. The MX-5 is also balanced and light-footed through corners, and comfortable even over broken surfaces.
If the enjoyment of driving is paramount, we’d recommend the 2.0-litre model; the small premium is worth it given the sharper handling and punchier performance. However, the 1.5 is no slouch, and its fleet-friendlier CO2 emissions and better fuel economy will be attractive to many.
Go for either engine and choose the SE-L Nav version, and you’ve got one of the best-handling cars short of those sports cars costing twice as much, at a great price and with generous levels of standard equipment.
Audi A4
3.0 TDI 218 Sport
Price £34,700 | 0-62mph 6.6sec
Max. speed 155mph | CO2 emissions 109g/km
BIK tax liability 21% | Official combined MPG 67.3mpg
What Car? classes its overall Car of the Year 2016, the Audi A4, as a compact executive model. Its closest rivals include the ubiquitous BMW 3 Series, the Mercedes C-Class and the sharp-driving Jaguar XE. However, the A4 is a better buy than all of these because it does the important things – namely comfort, refinement and interior quality – better than its closest competitors.
Buy any executive saloon and it usually makes sense to stick with a four-cylinder diesel engine: you’ll save a heap of cash and won’t sacrifice a huge degree of performance or refinement. However, the 3.0 TDI V6 218 is actually the pick of the A4 range. It’s only fractionally less efficient than the more popular 2.0 TDI 190 Ultra model (both according to official and real-world fuel consumption figures), and delivers the sort of creamy performance and whisper-quiet driving manners that shames some luxury limos.
Put simply, it feels more like a baby A8 than a 3 Series rival both in terms of the way it drives and the sumptuousness of its interior. Factor in the 3.0 TDI 218’s interior and surprisingly low CO2 emissions, and we reckon it’s the obvious choice.
Volkswagen Passat GTE
Price £35,000 | 0-62mph 7.4sec
Max. speed 140mph (81mph in EV mode)
CO2 emissions 37g/km | BIK tax liability 5%
Official combined MPG 166mpg (30 miles in EV mode)
The Volkswagen Passat GTE is a petrol-electric hybrid version of Volkswagen’s classy-feeling, big family saloon and estate. There are few direct rivals. The Passat competes with alternative family saloons and hatches such as the Ford Mondeo and Mazda 6, but the closest hybrid executive rival is the smaller and more expensive BMW 330e.
The Passat’s 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine and an electric motor work together, through a six-speed dual-clutch gearbox, to deliver up to 30 miles of pure electric driving before the punchy-feeling petrol engine kicks in and takes you as far as you need to go after that.
This is a car you have to plug in regularly if you’re to get the most out of its green credentials, because the petrol engine’s real-world economy won’t be great. However, if you commute short distances in the week and would value the fiscal and ecological benefits of electric power, but also want your car to double up as a normal, useful long-distance family motor at the weekends, the Passat does it all in an extremely compelling way.
After all, it’s spacious, comfortable, refined and is easy to drive. It’s got all the benefits of the standard Passat models, with the ability to do short journeys on electricity alone. Thanks to its super-low CO2 emissions, this is an outstanding option for company car users.