There’s an art to pricing and dictating how much kit a car has. Too expensive and it scares people away, too much kit and the car maker loses out on buyers paying extra for lucrative options, but there’s no hard and fast rule which means many car makers have their own individual philosophy.
That makes comparing potential company cars a nightmare, but don’t worry. Parkers has done the legwork for you and compared the best-selling supermini company cars to find out which really offer you the best value for money.
All the cars in our list are petrol models which is perfect if you plan to travel most of your miles around the town, however if your business miles clock up past 10,000 per annum and your typical routes mainly involve the motorway then diesel may be a more cost-effective choice, especially if you pay for your own personal mileage.
So without further ado, here is our list of the best value superminis.
1. Peugeot 208
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The latest generation 208 has so far proved a success for Peugeot, holding its own against the likes of the Ford Fiesta and Vauxhall Corsa. When it comes to kit, the Active trim offers excellent value for money, with 15-inch alloy wheels, DAB radio, Bluetooth and cruise control all included as standard. If you need a sat-nav it is also pretty cheap to add as an option for £400.
This petrol engine is almost £2,000 cheaper than the diesel option too and thanks to low CO2 emissions at 104g/km, tax costs are kept really low.
Figures at a glance
Trim and engine: 1.2 VTI Active five-door
P11D: £13,240
CO2 emissions: 104g/km
2014/15 BIK band: 13 percent
Monthly tax*: £28.69
Fuel economy: 62mpg
Power: 81bhp
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The Volkswagen Polo is the German manufacturer’s second biggest selling car here in the UK and we think SE trim offers a good balance between value for money and kit. Standard equipment includes DAB digital radio, Bluetooth, a 6.5-inch touchscreen entertainment system, air-con and 15-inch alloy wheels. Adding sat-nav will cost an additional £700.
Although the 1.2 TSI costs around £1,000 more than the lower-powered 1-litre MPI, both engines are identical for fuel economy and we think the extra 30bhp will make all the difference on the road.
Figures at a glance
Trim and engine: 1.2-litre TSI SE five-door
P11D: £14,155
CO2 emissions: 107g/km
2014/15 BIK band: 14 percent
Monthly tax*: £33.03
Fuel economy: 60mpg
Power: 89bhp
3. Ford Fiesta
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One of the biggest selling company cars here in the UK, the Fiesta is one of the best all-round packages for retail buyers and business users alike.
When coupled with Ford’s award-winning 1-litre EcoBoost engine, the Fiesta offers impressively low running costs with some good performance figures too.
However the Fiesta does not fare as well against its rivals when it comes to kit with even the middle trim Zetec missing out on luxuries like cruise control, parking sensors and DAB digital radio. The highlights from the standard equipment include air-con, Blueooth, 15-inch alloy wheels and a heated windscreen. Options are not too pricey to add though.
Figures at a glance
Trim and engine: 1-litre EcoBoost Zetec five-door
P11D: £14,490
CO2 emissions: 99g/km
2014/15 BIK band: 12 percent
Monthly tax*: £28.98
Fuel economy: 66mpg
Power: 99bhp
*Monthly tax costs are based on a 20 percent payer