The days of cars travelling 1,500 miles between fill-ups are over. Nowadays car companies have to balance the size of the fuel tank off against a car’s overall weight, which means while fuel economy is still improving, a car’s outright range is actually reducing.
But our research shows that range is still something that concerns fleet drivers. There are countless cars capable of travelling over 800 miles between fill-ups, but only a handful which will top 1,000 miles between trips to the pumps**. In this article we unveil the masters of mile-munching.
1. Peugeot 508 RXH
Parkers rating: 3.5 stars
Top trim: 2.0 Blue HDi Hybrid 5d EGC
Why buy?
At first glance it’s a Peugeot 508 Estate but the RXH hybrid version is quite different, even if it’s based on the same chassis. You’ll note the RXH’s boot is small compared to rivals, and that’s because it contains a number of batteries. The electrical power gives the 2-litre diesel engine a helping hand, which means it’s capable of very good fuel economy if you’re careful with how you drive it.
It costs more to buy too, though, which is reflected in the monthly tax bills. All RXH models come with a lot of standard equipment, sitting atop the 508’s trim structure.
Boot size: 400 litres
CO2 emissions: 109g/km
Monthly tax*: £95
Claimed fuel economy: 72mpg
Max range: 1,142 miles
Click here for the full review.
2. Peugeot 508 SW
Parkers rating: 4 stars
Top trim: 2.0 Blue HDi (150bhp) Active 5d Manual
Why buy?
Peugeot’s standard large estate car is often over-shadowed by flashier, more premium rivals, but not here. It’s the undisputed king of continuous driving.
It’s a good job too, because there’s plenty to shout about. We’re particularly fond of the pillow-soft ride quality – achieved without clever air suspension or any adaptive jiggery pokery. Sure, there’s a penalty to pay when you enter a corner with too much speed and the 508’s heft rolls over to one side, but in the main this is a great car to cover starship miles in.
We’ve gone for entry-level Active specification, which represents a huge amount of car for your cash.
Boot size: 512 litres
CO2 emissions: 98g/km
Monthly tax*: £70
Claimed fuel economy: 72mpg
Max range: 1,142 miles
Click here for the full review.
3. Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer
Parkers rating: 3.5 stars
Top trim: 1.6 CDTi ecoFLEX Tech Line (Start Stop) 5d
Why buy?
Long a staple in the company car park, the Insignia Sports Tourer has a lot to offer the business driver. It’s comfortable, cheap to run and relatively well-equipped.
It also has one of the biggest boots in this feature and we reckon it’s probably one of the more elegant designs here too.
Its range update in 2013 ushered in some major changes to keep the Insignia current. Along with a super-efficient 1.6 diesel we’ve picked a Tech Line car which features kit geared towards company car drivers such as sat-nav and cruise control.
Boot size: 540 litres
CO2 emissions: 104g/km
Monthly tax*: £70
Claimed fuel economy: 72mpg
Max range: 1,109 miles
Click here for the full review.
4. Hyundai i40 Tourer
Parkers rating: 4 stars
Top trim: 1.7 CRDi (115bhp) Blue Drive SE Nav Business 5d
Why buy?
A lot of people forget the i40 even exists when looking at this sort of car, but the stark reality is that it’s practical, stylish and uses an efficient engine. Those are reasons you should pick one, but your fleet manager will also be happy with the five-year warranty which should help cut whole-life servicing and maintenance costs.
The version we’ve picked – SE Nav Business – aims to appeal specifically to company car drivers with sat-nav and leather upholstery throw in.
Boot size: 553 litres
CO2 emissions: 110g/km
Monthly tax*: £81
Claimed fuel economy: 67mpg
Max range: 1,032 miles
Click here for the full review.
5. Ford Mondeo Estate
Parkers rating: 4.5 stars
Top trim: 1.5 TDCi ECOnetic Titanium 5d
Why buy?
This wouldn’t be a large estate article without the ubiquitous Mondeo. Filling company car parks up and down the land, the Ford offering does well thanks to very low running costs for both fleet users and their cost-counting managers, and with this 1.6 diesel it’s capable of going a long old way between fill-ups too.
We’ve picked Titanium specification, which is expected to make up half of Mondeo sales thanks to its sat-nav, sports seats, lane-departure warning and automatic lights and wipers. We reckon considering the cost per month relative to other cars in this list, it’s probably the most compelling of the five, even if its range is a little shorter than some.
Boot size: 500 litres
CO2 emissions: 99g/km
Monthly tax*: £69
Claimed fuel economy: 74mpg
Max range: 1,009 miles
Click here for the full review.
Also consider:
We’d be remiss not to mention the excellent Volkswagen Passat Estate in this article. The 1.6 TDI Bluemotion version is just 12 miles shy of a 1,000 mile range but the official figures state it emits 95g/km of CO2 and has an average mpg of 76. Monthly company car tax costs compare favourable to the others here at just £70 a month too.
It’s also a seriously good car for eating up the miles thanks to comfortable seats, huge boot, smooth engines and excellent cabin build quality.
*Company car tax is calculated for a 20 percent tax payer assuming no optional extras.
**All tank ranges are calculated using the official average fuel consumption figures to provide a uniform comparison between models. Real world driving may result in a lower average fuel consumption and a lesser tank range.
Still unsure which car to pick? Perhaps these articles could help:
Petrol vs Diesel – Performance vs Economy
