We all want the company car we choose to be comfortable, but how do you know just by looking at your user chooser list which cars will fit the bill?
Being comfortable, especially when you travel a lot of miles each year is an important consideration and a number of factors can help improve your time behind the wheel, including ride quality, equipment such as climate control and interior space too.
As always, Parkers is here to help: we have picked our favourite cars when it comes to comfort, as well as highlighting the trim and engine combination we would go for, plus the tax costs for the current year.
Audi is a brand synonymous with luxurious motoring and the A6 is no exception. An excellent motorway car, the A6 is now available with a tweaked 2.0-litre TDI diesel engine which has impressive figures to its name.
With CO2 emissions as low as 114g/km if you pick the automatic version (which carries a £1,500 premium over the manual) and an official combined economy figure of 64.2mpg, this A6 makes a lot of sense on paper too.
Standard equipment, even in SE trim, is generous with leather seats, dual-zone climate control, 17-inch alloy wheels, sat-nav, electric boot lid, DAB radio, Audi sound system with 10 speakers and subwoofer, Bluetooth, cruise control and parking sensors are all included as standard.
Figures at a glance
Trim of choice: SE
Engine: 2.0-Litre TDI S-Tronic (automatic)
P11D price: £32,460
BIK Tax band for 2014/15: 18 percent
Monthly tax cost*: £97.38
BMW’s 5 Series has long been regarded as one of the best executive saloons you can buy and for good reason, with low running costs, impressive comfort levels and a variety of must-have features fitted as standard.
We’d choose the impressive 520d version, especially when you consider that CO2 emissions are only 119g/km and the official combined fuel consumption is 58mpg, yet there’s still 181bhp at your disposal.
Despite being the entry-level trim, SE is generously equipped with DAB radio, sat-nav, Bluetooth, heated seats, selectable driving modes including Comfort and Sport, headlight washers and 17-inch alloy wheels, all as standard.
Trim of choice: SE
Engine: 2.0-litre diesel (520d)
P11D price: £31,190
BIK Tax band for 2014/15: 19 percent
Monthly tax cost*: £98.77
New for 2014, the latest generation Mercedes-Benz C-Class takes styling cues from its luxurious big brother, the S-Class.
Technology impresses and the revised interior is refined and luxurious.
We’ve chosen the 250 BlueTEC which is powered by a 2.1-litre diesel engine paired to a 7-speed automatic transmission. Headline figures are very impressive with CO2 emissions of only 109/km and an official fuel consumption figure of 67.7mpg, with 201bhp available under your right foot.
Excellent on the motorway, the new C-Class is spacious too and loaded with kit as standard including a comfort suspension, automatic climate control, reversing camera, cruise control, eight speaker audio system, Bluetooth, sat-nav and DAB Radio.
Trim of choice: SE
Engine: 2.1-litre diesel (250 BlueTEC)
P11D price: £31,965
BIK Tax band for 2014/15: 17 percent
Monthly tax cost*: £90.57
The S60 has been somewhat overlooked in the executive saloon segment in the past mainly because of the strength of its German rivals. All this look set to change though with the introduction of a new ultra-efficient Drive-E 2.0-litre diesel engine which gives the S60 strong performance with impressively low CO2 emissions to boot at 99g/km.
This means tax bills are low, fuel economy also impresses with an official combined figure of 74mpg, yet the engine still produces 178bhp.
So on paper the S60 looks pretty great, standard kit isn’t stingy either in the middle-range SE trim with climate control, 17-inch alloy wheels, cruise control, sat-nav, numerous safety systems, rear parking sensors, Bluetooth and a dynamic chassis with three settings to choose between comfort, normal and sport modes.
Trim of choice: SE Nav
Engine: 2.0-litre diesel (D4 Drive-E)
P11D price: £29,340
BIK Tax band for 2014/15: 15 percent
Monthly tax cost*: £73.35
The Skoda Superb may be not as luxurious or have a badge that impresses as much as others on this list but is well worth a look when it comes to value for money and comfort.
In fact there are very few cars that would be able to compete with the large hatchback’s cruising ability, generous amount of space and low running costs, add to that its low starting price and we think you’re on to a complete bargain.
We’ve chosen the SE Business trim which comes with plenty of what we would consider must-have equipment including an eight speaker audio system, dual-zone cruise control, climate control, DAB radio, sat-nav, rear parking sensors, Bluetooth and 16-inch alloy wheels.
Trim of choice: SE Business
Engine: 1.6-litre TDI (Greenline)
P11D price: £20,570
BIK Tax band for 2014/15: 17 percent
Monthly tax cost*: £58.28
*Monthly tax costs are based on a 20 percent tax payer