Used Car of the Year Awards: Executive cars
With living costs on the rise, getting a good deal on your next car is more important than ever. That's where our Used Car Awards come in. These are our favourite executive cars...
Tesla Model 3
Price from £15,000 Our pick Long Range
Last year, we named the Tesla Model 3 as our Used Electric Car of the Year because it represented the best way to go green without spending a lot of money. Since then, prices have fallen further still; you can now pick up a Model 3 for just £15,000 – and at that price, it’s even better value than last year’s Used Executive Car Award winner, the BMW 3 Series.
It’s not like your executive colleagues will think you’re slumming it by choosing the Tesla, either. Not only does the Model 3’s minimalist interior look thoroughly futuristic, but it also works well – once you’ve got to grips with the fact that almost everything is controlled via the huge (and very clear) 15.0in touchscreen.
The driver and front passenger get lots of room in which to stretch out, while the rear seats are a close match to the BMW’s for space – which is to say that a six-footer can comfortably fit behind a driver of similar height. The Tesla smashes the BMW on luggage space, though, taking 10 carry-on suitcases between its front and rear boots.
While even the earliest Standard Range Plus models have a decent official range of 254 miles, we’d seek out a Long Range car from 2021 onwards instead. These models have a 360-mile official range, as well as the revamped styling and tech applied to the Model 3 line-up in 2020. Long Range versions also have four-wheel drive, providing extra traction on greasy roads and helping the car to put its considerable power down better, so you’ll rocket up to motorway speeds.
The Model 3 is more comfortable at speed than the 3 Series – especially if you can’t find a used example of the latter that’s fitted with the optional adaptive suspension. Yet the Model 3 can also thrill; the Long Range version in particular handles very tidily on winding roads.
If you can charge up at home regularly, running costs should be slashed compared with a combustion-engined car, but even if you’re reliant on public chargers, Tesla’s Superchargers are among the best around. They’re typically reliable, with multiple charging units at each location, and you’ll pay a preferential rate for charging a Tesla there.
Also consider...
Best budget buy
Audi A4 (2015-present)
Price from £7000 Our pick 35 TDI Technik
If your budget can’t stretch to a Tesla Model 3, you’ll be pleased to know that you can pick up this Audi A4 – a former
What Car? Car of the Year – for less than half the price of our category winner. You’ll be getting a great cruiser, too; our favourite Technik version has a smooth motorway ride, and the low-down pulling power from our recommended 161bhp 2.0-litre diesel engine makes carrying a carload of people nearly effortless. And although the rival BMW 3 Series is more exciting to thread through corners, your family will thank you for choosing the Audi, because they’ll be able to stretch out more in the rear seats.
Up your budget to around £13,000 and you’ll get a post-facelift example of the A4 from 2019; this benefits from a larger infotainment touchscreen inside, plus mild hybrid engine technology to help reduce your fuel bills.
Read our full used Audi A4 review >>
Find a used Audi A4 for sale >>
Best for driving pleasure
BMW 3 Series (2019-present)
Price from £17,000 Our pick 330e M Sport (Pro Pack)
If you’re the sort of person who wants to feel involved in the driving process, the BMW 3 Series remains the go-to choice. It’s more engaging than the Audi A4 and Mercedes C-Class, and while those rivals deliver slightly more cosseting rides, the 3 Series’ firmer set-up makes it sharper and better balanced through corners.
Our recommended plug-in hybrid 330e model blends performance with efficiency, offering 288bhp from a 2.0-litre petrol engine and electric motor, along with an electric-only range that should be long enough for your commute.
Inside, the 3 Series showcases high-quality materials, while its rotary controller-operated infotainment system sets the standard for usability. And while the Model 3 can carry more luggage in its front and rear boots, the 3 Series still has enough carrying capacity to suit most families.
Read our full used Audi A8 review >>
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Best for luxury
BMW 5 Series (2017-2023)
Price from £14,000 Our pick 530e M Sport (Pro Pack)
Think of the 2017-2023 BMW 5 Series as being like a butler. It welcomes you aboard with an upmarket air and sumptuous seats, before whisking you away to your next function with quiet, well-honed manners. This plug-in hybrid 530e version has enough electric range to make a weekday commute petrol-free (37 miles officially), allied to a 2.0-litre petrol engine that’s smooth and powerful enough to delight on longer trips.
Granted, a Jaguar XF is more involving to drive, but the 5 Series is comfier; its ride has no trouble soaking up
lumps and bumps in the road – especially in examples with the optional adaptive suspension that’s part of BMW’s Pro Pack.
While there were question marks over the reliability of diesel 5 Series models in our latest survey, the 530e joins the petrol 5 Series in being largely trouble-free, with an impressive 96.7% overall score.
Read our full used BMW 5 Series review >>
Find a used BMW 5 Series for sale >>
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