The DS5 looks great – elegant and with a prestige feel about it

Citroen DS5 DSport  Hybrid4 200 Airdream

What is it?

It’s the greenest version of the top model in Citroen’s upper-crust DS sub-brand.

Introduced late last year was a raft of technological changes – including modifciations to the hybrid system – that succeeded in lowering CO2 emissions to 88g/km.

And for company car drivers, that also means lower company car tax with the result that one in ten DS5s on UK roads is expected to be one of these, and 70 per cent of them will be going to business car drivers.

So is it a modest performer as well as a frugal drinker?

Not at all. You get a 163PS punch of power from the two-litre diesel engine, and a stonking 300Nm of torque.

Plus an extra 37PS from the electric motor that drives the rear axle and turns this into an all-wheel-drive model. The dual-power system gives it a top speed of getting on for double the legal limit, and acceleration to 62 mph in 8.3 seconds is by no means leisurely.

There is a twist-dial selector to let you choose the driving mode that suits your mood and the conditions. You can opt between Auto mode to let the car make the decisions, or switch to Sport for swifter gearshifts and faster throttle response, ZEV for zero emissions electric mode in town driving, or 4WD mode when the going is slippery.

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The facelifted convertible follows the saloon and estates. The most obvious change to the look is the headlights

What is it?

Mercedes recently facelifted the saloon and estate variants of the E-Class and now it has done the same with the Cabriolet that we’ve driven here, and the coupe, too.

The design changes are obvious once you know what to look for.

The split headlights ditched in favour of some smooth new lights, there’s a sleeker looking grille, too, and a sportier lower bumper. The pontoon-style rear wheelarch, which was smoothed over on the saloon and estate facelift is left in place on the coupe and cabriolet.

The changes to the way it drives are pretty minimal, with most of the tweaks limited to the engines and a few new hi-tech safety systems.

A new 3.0-litre biturbo V6-powered E400 model sits at the top of the range, replacing the old 4.7-litre V8 E500, but as ever, the E350 CDI driven here will be the biggest seller.

Styling changes are clever, and keep the Merc looking modern and fresh

What’s hot?

•  The styling changes may be limited to the front and rear ends but they’ve done enough to keep the E-Class looking modern and fresh.
• All the engines are more efficient because of a new alternator, electric power steering, and a few improvements to the engine itself.
• Lower CO2 across the range means lower company car tax, should you go that route.
  
  

  Seriously refined with the roof up or down. Less wind in your hair than cooling breeze with the AirCap sysgtem keeping buffeting to a minimum

• As ever, the V6 350 CDI is smooth and punchy. Refinement is seriously impressive, while acceleration from 0-62mph takes 6.7 seconds.
• The standard-fit Agility Control suspension includes adaptive dampers, and as a result you get really supple ride comfort and sure-footed handling.
• If you spend a lot of time in jams, you’ll appreciate the optional Distronic Plus system which can steer, accelerate and brake you through traffic. It’s a little unnerving at first but it really does work.
• Roof-up or down, refinement has got to be among the best in class, with the AirCap system keeping buffeting to an absolute minimum in the cabin. Even at about 80mph with the roof down you can easily hold a conversation.

Rorty sports car it is not. Think civilised

What’s not?

• The E-Class Convertible is far from being a sports car. The steering is quick but ultimately numb and there’s a little too much body roll for it to ever feel agile.
• If you’re planning on carrying bags and having the roof down then you’ll probably want to take a close look at the boot. It’s not particularly generous, struggling to hold anything more than squidgy weekend bags.
• Passengers will be a little bit cooped up in the back seats as well, especially if the driver is over six-feet tall. Kneeroom is extremely limited in the rear and with the roof up, headroom will be an issue, too.
• Facelifted E-Class models do cost around £2000 more than the pre-facelift car, so you’re guaranteed to be paying more tax on the higher P11D value. On the plus side Mercedes says there’s an extra £2330 worth of kit.

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The Graphite is part of Ford’s battle to keep selling Mondeo’s until the new one arrives next year. Don’t let that put you off – it’s superb value for money

Ford Mondeo Graphite 1.6 TDCi Start/Stop 5dr

What is it?

Ford’s large company car model given a makeover. The Ford Mondeo has been sharpened up in a new suit – in this case called Graphite.

It’s part of Ford’s plan to keep the Mondeo competitive in the company car market, while it waits for the badly delayed all-new Mondeo model (see our news story Ford sharpens Mondeo company car appeal with new tax-beating package).

Ford is doing this by simplifying the model range, and providing better specification on two distinct new lines: the Graphite, reviewed here, and the Titanium X Business Edition.

Ford says its Graphite model is aimed more at the retail market, whereas the Titanium X Business Edition has its cross-hairs fixed on the company car driver.

But the Ford Mondeo Graphite, despite the marketing plan, also makes an extremely competitive company car. It might lack sat-nav as part of the standard set up, but there are plenty of good value portable units on the market to make up for that.

The price of the Mondeo Graphite reviewed here – our car was a pre-production model – is £18,195 on the road fitted with the super economical 1.6 diesel engine and fuel saving start stop.  Part of the Graphite package includes sports suspension and a rear sports spoiler, along with 17 inch alloy wheels.

To put that into perspective, this Mondeo Graphite model is cheaper than the least expensive VW Golf diesel by some £1300. Yet it’s far more spacious. Value? This Mondeo has it by the bucketload.

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Another sharp 3 cylinder petrol hatch to add to the list. Shedding a cylinder and 200cc has done the C3 a power of good

Citroen C3 1.2 VTi 82 VTR+ manual

What is it?

A Citroen C3 with an engine to match its name: it has three cylinders.  This is the model that kicks the old 1.4 litre C3 into touch.

Shedding a cylinder and 0.2 of a litre from the engine has served up a C3 that is much more efficient, with mpg up and CO2 down. How does 62.8mpg sound from a petrol engine?

Haven’t we seen this same three-pot engine somewhere before? Well spotted.

Yes, it’s the same engine that Peugeot has in the 208. It’s 1.2 litres and 81bhp with 118Nm of torque, so its plenty meaty enough to haul a little French hatchback weighing just over a ton.

How about CO2? That’s relatively low at 107g/km, so it’s in band B for VED and the tax disc costs nothing in the first year. Company car tax is at 13 per cent.

So what’s it like to drive?

It’s no pocket rocket and acceleration is relatively leisurely, but it feels quite nippy around town. Refinement is pretty reasonable and it has pleasant driving manners. The compact size and good all-round vision means its a cinch to park. Sounds interesting too.

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Sharp modern styling conceals a serious load lugger in the new Octavia ‘Combi’

Skoda Octavia Combi 1.6 TDI DFP

What is it?

The Skoda Octavia Combi, or estate to you and me, is the load carrying workhorse version of the saloon already on UK roads.

In common with the saloon, styling is sharp and contemporary. Underneath, the Octavia is based on the same ‘MQB’ platform as the Audi A3 and the VW Golf.

Also in keeping with the factory’s ‘value-for-money’ marketing approach, the estate claims to deliver class leading carrying capacity with 610-litres of boot space swelling to a van-like 1740-litres with the rear seats folded down.

Skoda UK has chosen not to import the most powerful 1.8-litre TSI with 180PS but instead believe the most company car friendly will be the 105PS 1.6-litre TDI DFP five-speed manual boasting 74.3mpg fuel economy and CO2 emissions of a tax friendly 99g/km.

Prices, though, are perilously near the ‘premium’ market with the 1.6 TDI in ‘S’ trim tipping the scales at £18,785 albeit with Bluetooth connectivity, USB and Aux connections and stop/start engine function as standard.

Though bigger than the old car, performance is brisk, and economy impressive

What’s hot?

• Despite increased length and width over the old model, the 1.6 TDI still manages good performance figures with a 0-62mph time of 11 seconds and 119mph top speed from its 105PS turbodiesel.
• Claimed combined fuel economy of 74.3mpg is identical to its hatchback cousin. With tax-busting CO2 emissions of 99 g/km and company car tax rates from 14%, the 1.6 is clearly attractive for company car drivers.
  
  

  The Skoda brand has shrugged off it’s budget-buy trappings though lacks the cachet of the Germans

• The extra equipment as standard puts up to £5300 of extra value into the new Combi at the range-topping Elegance level while the entry level ‘S’ boasts Bluetooth connectivity, 8-speaker DAB digital radio hi-fi, start/stop engine, 7 airbags, automatic post-collision braking, tinted glass, black roof rails and 16-inch alloys as standard.
• Build quality is every bit as good as its German built cousins and the bodywork design is distinctly Skoda while still achieving the authority and style of well crafted business attire. 
• A chassis weight saving and improved aerodynamics have boosted efficiency and help the car handle challenging driving surprisingly well, aided and abetted by revised suspension set-ups front and rear.
• Class leading storage capacity of 610 litres swells to 1740 litres with rear seats folded. The interior also enjoys several load combinations with a new two-level rear boot compartment plus section dividers for separate front and rear stowage options. A remote rear seat folding mechanism speeds up the process and there is the option of an electric tailgate. With the front passenger seat folded, the car can carry items of nearly 3-metres in length.
• Advanced infotainment comes with touchscreens and proximity sensors as standard supporting gesture control to allow users to ‘swipe’ through menu options.
• The DSG six-speed automatic option is an attractive alternative offering quick up and down ratios that work with little of no noticeable lag that can plague similar systems from other manufacturers.

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