Top five company cars of 2016
“Which company car should I go for?”
Audi A4
35 TFSI S Line 4dr S Tronic
- Profile:
- 9+47
- Mileage:
- 5k Miles p/a
It’s a question we motoring writers are asked with monotonous regularity, as business drivers scour our brains while they pick through the list of cars they’re allowed by their firm. Of course, others just want confirmation that they made the right choice.
So, whether you’re looking for a new set of company-financed wheels or you want your latest decision backing up, we’ve compiled a list of the best company cars to arrive in the UK during 2016.
Take a look at last year’s favourites here
Audi A4
Audi A4 leasing deals: business / personal
Audi’s new A4 had it all to do when it came to fight it out with the new Jaguar XE, facelifted BMW 3 Series and the latest Mercedes C-Class, but that it’s capable of edging out such accomplished rivals is testament to just how good it is. Offering fantastic build quality, economical engines, a smart design and the stunning Virtual Cockpit, the A4 is the best all-rounder in the business.
Given the choice, we’d opt for the 2.0-litre ‘150’ Ultra diesel engine with 148bhp and Sport trim. That’ll get you into the 17% company car tax bracket thanks to 99g/km CO2 emissions and 74.3mpg fuel consumption, as well as serving up respectable performance and goodies like 17in alloys, three-zone climate control and satellite navigation.
Read our review of the 2016 A4 here
See what happened when we put the A4 head-to-head with its rivals
Infiniti Q30
Infiniti Q30 leasing deals: business / personal
Infiniti is still in its infancy in terms of UK presence, but Nissan’s luxury arm has come up with a car worthy of an established manufacturer in the shape of the Q30. Based on Mercedes’ A-Class, the premium hatchback puts the focus on comfort, which will appeal to those company car drivers spending their time cruising up and down Britain’s motorways.
The engine range has effectively been pinched from other areas of the Renault-Nissan alliance, with a 1.6-litre petrol the entry point and a 2.2-litre diesel at the top of the line. Business drivers might prefer the 1.5-litre diesel though, which returns 68.9mpg and 108g/km CO2 emissions to slot into the 19% company car tax band.
Read our review of the Q30 here
Toyota Prius
Toyota Prius leasing deals: business / personal
Toyota’s most efficient Prius yet is on its way boasting predicted economy figures of 94.2mpg and 70g/km – a vast improvement on its forebear and enough to see it safely into the 9% company car tax band. The good news doesn’t end there though, because Toyota says this fourth-generation Prius will be more enjoyable to drive, too.
The new underpinnings are said to make the car 60% more rigid than its predecessor, and though the performance has, on paper, been blunted slightly, Toyota says it will be a smoother drive. This will also be the first Prius capable of towing, with a 725kg maximum unbraked trailer weight.
Swot up on the forthcoming Prius here
Mercedes-Benz E-Class
Mercedes E-Class leasing deals: business / personal
The revamped E-Class will join the Mercedes ranks this May, and if you can hold on until then, you may well find yourself a class leader. It’s a tough segment, currently ruled by Jaguar’s latest XF and the ageing BMW 5 Series, but the E-Class will wade into battle armed with clever self-driving technology and smooth new curves nabbed from the C-Class and S-Class saloons that bracket it.
Company car drivers will probably be most interested in the 2.1-litre E200d with its 102g/km CO2 emissions and 72.4mpg fuel economy figure, but don’t discount the hybrid that’s coming later in the year. If you’re doing comparatively short journeys, its 18-mile all-electric range might be enough for you to achieve something like the quoted 134.5mpg efficiency. Company car tax of 7% is a nice incentive too.
All you need to know about the new E-Class can be found here
Renault Kadjar
Renault Kadjar leasing deals: business / personal
After the Nissan Qashqai made it into our top five company cars of 2014, it’s no surprise to see its Renault-badged sibling make the grade in 2016. Underneath the distinctly Renault-like skin, the Kadjar is mechanically identical to the Qashqai, so it shares the qualities that made the Nissan fifth in the list of Britain’s most popular cars of 2015. It’s brilliant.
The Kadjar is also cheaper than the Qashqai, so leasing deals are a little lower. We’d go for the 1.5 dCi Dynamique Nav, which offers two-zone climate control, alloy wheels, satellite navigation and a 7in touchscreen for an average three-year/30,000-mile lease rate of £205 per month – almost identical rates to the equivalent version of the less exclusive Qashqai.