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Is it time to rethink
the company car?
Whether you are self employed or
running a small fleet, your choice
of vehicle can have a significant
impact on the bottom line and your
ability to market your business
as environmentally responsible. A
company that promotes low carbon
products and arrives in a gas guzzler
is putting out mixed messages that
could go down badly with customers.
At co2balance we have analysed
what’s available and come up with our
Top 10 recommendations based on two
basic assumptions:
Despite advances in communications
technology, business people still need
to move around the country and meet
customers face-to-face. For many, the
most sensible way to do this is by car.
But what model should you choose?
Steve Hewson picks his Top Ten
1.
The majority of business miles involve
one person with a single case or laptop,
so small cars with little wasted space
and a low kerb weight score well.
2.
In most cases the travel time is less
than two hours.
We looked only at new vehicles and
considered a number of factors including
Price, Miles per Gallon (MPG), Insurance
Group, Fuel Type, 0-60mph time,
Depreciation and car reviews.
During our research several interesting
points came up:
Electric Vehicles.
We had to discount
‘all-electric’ vehicles as none has the
range for anything other than city
commuting. The problem isn’t so much
charging points as charging speeds. If you
can’t recharge fast enough, any distance
driving is out of the question. All-electric
transport will only take off when charging
technology dovetails with the official
advice to rest for 15 mins every two
hours.
Hybrids.
We really like hybrid vehicles
because of the high MPG, but they are
very expensive to buy, which affects the
P11D value. There are also questions
about long-term battery life and resale
value that could be important for leasing.
This technology will dominate in the
future, but in our opinion it isn’t quite
there yet.
Tiny turbo-powered engines.
Take a
small car, put in a three cylinder engine
with a turbo and lots of clever tech and
what you see in the specs is a punchy
little engine that has reasonably fast
acceleration and very high MPG. But run
one of these down the M3 and you’ll get
a big surprise. High revving, acceleration
and manoeuvrability are great around
town, but on the open road what you
really want are lower revs and good
gearing, which is where this class falls
over. From a car that promised 76 MPG,
you might struggle to get 40. Far better
to have a bigger engine and drive it well.
Choosing any car in our Top Ten is
likely to save money on purchase price,
insurance and fuel. They should also be
fun to drive.
A fleet of appropriate, fuel-efficient
vehicles driven by employees who have
had some driver training can say a lot
about your business – and save a lot
of cash.
1
Kia Picanto Hatchback 1.0 1 Air 5dr
The cheapest car here also sits in
one of the lowest insurance groups.
MPG is less impressive than the
small diesels but petrol is still slightly
cheaper in the UK.Winner of the
2011
What Car Green Award
for superminis.
2
. Kia Rio Hatchback 1.1D
EcoDynamics 1 5dr
Extremely impressive fuel economy
(88.3 MPG), a competitive price and a
seven-year warranty, but some may be
put off by the 0-60 time.Worth noting
that air con is £800 extra and will
reduce fuel economy to 78.5 MPG.
3
Renault Clio Hatchback 1.5 dCi
88 Expression Eco 3dr
In theory can travel 950 miles
between fill-ups. The car is considered
good to drive and is nearly £1,000
cheaper than the Ford Fiesta.
4
Ford Fiesta Hatchback 1.6 TDCi
95 Edge Econetic 3dr
Glowing reviews all round with
particular praise for its driving
manners. Its hard not to recommend
this but the price prevents it from
gaining top spot.
5
Fiat 500 Hatchback 0.9 Twinair Pop
S/S 3dr
Fun looks and good price. The engine
is one of the most economical petrol
engines on sale and is surprisingly
powerful. On longer trips you will
need a light right foot to keep up the
MPG.
6
Mini One Hatchback 1.6D 3dr
Extremely good to drive, with a very
capable engine and appealing retro
looks. On the downside, it has a small
boot, the ride is a bit stiff and it is too
expensive to be considered a bargain.
7
Volkswagen Golf Hatchback 1.6 TDI
105 Bluemotion 3dr
It’s like a Golf: say no more. Reviews
are consistently good but it does cost
a lot.
8
Skoda Fabia Hatchback 1.2 TDI CR
75 Greenline II 5dr
Amazingly low CO
2
, very high MPG,
comfortable and a big boot for a car
of this size. Let down by an under-
powered and noisy engine.
10
9
Toyota Auris Hatchback 1.8 VVT-i
HSD 89g/km T4 5dr
The same hybrid system as the Prius
and a conventional shape that will
attract buyers who dismissed previous
hybrids. Reviews say that the car
is good at low speed but at higher
speeds the engine becomes noisy and
runs out of puff. Cheaper than the
Prius but still expensive.
Volvo S40 Saloon 1.6D DRIVe ES S/S
4dr
One of the few saloon cars to emit
less than 100 grams of CO
2
. Reviews
say the cabin is stylish and the car a
relaxed motorway cruiser, but at low
speeds the engine is a bit loud and
longer gearing means you need to
change gear more often.
Red on the outside, green inside:
the Volvo S40 Saloon 1.6D DRIVe
The Top Ten recommendations