If you’re after an executive saloon company car on a fixed budget, logic dictates you’ll be wanting as much for your money as you can get.
Thankfully there are a number of business trims on offer which cater directly for fleet drivers, while high-tech engines mean low CO2, and thus low tax bills.
With that in mind we’ve decided on a budget of £100 per month (on 20 percent pay, double for 40 percent) to find out just how much we could get for our money and which precise model to pick.
To find out more about tax or to calculate how much your next company car will cost per month, head to our company car tax calculator here.
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What is it?
The 3 Series is one of the top-selling executive saloons out there, and with good reason. The firm has managed to blend low running costs and good equipment levels with decent performance and sporty, engaging handling. The one we’ve picked comes with BMW’s excellent eight-speed automatic gearbox, which makes it easy to drive as well as very smooth.
Model: 320d Efficient Dynamics Business Auto
P11d price: £31,670
Kit highlights: BMW Business Media Package (sat-nav), heated front seats, leather seating, parking sensors, air conditioning, DAB digital radio, automatic lights and wipers.
CO2 emissions: 109g/km
Monthly tax at 20 percent*: £93
Consider adding: Business Plus Media (£310), adaptive cruise control (£620) and head-up display (£825)
What is it?
While it’s getting a little old compared to make of the cars in this feature, Audi has done a good job of keeping the A4 up with its rivals. The 2-litre ‘Ultra’ diesel engine is a great example of this, making for competitive CO2 emissions thanks to fuel-saving technology. Unlike a lot of ‘eco’ engines though, you don’t have to sacrifice performance either. This one has 163bhp.
Model: 2.0 TDI (163bhp) Ultra SE Technik
P11d price: £29,265
Kit highlights: Audi MMI Navigation system plus (sat-nav), parking sensors, leather upholstery, air-conditioning, DAB digital radio, automatic lights and wipers.
CO2 emissions: 109g/km
Monthly tax at 20 percent*: £83
Consider adding: Audi Active Lane Assist (helps prevent you drifting out of your lane without indicating – £370), Audi Parking System Advanced (rear parking camera – £340)
What is it?
An all-new version of the C-Class hit UK roads in 2014, and the biggest change is the cabin. It’s a far more luxurious and comfortable place to be than any of its rivals, using high quality materials and technology to create a real feeling of class. Many aspects of the C-Class mirror the excellence displayed in Mercedes’ flagship model, the S-Class. We’ve gone for an automatic once again; the notchy Mercedes manual gearboxes are well-avoided in our opinion.
Model: C220 BlueTEC SE Executive Auto
P11d price: £30,810 + £995 for Executive Pack
Kit highlights: false leather seating, DAB digital radio, reversing camera, automatic wipers, sat-nav, heated front seats, cruise control
CO2 emissions: 109g/km
Monthly tax at 20 percent*: £90
Consider adding: air suspension (£895), Driving Assistance Package (includes blind spot monitor, radar-guided cruise control, steering wheel-vibrating lane-keeping assist and a crash pre-empting system called Pre-safe – £1,495)
Full Mercedes-Benz C-Class review
What is it?
Another car that’s been around a few years now, the S60 benefits from an incredibly clever ‘D4’ diesel engine which means CO2 emissions creep down to 99g/km, yet with 181bhp it’s just as fast as the rest of the cars in this article too. Thanks to its cheaper price you can get rather a lot more kit for £100 per month in tax too.
Model: D4 R Design Lux Nav
P11d price: £33,590
Kit highlights: sat-nav, active bending headlights, parking sensors, DAB digital radio, R-Design bodykit and 18-inch wheels, climate control, automatic wipers, leather seats and high-performance stereo system.
CO2 emissions: 99g/km
Monthly tax at 20 percent*: £84
Consider adding: Winter Pack (heated front seats, heated windscreen, heated washer nozzles – £525), Driver Support Pack (blind spot monitor, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control – £1,900).
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What is it?
For a more left-field choice you could investigate the Mazda 6. In recent years the firm has done a lot of work to make its cars more efficient, placing it all under the ‘SKYACTIV’ branding you’ll notice on the flanks of the ‘6. High-tech engines and lightweight body construction are the primary methods of keeping costs down, and that’s reflected in the fact you once again get a fair bit more for your cash than many of the cars in this feature. The version we’ve picked is at the very top of the range, in fact.
Model: 2.2s (175bhp) Sport Nav
P11d price: £26,240
Kit highlights: leather seating, top Bose audio system, LED and bi-xenon headlights, keyless entry, touchscreen sat-nav, dual-zone climate control, parking sensors, reversing camera, heated front seats and cruise control.
CO2 emissions: 119g/km
Monthly tax at 20 percent*: £83
Consider adding: Safety Pack (rear vehicle monitoring to let you know what’s happening behind, lane departure warning and automatic high beam headlights – £700).
Coming soon…
Before you make your decision, though, it’s worth noting that there’s an all-new VW Passat coming very soon. We’ve already driven it here, and while we’re still waiting for full UK specifications at this point, it’ll definitely make its way onto this list.
*Company car tax is calculated at 2014/15 rates, assuming no optional extras. For 40 percent tax, simply double this figure.