The Best Premium Saloon Vehicles for Winter

The E-Class is is a car that blurs the line between a family saloon and a limousine. It really is a particularly large car and the cabin is so luxurious now, thanks to the genetics passed from the S-Class, that you’d almost be reluctant to let young children loose in there. It’s almost like a posh living room that should only be used at Christmas. Thankfully, the furniture isn’t delicate and the E Class is a car which is built of sturdy stuff, ready for whatever your little ones can throw at it. The E Class has received a fresh update for 2020 which brings a range of exterior updates as well as plenty of technological advances (as if it weren’t advanced enough) to ensure that the E Class really can provide the complete package. Mercedes themselves describe the new E Class as a ‘Masterpiece of Intelligence’ - which seems fitting.

The E-Class is on sale in its saloon form from the reasonable entry price of £39,680 - but bear in mind that this is a highly versatile car. The E Class is available as a saloon, cabriolet, coupe, estate and of course as a full-blooded AMG model. Plenty to choose from!

Can you believe that the new A6 for 2020 is actually Audis 8th generation of the model? This one is actually based on the same platform of the larger A7 and A8, only in a more manageable package. This is a good thing, because not only is it easier to park and more agile to drive, the A6 is proposed as a miniature A8 - so it’s brimming with luxury and technology. Immediately when you step in the cabin the first thing you’ll notice is the almost button-free centre console. Inside the dash are two large, high-resolution touchscreens which control pretty much everything you need. The seats are like armchairs and the leather used is of the very highest standard. It’s hard to pick flaws in a car which packs so much in terms of features and luxuries. Better still, the A6 is available with an economical, modestly powered 2.0-litre diesel, which makes it affordable to run and own. In fact, the 40 TDI Quattro Sport model will return up to 64.2 mpg while still having enough power to woosh you from 0-60 mph in just 7.6 seconds - that’s just the right sort of balance, we think…

The Audi A6 is on sale right now and prices start from £41,305. Audi is currently advertising a representative finance example which breaks the payments down to £458 per month with just £3.930.50 deposit with their Solutions PCP.

The 5 Series really is the daddy of the executive saloon cars, isn’t it? While it’s german rivals could be considered to be more luxurious, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but there’s no denying that the 5 Series has always been the best one to drive. Much like the Audi A6, the 5 Series also borrows its platform from the elder brother - this time the 7 Series. It an aluminium body which means the car is surprisingly lightweight, which helps with efficiency for all models but particularly for the 530e - which is the most efficient 5 Series available. This model uses hybrid technology to offer up to a combined 156.9 mpg which is rather mind-blowing. Of course, the 530e is quite an expensive piece of kit thanks to that hybrid powertrain, and prices start from £52,325 for the M Sport model

More realistically, buyers will be drawn to the 520d M Sport which starts from £44,795 and will still be good for 57.6 mpg. All models come with BMWs new iDrive technology which has higher-res screens and faster processing than ever before, ensuring the tech is more than capable of competing with the other premium offerings on the market.

When you think of Porsche you typically think of a slightly more exotic (and therefore expensive) brand than BMW, Audi and Mercedes - despite the fact all 4 are from Germany. You’d be correct though, there is something more exotic about the Panamera, and it is categorically more expensive than the competitors too, but it does possess a level of desirability above and beyond what the german counterparts can demand. The Panamera starts from £69,860. There are no two ways about it. That’s a lot of money for a saloon. There are no half measures with Porsche though, they haven’t bothered introducing entry-level trim grades or cumbersome 2.0-litre diesel engines. Instead, the Panamera comes with a V6 engine which packs 330 PS and is enough to get the car from 0 to 60 mph in just 5.6 seconds and on to a top speed of 168 mph. How is that for ‘entry-level’?

It’s no one-trick pony either. The cabin is extremely spacious and even with that sloping roofline and low slung profile, the boot is still big enough for 495 litres of storage space, expanding to 1,334 litres with the rear seats folded down. Alright, it’s a bit flashy and a bit expensive, but it’s one heck of a car and certainly one of the most desirable saloons on the market...

And last but certainly not least is the Maserati Ghibli. The most niche vehicle on this list, perhaps, but still very deserving of its place among the likes of BMW, Porsche, Audi and Mercedes. Maserati themselves use the slogan ‘You’re Not Like Everyone Else’ when marketing their Ghibli and they’re absolutely correct. The Ghibli is a prestige saloon that commands respect from fashionistas and petrol heads alike. The chrome trident floating in the front grille is imperious and reflect the devilish attitude which is reflected in the cabin. 

Much like the Panamera, there are no weak engines to pick from. There is a 2.0-litre hybrid model available but that still packs 330 horsepower so it is no limp-wristed eco-warrior, it still packs a sizeable punch. Other than that there is a range of V6’s and V8s to choose from with prices from £58,220 - which is somewhere between the Mercedes’ and the Porsche.

Lastly, there is also the Trofeo edition which starts from £103,890 and in between the school run and business meetings you can expect to get from 0-60 mph in just 4.3 seconds… which sounds like fun.