Company cars...again.

[Lord Tyrion]

It's that time again, my current car is due to be replaced in a couple of months so I'm on the lookout for something new.
Decent sized boot, low emissions and BIK rate are high on my list.
What's the current vehicles which fill that remit?

Come on LT, I know you're the man on this one

I've just bought my lease car, first time I've owned a car for about 18 years ?. I had my spreadsheet done, BIK table laid out and realised it did not make sense for me anymore. The killer for me was I am paying one way or the other, higher lease cost for an electric hybrid via my own business, horrifying BIK for a diesel. Your saving grace is it is not you paying the lease ?.

Forget diesel, too financially painful, and look at the petrol hybrid options. The BIK on those is fabulous. The Superb hybrid is a cracker but you may find the car bigger than you need. It would swallow that mountain bike of yours though ?. The Octavia option isn't out for a while over here. That's a shame as the new Octavia looks serious quality. If the dates fit it is well worth looking at.

I've bought my 2.0d Superb and it has been brilliant for 3 years. It wasn't a tough decision to choose to buy it.

The Golf GTE has been around a while. Is that big enough for you? The Pasatt has already been mentioned but in my head you may as well go Superb and save a few quid in tax.

I checked out the Toyota range. Have a look at the Corolla estate, a very decent car. Whether it is 50k a year decent is another matter but it would tick a few boxes.

The annoying thing I found is that a good number of these are in the pipeline but not out yet. In a year or two we may be flooded with options but right now it is still quite limited. There are a few smaller cars out there but the bigger boot options are still quite limited imo.

 

[Beezerk]

Top man LT.
Yeah I've read about the Octavia hybrid, looks like it comes out later in the year, I'm sure I could get an in between car until it is available. I've also seen the Toyota, looks nice but a review says you need to get the larger engine, specially if you're a motorway cruiser so I'm not sure if that defeats the object of getting a green car.
One thing is for sure, after doing some research I'm a lot more confused than I was at 9am this morning ?

 

[Hacker Khan]

I've just bought my lease car, first time I've owned a car for about 18 years ?. I had my spreadsheet done, BIK table laid out and realised it did not make sense for me anymore. The killer for me was I am paying one way or the other, higher lease cost for an electric hybrid via my own business, horrifying BIK for a diesel. Your saving grace is it is not you paying the lease ?.

Forget diesel, too financially painful, and look at the petrol hybrid options. The BIK on those is fabulous. The Superb hybrid is a cracker but you may find the car bigger than you need. It would swallow that mountain bike of yours though ?. The Octavia option isn't out for a while over here. That's a shame as the new Octavia looks serious quality. If the dates fit it is well worth looking at.

I've bought my 2.0d Superb and it has been brilliant for 3 years. It wasn't a tough decision to choose to buy it.

The Golf GTE has been around a while. Is that big enough for you? The Pasatt has already been mentioned but in my head you may as well go Superb and save a few quid in tax.

I checked out the Toyota range. Have a look at the Corolla estate, a very decent car. Whether it is 50k a year decent is another matter but it would tick a few boxes.

The annoying thing I found is that a good number of these are in the pipeline but not out yet. In a year or two we may be flooded with options but right now it is still quite limited. There are a few smaller cars out there but the bigger boot options are still quite limited imo.

I haven't even factored in then possibility to buy mine and take the cash instead. Think that will just confuse me more. It sounds like I am similar to you in that I haven't owned a car in at least 25 years so I've just got used to not having to worry about paying for it or anything else you do with cars like insurance etc. And kind of ignoring the fact I was paying tax on it, as that went before it hit my bank account. But now as you say they are taxing diesels to high heaven and hybrids with a boot are not cheap, so I need to do some thinking. Then again first world problems I suppose, especially in the current situation.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Another one

Top man LT.
Yeah I've read about the Octavia hybrid, looks like it comes out later in the year, I'm sure I could get an in between car until it is available. I've also seen the Toyota, looks nice but a review says you need to get the larger engine, specially if you're a motorway cruiser so I'm not sure if that defeats the object of getting a green car.
One thing is for sure, after doing some research I'm a lot more confused than I was at 9am this morning ?

Another one for you, Volvo XC40. Not the cheapest but a really nice car. A mate has a petrol only version and it is a lovely car to be in. Volvo are going big into electric and hybrid but I think that would be the best one size wise.

 

[Val]

If you cant get hybrid go petrol. I drive a BMW 318 estate 1.5 petrol and its a magic car. If most of your mileage is on motorways then I'd highly recommend this.

 

[Blue in Munich]

Top man LT.
Yeah I've read about the Octavia hybrid, looks like it comes out later in the year, I'm sure I could get an in between car until it is available. I've also seen the Toyota, looks nice but a review says you need to get the larger engine, specially if you're a motorway cruiser so I'm not sure if that defeats the object of getting a green car.
One thing is for sure, after doing some research I'm a lot more confused than I was at 9am this morning ?

There is an upgraded Octavia coming out this year. When I was looking there were some very good deals to be had on Octavos that the dealer had pre purchased to clear out, but still preferred the Leon.

 

[Fade and Die]

My twopenn'orth, the XC40 1500 3 cylinder engine that I think the hybrid comes with is a bit underpowered for 50/60000 miles a year. My non hybrid one is not as smooth and responsive on the motorways compared with my old 2L diesel XC60 which was fantastic.
Bil has a superb and it really is hard to fault it. It is big though!

 

[drdel]

It might be wise to hang fire into the 3rd quarter. There are huge stocks in the UK.

I would expect loads to get registered and crop up as Demonstrators and/find their way to Auction as companies look at the 2021 updates and try and clear the decks and pull in revenue to keep cashflowing.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I haven't even factored in then possibility to buy mine and take the cash instead. Think that will just confuse me more. It sounds like I am similar to you in that I haven't owned a car in at least 25 years so I've just got used to not having to worry about paying for it or anything else you do with cars like insurance etc. And kind of ignoring the fact I was paying tax on it, as that went before it hit my bank account. But now as you say they are taxing diesels to high heaven and hybrids with a boot are not cheap, so I need to do some thinking. Then again first world problems I suppose, especially in the current situation.

It didn't even cross my mind to be honest until my sad mans spreadsheet started to develop. When the numbers started to scare me I decided to look at buying. It didn't take long to realise it made much more sense, for me anyway. I probably should have done it last time but it is so easy and I don't remember the tax rates being quite so severe.

I had to chuckle about your comment re, not having to worry about the whole package. I woke up the other day panicking that I needed to get breakdown cover, I've not had to think about that for 18 or so years. I think I have everything covered now, probably.

 

[BubbaP]

We got a 2020 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid earlier this year using my missus' car allowance and it's gorgeous. A joy to drive, decent MPG (hovers around 40), looks great (we've got the Dynamic version in Silver), plenty of boot space, I love it.

Not a criticism, also think it is a nice vehicle, and you'll know how it's being used - but 40 mpg for a hybrid ?
This thread reminds me that I have no idea what to look at when the current 8 year old "token hybrid" big car gives up the ghost (£10 duty, and typically 50-55 mpg)

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Not a criticism, also think it is a nice vehicle, and you'll know how it's being used - but 40 mpg for a hybrid ?
This thread reminds me that I have no idea what to look at when the current 8 year old "token hybrid" big car gives up the ghost (£10 duty, and typically 50-55 mpg)

A Rav4 is a big old chunk of metal. It's heavy and not that aerodynamic. I don't know that it will ever give 50+ mpg style economy, whether hybrid or not.

 

[Dan2501]

A Rav4 is a big old chunk of metal. It's heavy and not that aerodynamic. I don't know that it will ever give 50+ mpg style economy, whether hybrid or not.

Especially not the way I drive it It might not be the most economical hybrid, but it's decent when going through town, just pretty much all of our usage so far has been motorway and I just can't resist using that power.

 

[BubbaP]

A Rav4 is a big old chunk of metal. It's heavy and not that aerodynamic. I don't know that it will ever give 50+ mpg style economy, whether hybrid or not.

Which is in part why you've bought your current car I guess.
The legislation seems to have pushed the manufacturers to this place of plug in paired with petrol, and right now am not sure they are competing that well with what they are meant to be replacing.

 

[PJ87]

A Rav4 is a big old chunk of metal. It's heavy and not that aerodynamic. I don't know that it will ever give 50+ mpg style economy, whether hybrid or not.

When I saw in the show room I saw the combined figure of 35mpg ...shocking

(I was used to my hybrid auris at the time with 60mpg average)

Couldn't see the point of it

 

[USER1999]

All this company car, BIK, mpg stuff is a mystery to me. Have always owned my cars, and never been high enough on the pay roll for freebies.
The Mrs could have had one for the last 20 years, but instead, has chosen to own her own car, the same car, and trousered the cash.
That said, back in the day, she was offered a 2lt diesel Laguna, and instead bought a BMW Z3 M coupe. A bit of a difference in cars there.
For me, I do about 23000 miles a year, in my own cars. I get about 28 mpg on a run. That is about average for any car I have run.

 

[Dan2501]

When I saw in the show room I saw the combined figure of 35mpg ...shocking

(I was used to my hybrid auris at the time with 60mpg average)

Couldn't see the point of it

Does look dead nice though, the Dynamic especially. One of the better looking SUV's on the market I think, but I might be biased

 

[USER1999]

i hate SUVs. They are slow, and cumbersome. I often follow them through the lanes, and they are just rubbish. They wallow about, don't go round corners, and are just flat out slow. Impossible to overtake because their drivers only seem able to drive in the middle of the road. Anything over 25 mph and the driver gets a nose bleed.

 

[sunshine]

Like Murph, I've always owned my own car. Have fallen into a habit of buying a car that is 3-4 years old and driving it for about 5 years.

I'm now thinking about next car, maybe a company car is the way forward. I have a scheme where I can get pretty much anything, but I don't know where to start. Looks like hybrids are the best option? Currently driving an A4 estate, so want something similar again, or maybe a bit bigger e.g X5 or Q7.

What's the trade off with BIK / MPG / lease costs etc? How do I find the sweet spot?

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Which is in part why you've bought your current car I guess.
The legislation seems to have pushed the manufacturers to this place of plug in paired with petrol, and right now am not sure they are competing that well with what they are meant to be replacing.[/

Spot on. I think we are going through a transition period right now in terms of mfr. The hybrids are almost a holding thought whilst battery range is extended on pure electric cars. They are compromise cars.

 

[Hacker Khan]

Like Murph, I've always owned my own car. Have fallen into a habit of buying a car that is 3-4 years old and driving it for about 5 years.

I'm now thinking about next car, maybe a company car is the way forward. I have a scheme where I can get pretty much anything, but I don't know where to start. Looks like hybrids are the best option? Currently driving an A4 estate, so want something similar again, or maybe a bit bigger e.g X5 or Q7.

What's the trade off with BIK / MPG / lease costs etc? How do I find the sweet spot?

Get LTs spreadsheet.