Top 10 best executive company cars

Open gallery Close News by James Disdale 6 mins read 1 November 2022 Share

For many years, the large executive saloon was the company car holy grail, its blend of size and status telegraphing your successful ascent of the corporate ladder. Yet the arrival of numerous niche models as well as the huge success of the SUV has meant these machines don’t quite have the allure they once did.

However, put your rational business hat on and you’ll find these sober-suited saloons make plenty of sense. They still look the part plus, more often than not, they drive well, many of them even boasting that firm favourite of keen drivers, rear-wheel drive. Better still, because they tend to feature lower asking prices and CO2 emissions than their SUV stablemates, they’ll save you a bundle in benefit-in-kind (BIK) bills. So here, in alphabetical order, are our top 10 executive car picks for company car drivers.

Autocar’s company car tax calculator shows exactly what you’ll pay for every make and model

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Audi A6

A6 50 TFSIe Sport Quattro:

Like the Volvo S90 (see below), the Audi A6 isn’t the greatest of entertainers, but its blend of hushed refinement, sharp design and an interior dripping in cutting edge tech still gives it plenty of boardroom bragging rights. As you’d expect it’s the plug-in variants that make the most sense for company car drivers. Following the demise of the V6-powered 55TFSIe versions, all models are now powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder mated to an electric motor that can carry you for 43 miles in zero emissions mode. With both power sources working together these 50TFSIe models deliver a decent 295bhp, which is as much as you’ll likely ever, plus an impressively low BiK rating of just 8%.

BMW 5 Series

530e SE:

Few cars have held sway in the company car pecking order quite as convincingly as the 5 Series. For decades, the big BMW has been the top choice for go-getting executives who want to dress to impress. Yet with its engaging rear-drive handling and a range of engines that blend power and efficiency, the Bavarian big shot is great to drive, too.

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With a BIK rating of 12%, the plug-in hybrid 530e and 545e are the most cost-effective versions, especially in well-equipped SE guise, but don’t rule out the all-round talents of the 520d. The spacious saloon looks the part, but the versatile Touring estate costs only a few pounds more in tax.

Genesis G80

G80 2.2D Premium Line:

Hyundai’s high-flying premium sub-brand has been big business in the US for years, but this is the first time it has tried to crack Europe. It’s not a bad debut effort, either. The big Korean machine majors on comfort and refinement, with a supple ride and vault-like isolation from the outside world.

However, as a company car, it’s somewhat hobbled by a limited choice of four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines that feature no electrification. That said, keen prices mean the lavishly equipped 2.2D Premium Line will cost higher-rate earners £5454 in tax at a 37% BIK rate, compared with £5502 for the 30%-rated BMW 520d M Sport. And if you’re ready to go all-electric, then the Electrified G80 is about to land in showrooms with a 323 mile claimed range and attracting just 2% BIK.

Jaguar XF

XF D200 R-Dynamic S:

Despite leading the EV charge with its Jaguar I-Pace, Jaguar has been slightly slower on the electrification uptake with its other models, including the handsome XF. Its 2.0-litre petrol and diesel units do now benefit from mild-hybrid assistance, but there’s no plug-in version. As a result, business users will pay more in tax, with even the most cost-efficient D200 R-Dynamic S attracting a BIK rate of 31%.