Is it me or did 2014 pass in a bit of a blur? It seems like only yesterday we were celebrating the start of the year and now Christmas is almost upon us.
It’s been a jam-packed year for cars with lots of new models of all shapes and sizes being launched in the UK.
So we decided it would be a good idea to have a bit of a recap on our favourite cars that have been launched in the UK over the past 12 months which are ideal for company car drivers.
If you’re looking for something a bit different then the new Citroen C4 Cactus definitely fits the bill.
Unveiled to the public for the first time at the Geneva Motor Show in March, Citroen’s funky new crossover went on sale here in the UK in September and we think it has all the ingredients to be a big hit.
As practical as it is striking, the super light Cactus offers impressive running costs too with fuel economy of up to 91.1mpg and CO2 emissions as low as 82g/km which means a 16 percent BIK tax band for the 2015/16 tax year (14 percent for the current year).
The Nissan Qashqai has been one of the big surprise hits of the past few years and lit the touchpaper of the incredibly popular crossover segment we now know and love.
A new Qashqai came to the UK early 2014 and brought with it sharper looks, an improved interior quality and a range of more fuel efficient engines.
When it comes to running costs, the star engine of the range is the 1.5 dCi which has an official combined fuel economy figure of 74.3mpg and the lowest CO2 emissions of the range at 99g/km, helping company car drivers to keep tax costs low with a 17 percent BIK tax band for the 2015/16 tax year or 15 percent up until April.
The most popular company car here in the UK received a facelift earlier in the year, with the first batch of deliveries already making their way to UK homes.
Among the big changes to the Focus is the new grille and bonnet design which follows the look of the latest-generation Fiesta. It gets the next-generation SYNC 2 technology package which enables you to use voice commands to find and book a restaurant, play your favourite song and set the temperature hands-free, among other things.
Tax costs will also be kept low with CO2 emissions of diesel engines as low as 88g/km meaning a 16 percent BIK tax band from April. If you’re after a petrol engine though, the existing 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine will be available in the Focus too and will offer CO2 emissions of only 99g/km meaning a 14 percent BIK tax band for the 2015/16 year.
BMW’s first ever front-wheel drive people carrier, the new 2 Series Active Tourer boasts some good interior space, a choice of frugal engines and a dose of luxury we come to expect from the German manufacturer.
Although unchartered territory for the premium carmaker, we were impressed with the new people carrier when we drove it earlier in the year.
Theres a choice of two engines and four trims with the all-important CO2 emissions starting as low as 109g/km for the 218d diesel, keeping tax costs low with a 17 percent BIK tax band for the current year (19 percent from April) while offering nearly 70mpg on the official combined fuel consumption.
If you didn’t know Mercedes-Benz had released a new version of its popular C-Class, where have you been? You can’t seem to turn the TV on these days without seeing an advert for the fifth generation model.
Taking styling cues from the recently launched S-Class, the new C-Class has a revised interior and a host of new technology. There’s a choice of a four-cylinder petrol or diesel and both are available with a choice of six-speed manual or seven-speed automatic gearboxes.
CO2 emissions are as low as 103g/km meaning a 16 percent BIK tax band for this tax year and an 18 percent band for next year, so you should help keep tax costs low if you can keep away from the vast options list.
Lexus has big plans for its new mid-sized crossover, expecting it to be the top-selling model in the current line-up. Initially only available as a hybrid, the new model comes loaded with kit and boasts some of the best interior space the segment has to offer.
As a hybrid it also means the NX offers pretty low running costs, with two-wheel drive NX300h S models emitting 116g/km while four-wheel drive versions emit just 121g/km meaning a 16 and 17 percent BIK tax band respectively for the current tax year, rising to 18 and 19 percent next tax year.
There are five different trims to choose from – S, SE, Luxury, F Sport and Premier – and official combined fuel economy ranges from 54.3 to 56.5mpg depending upon the version you pick.
It seems like the Peugeot 308 has been around for ages but in fact the car was only released at the beginning of this year. Since its been on sale the 308 has been a huge sales success for the French manufacturer, and was named World Car of the Year this year beating the brilliant BMW i3 and Citroen C4 Picasso.
When it comes to value for money, practicality and running costs there are few cars which can compete with the 308. The futuristic uncluttered dash really is something to marvel at.
CO2 emissions for the range are as low as 82g/km, meaning only a 14 percent BIK tax band for the current year. Fuel economy as high as a staggering 91.1mpg on the official combined cycle is possible too, if you believe Peugeot’s claims.