Login
My Garage
New hero

Company cars under £50k

By Maxine Ashford | May 4, 2022

Share

Why not leave a comment?

See all | Add a comment

We take a look at the best company cars under £50k

Company cars under £50k

Imagine being given the scope to spend up to £50k on a company car and the choice is entirely up to you. There are no restrictions on style, carbon emissions, driving range (if EV) or brand.

That would lead to some serious research before coming to a final decision. Obviously, many company car drivers look for low emissions these days to keep their individual tax costings as low as possible. This is worked out via the Benefit In Kind system – the lower the BIK rating the less impact it will have on your salary.

However, with a nice high-end budget to play with, it opens the door to so many other cars that may have previously been overlooked.

We take a look at some of the models that might appear on a wish-list.

Kia Sportage PHEV – (£44,595)

The newly-launched fifth-generation Sportage line-up has just increased in size with the arrival of the first Sportage PHEV.

The Sportage with Plug-in hybrid EV technology combines a 1.6-litre T-GDI petrol engine with a 66.9kW electric motor and 13.8kWh lithium-ion battery pack. It delivers 261bhp and 350Nm of torque and this results in a 0-60mph sprint time of 7.9 seconds and top speed of 119mph. It has an electric driving range of 43 miles between charges.

All models feature all-wheel drive as standard, but our healthy looking budget means we can splash out on the range-topping GT-Line S model with twin 12.3-inch screens behind a curved panoramic glass display, 10-way powered seats and a Harmon Kardon sound system being just a few of the highlights.

As well as offering excellent tax savings, the Sportage PHEV can deliver a combined 256.8mpg with carbon emissions of just 25g/km under WLTP testing.

Mercedes EQA (£47,510)

Choosing a car from Mercedes’ smallest range – the A Class – may seem a tad odd, but the EQA is quite an exceptional vehicle.

The EQ prefix means that it is an electric vehicle, so that will bring plenty of Benefit In Kind tax savings to the table. And it also drives superbly well.

There are seven engine variants that offer different performance figures, front or all-wheel drive and varying driving range between charges.

The Mercedes EQA AMG-Line costs £49,010 and boasts 190hp with a 0-62mph sprint time of 8.9 seconds. But this front-wheel drive car also features one of the most beautifully-designed interiors on offer. And the ‘Hey Mercedes’ personal assistant will help with all manner of requests from finding nearby parking spaces, plotting a sat nav route or listening to your favourite playlists on the move.

The EQA may not be quite the size of some contenders on our list but it packs a mighty punch when it comes to style and performance.

Tesla Model 3 Long Range (£42,500)

Tesla is proving the master at upping the ante when it comes to electrified vehicles and the Model 3 Long Range offers a whopping 360-mile range between charges. That makes it ideal as a company car and falls just within our price budget too.

Powering the Model 3 Long Range is a large 75kWh battery pack that is positioned in the car’s floor to help create excellent balance and a perfect centre of gravity. And with a total power output of 434bhp and 493Nm of torque at your disposal, the Model 3 has all the dynamism and acceleration you could possibly wish for with a 0-60mph sprint time of just 4.2 seconds and maximum speed of 145mph.

The added bonus of zero emissions will result in a low BIK rating which means less of your salary will be taken by the taxman. 

Company cars need to be practical and the Model 3 covers all those bases with a large boot, spacious cabin and a wealth of on-board tech to explore.

Factor in the blisteringly quick performance, poised handling and it’s easy to see why this model makes our list.

Ford Mustang Mach-E Extended Range (£49,980)

The Mach-E may carry the muscle car name of the Mustang, but one glance in its direction will confirm it’s a whole different beast altogether. Yes, the Pony emblem sits proudly on the front grille and the Mach-E is dynamically-styled, but it’s no muscle car by any means.

With a range of approximately 300 miles on the extended-range model, this family Mustang has been developed with SUV practicality in mind so has room enough for a couple of adults in the back and space for the luggage too.

The interior is well designed and it boasts a large 15.5-inch upright touchscreen which is the main focal point within the car (and very Tesla-esque). 

There are a number of models to choose from with prices starting from just over £41k and rising to £57k for the Mach-E with the largest battery and AWD.

But if you choose wisely, then the Extended Range RWD version comes in just shy of our budget limit.

Find out how to calculate the tax on a company car here

SsangYong Rexton Ultimate (£40,780)

It may seem like an unlikely contender but if you are looking for quality, practicality, reliability and a whole range of creature comforts then the fifth generation SsangYong Rexton – the Korean company’s flagship model – is definitely worth a look.

This seven-seater is stylish enough to turn up to any executive meeting in, but offers all the practicality for a family holiday. It even introduces 4x4 ability to the mix along with impressive towing capabilities. 

This is a workhorse with style and offers all the on-board tech we demand these days, such as Nappa leather upholstery, ambient lighting, full smartphone connectivity along with a wealth of high-end safety kit.

The interior is beautifully designed and while the SsangYong name may not be on everyone’s lips, it is a whole lot of car for the outlay. In fact, this is a car that really makes you ask ‘how much?’ but for all the right reasons. It’s hard to believe your money goes that far.

BMW 330e xDrive M Sport Pro Edition Saloon (£49,485)

BMW has caused us the most problems while compiling this list. Firstly, because there is so much quality on offer and secondly, because a couple of our favourites dropped just outside the upper limit of the £50k budget.

We can never overlook the ever-popular BMW 3 Series when it comes to a company car – after all it has been one of the all-time greats over the years. And even with the introduction of new technology and cleaner powertrains, this Bavarian classic is still quite the headline-grabber.

However, with that £50,000 budget to play with, it would definitely be worth moving up the trim levels in the line-up and opt for the M sport or M Sport Pro Edition with their sharpened design and sportier driving dynamics. And we could also include xDrive, BMW’s 4WD system in the asking price too.

If only I could borrow a little more then I could get the M models that start from £51,515. These racetrack-inspired cars offer a full combination of dynamics, power and agility.

Or you could opt for the BMW 530e Saloon with plug-in hybrid technology from £49,870.

It has to be said though; if you shop around you may find an offer on the stunning BMW i4 – the company’s first fully electrified performance car. It is almost £2,000 over our budget limit, but it’s worth checking relevant deals – you never know your luck as this would be my pick of the bunch.

As I say, BMW did pose some problems for us!

Volvo XC40 T5 Recharge (£49,150)

Volvo’s XC40 is one of the Swedish carmaker’s finest models to date. It boasts great styling with handling to match, covers all the necessary practical bases and is as safe as they come.

With a £50k budget, a company driver could opt for the all-singing XC40 T5 Plug-in Hybrid Recharge model in top grade Ultimate trim.

This range-topper not only gains lots of exterior styling upgrades such as 19-inch alloys, dark tinted windows and a powered panoramic sunroof, but it also gets a premium Harman Kardan sound system with 12 speakers as standard.

The low 50g/km of carbon emissions brings decent BIK tax savings with a rate of 14 per cent. 

Audi A5 Black Edition (£44,075)

Audi has always been a ‘go-to’ brand for company car drivers and the A5 Sportback is the ideal companion for long motorway journeys.

Our healthy budget means we can explore the top end of the trim range and opt for the stunning Black Edition model.

This car is packed with intuitive technology, offers sublime comfort and drives beautifully with a range of modes to alter the driving characteristics.

With 163PS of power and 370Nm of torque, this A5 is a motorway cruiser, but certainly isn’t afraid to power down the twisting country lanes either.

And as is the way with premium carmakers, you could quickly make up the remainder of that budget by choosing from the wealth of optional extras on offer.

Related Articles

How to claim for charging an electric company car
Get reimbursed the money you spend charging your electric company car: Advisory Electric Fuel Rate 2022.
Aug 01, 2023
New company car mileage rates for June 2022
Advisory fuel rates for petrol, diesel, hybrid, electric, and LPG company cars from June 2022.
Jun 20, 2022
Company cars under £30k
We take a look at the best company cars under £30k
May 05, 2022
Top 10 Company Cars
We take a look at the top 10 company cars on the market
Apr 25, 2022