Wednesday 7th June 2006
Top ten company cars
If you’re looking to buy or upgrade your business wheels, who better to give you the lowdown on the best models than fellow entrepreneurs with company cars? We surveyed readers for their views and here’s a buyer’s guide to the ten models you rated the highest, with price tags to suit a range of budgets.Up to £20,000 Skoda Octavia
Formerly the butt of much auto industry humour, Czech carmaker Skoda has seen a dramatic reversal of fortunes in recent years. In fact, several of its models are now firmly established at the very top of the leading customer satisfaction surveys. Loved by drivers and lauded by reviewers, the Octavia in particular has garnered an impressive reputation and is around £5,000 cheaper than many of its rivals, compared to which it’s considered superior.
Honda Accord
One of three Hondas to make the top ten of the BBC’s most recent Top Gear survey, the Accord’s popularity in the company car market continues to rise. Solid, powerful and brimming with extras, the Accord may lack some of the luxury of its more pricey peers but, like the Octavia, it represents good value for money, with most models available for less than £20,000. BMW 3 Series
Whether you’re a lover or a loather of BMW, there’s little disputing the quality of the German manufacturer’s 3 Series, which was named Car of the Year at January’s What Car? Awards. Much of the 3 Series’ success can be attributed to the variety of options available, including sporty (if rather compact) 3-door hatchbacks, classic convertibles and sleek saloons. Prices reflect this variety, ranging from £15,000 to upwards of £35,000. Up to £30,000
Lexus IS
Named Top Gear’s ‘Executive Car of the Year’, the Lexus IS is renowned for both the quality of its interior and impressive number of gadgets included as standard. Even basic models arrive resplendent with alloys, cruise control and a 13-speaker stereo system. Drivers do need be aware, however, that – producing 231 grams of CO2 per kilometre travelled – owners of petrol versions face a steep 32 per cent company-car tax charge.
Honda S2000
For those seeking something a bit sportier but still reasonably priced, the Honda S2000 is a popular choice. Able to shift from 0-60mph in little over six seconds, the S2000 has pace in abundance and more substance than your average sports convertible. It’s hugely popular with drivers too, having placed first in polls by Auto Express and Top Gear. As with the Lexus, however, CO2 emissions – and therefore tax levels – are high and space is limited. Up to £50,000 Audi A6
Spacey and luxurious, the Audi A6 looks every inch the archetypal executive car and also scores highly in terms of safety and performance. Like all cars in this bracket, prices vary greatly. The basic 2-litre SE saloon, for instance, is available for under £25,000 and does not lack features, whereas the top of the range 4.2 Quattro S line delivers a sportier ride and greater power but costs £20,000 more. Jaguar S-Type
Ford may now hold the reins, yet there remains something quintessentially British about the Jaguar S-Type – not least a degree of refinery that, for some drivers at least, will never be matched by rival manufacturers. For all the Jaguar’s strengths, however, others will prefer the more contemporary feel of a BMW or Mercedes and the CO2 emissions associated with the petrol models will trigger a staggering 35 per cent tax charge. BMW 5 Series
Like the 3 Series, BMW’s 5 Series remains a firm favourite with drivers and also struck gold at this year’s What Car? Awards – claiming the title of Executive Car of the Year. Renowned as one of the most spacious and responsive members of its class, the 5 Series also fares relatively well in terms of emissions and fuel consumption, hence its immense popularity.
Mercedes-Benz E-Class
Like the BMW 5 Series, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class performs well in almost every category you’d care to mention and a choice of five engines affords drivers plenty of choice. Those with a need for speed will be particularly drawn to the top of the range AMG, which races from 0-60mph in less than five seconds (thanks to its 5.5 litre super-charged V8 engine). Expect to pay around £65,000 for the privilege, however. £50,000-plus Porsche 911
For those focused purely on performance – rather than more mundane issues of space or practicality – Porsche’s 911 is a tough act to follow. Winner of Top Gear’s 2006 poll in the Super Sports category, the 911 is more functional than a Ferrari and renowned for its reliability. Yet it still retains an air of mystique and can hit 60mph in under four seconds – should the need ever arise!
Elliott Davis
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