Being able to pick a luxury saloon as your next company car usually means you’ve hit a high point in your career. Cars like the BMW 5 Series and Jaguar XF certainly know how to make a statement and will certainly be the envy of your neighbours and colleagues.
However, finding a company car that offers the right balance between equipment and cost is no easy feat. To help you choose which is best for you, we’ve taken a closer look at the four most popular premium models in the segment.
BMW 5 Series
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The 5 Series is a hugely popular company car here in the UK and for good reason thanks to its competitive running costs, luxurious interior and sophisticated kit.
There’s a wide range of engines on offer but the one we’d go for is the 520d as we think it offers the ideal compromise between performance and efficiency. Although there is a lower-powered 518d available, CO2 emissions are exactly the same for the 520d – yet it has 40bhp more.
The 2-litre diesel engine offers 187bhp and 400Nm of torque which enables the car to accelerate from 0-62mph in just 7.5 seconds. We’ve also picked BMW’s eight-speed automatic gearbox over a manual option which, although costs more, has lower CO2 emissions and will cost marginally less per month in tax. It’s better to drive, too.
Standard kit on the 5 Series includes 17-inch alloy wheels, cruise control, heated seats, sat-nav, leather upholstery, Bluetooth, DAB Radio, parking sensors, rain sensitive wipers and automatic air-con.
Pick of the range: 520d SE
P11D: £33,460
CO2 emissions: 109g/km
2015/16 BIK Tax band: 19 percent
Monthly tax cost*: £212
Combined MPG: 65mpg
Power: 187bhp
Boot space: 520 litres
Kit highlights: sat-nav, leather upholstery, parking sensors
Click here to read our full review of the BMW 5 series
Jaguar XF
Arguably the best looking of our cars here, the iconic Jaguar badge is one that commands respect. Renowned for their luxurious interiors and high tech kit, the XF is one of the most desirable cars in the segment.
The 2.2-litre diesel engine has a choice of two power outputs, here we‘ve chosen the lower-powered option which comes with an eight-speed automatic gearbox as standard.
There’s a wealth of kit available as standard too including automatic headlamps, rear parking sensors, rear view camera, dual-zone automatic climate control, heated front seats, Bluetooth, DAB Radio, sat-nav and cruise control.
Although the XF is behind the competition when it comes to running costs, that is all set to change soon as there’s an all-new model due to be unveiled this month at the New York Motor Show which is lighter and more efficient than ever before with CO2 emissions starting as low as 104g/km.
Pick of the range: 2.2-litre XF Luxury
P11D: £33,390
CO2 emissions: 129g/km
2015/16 BIK Tax band: 23 percent
Monthly tax cost*: £256
Combined MPG: 57.7mpg
Power: 161bhp
Boot space: 540 litres
Kit highlights: rear view camera, heated seats, sat-nav
Click here to read our full review of the Jaguar XF
Audi A6
Audi’s four-ringed badge stands-out in any company car park and with a range of high tech kit, supreme comfort levels and a new range of efficient engines called ‘Ultra’ helping to keep running costs low, its one of the best all-round packages in the sector.
The Ultra boasts some of the best figures in the segment. Like the 5 Series, the lower CO2 emissions for the automatic gearbox mean that despite the price increase, monthly tax costs are a fraction lower.
The car is far from slow either with 187bhp and 400Nm of torque on offer, 0-62mph is dispatched in just 7.9 seconds.
In standard SE trim there’s plenty of kit too with DAB Radio, Bluetooth, sat-nav, front and rear parking sensors, cruise control, leather interior, climate control, 17-inch alloy wheels and LED Daytime Running lights all available as standard.
Pick of the range: 2-litre Ultra SE
P11D: £33,430
CO2 emissions: 109g/km
2015/16 BIK Tax band: 19 percent
Monthly tax cost*: £212
Combined MPG: 67.3mpg
Power: 187bhp
Boot space: 530 litres
Kit highlights: climate control, seven-inch alloys, front and rear parking sensors
Click here to read our full review of the Audi A6 saloon
Mercedes-Benz E-Class
When it comes to executive cars, the E-Class has always been a firm favourite with company car drivers. Luxurious and spacious like most of the cars in the German firms range, the E-Class seriously impresses when it comes to its ride comfort, refined interior and practical features.
The 2.1-litre diesel engine is mated to a seven-speed automatic gearbox and offers 174bhp and 400Nm of torque capable of accelerating the car from 0-62mph in 7.9 seconds, if that doesn’t impress then the running costs definitely will with an official combined consumption figure of 64mpg and CO2 emissions of 114g/km.
Standard kit in SE trim includes 17-inch alloys, DAB Radio, LED headlamps, leather seats, heated seats, automatic climate control, ambient lighting and parking sensors.
Pick of the range: E220 CDI BlueTec SE
P11D: £34,815
CO2 emissions: 114g/km
2015/16 BIK Tax band: 20 percent
Monthly tax cost*: £232.10
Combined MPG: 64mpg
Power: 174bhp
Boot space: 490 litres
Kit highlights: leather interior, automatic climate control, heated seats
Click here to read our full review of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class
*Monthly tax costs are based on a 40 percent tax payer
Verdict
The general consensus in the Parkers office is that the BMW 5 Series would be our pick if we were doing it today. That said, with new models or engines coming out soon from many of the other protagonists in the sector, it’s probably worth revisiting this article in six months to find out if the BMW remains on top.