Top 5 tax-friendly hatchbacks 31 August 2010 Email this page Zoom Five mainstream hatchbacks with low company car tax All cars return over 64mpg on the combined cycle Hatchbacks deliver driving enjoyment and save money Tweet One of the best ways to save money when choosing a company car is to pick one with low company car tax rates. The tax scheme in place for company cars at present rewards vehicles with low CO2 emissions, with the lowest tax band catering for those emitting less than 120g/km. This translates to a BIK band of 10% for petrol cars and 13% for diesel cars. Click here to find out what this means in our company car tax guide. A year ago options were very limited in this market, but there's now an abundance of choice from the top manufacturers. Here's the top five Parker's picks: 1. Mini Countryman One D WHY BUY? The latest version of Mini is the first available with four doors. It may be called ‘Mini', but the boot is as big as a VW Golf and you can even specify four-wheel drive if you feel you need it. Fuel-saving kit includes stop/start and brake regeneration, which relieves strain on the alternator and doesn't drain engine power. VITAL STATISTICS Price: £17,000 Fuel type: Diesel CO2 emissions: 115g/km BIK banding: 13% Fuel economy: 64.2mpg 2. VW Golf BlueMotion 1.6 WHY BUY? Volkswagen's BlueMotion range is leading the charge into economical motoring. The latest Golf derivative gets alloy wheels, air conditioning and a decent 1.6-litre engine, along with seriously impressive mpg figures and a comfortable, involving drive. VITAL STATISTICS Price: £18,130 Fuel type: Diesel CO2 emissions: 99g/km BIK banding: 13% Fuel economy: 74.3mpg 3. Toyota Prius 1.8 VVT-i WHY BUY? Key improvements over the older model of Prius mean this is a much more sensible proposition. An automatic gearbox is the only option, but it shifts seamlessly and works with the petrol and electric engines to provide a responsive drive. It's also cleaner and more powerful than before. VITAL STATISTICS Price: £19,855 Fuel type: Petrol/electric hybrid CO2 emissions: 89g/km BIK banding: 10% Fuel economy: 72.4mpg 4. Ford Focus ECOnetic 1.6 TDCI WHY BUY? The latest eco Focus has a range of modifications aimed at helping you get the most miles from your tank. Ford's innovative ‘Eco Mode' studies your driving behaviour and suggests ways of improving the fuel economy. It also marks your driving and as you drive more frugally raises your score. VITAL STATISTICS Price: £16,645 Fuel type: Diesel CO2 emissions: 104g/km BIK banding: 13% Fuel economy: 70.6g/km 5. Audi A3 1.6 TDI WHY BUY? A new 1.6-litre engine replaces the old 1.9-litre diesel engine, meaning lower emissions and better fuel economy. Brake energy recuperation and stop/start help save valuable fuel, and the A3 has a typically ‘Audi' interior - accessible controls and high quality fittings. VITAL STATISTICS Price: £18,315 Fuel type: Diesel CO2 emissions: 99g/km BIK banding: 13% Fuel economy: 74.3g/km More like this Peugeot 3008 HYbrid 4 unveiled High performance economy heroes Road tax: First year losers System reports driver behaviour A guide to economical driving