Best Electric Car – over £40,000: BMW i4
Launched late last year, the i4 is BMW’s conventional EV in the heartland of fleet, looking similar to the elegant 4 Series Gran Coupé.
Inside, the i4 has an attractive, state-of-art interior. The dashboard is dominated by the large, curved display, that’s made up of a 14.9in infotainment touch screen and 12.3in driver display.
Plus, drivers can remain in touch with their i4 – even when they’re not in it – via the MyBMW app. Features include the charge status, the ability to send destinations to the sat-nav, or even just to pre-condition the temperature in the cabin for the journey ahead.
Like the 3 Series and 4 Series before it, space in the i4 is decent and this practical hatchback opens to reveal a 470-litre boot.
The i4 is available in 40 and M50 versions. The BMW i4 eDrive40, is all you really need with a 340hp electric motor, rear-wheel drive, giving an impressive WLTP-calculated range of up to 365 miles.*
On top of the impressive performance and range, this charging unit allows the use of DC high-power charging stations, with an output of up to 200kW.
The i4 has responsive steering, like an ICE-engined BMW, with engaging handling and a rewarding ride. In our opinion, the i4 is the perfect premium EV option for user-choosers or businesses to make the EV switch without attracting attention.
*Range figures were obtained after the battery had been fully charged. The BMW i4 is a battery electric vehicle requiring mains electricity for charging. Figures shown are for comparability purposes. Only compare fuel consumption, CO2 and electric range figures with other cars tested to the same technical procedures. These figures may not reflect real life driving results, which will depend upon a number of factors including the starting charge of the battery, accessories fitted (post- registration), variations in weather, driving styles and vehicle load.
Best Executive Car: BMW 5 Series
To quote one of our judges, ‘there’s nothing I’d take over the BMW 5 Series’. Despite serious competition from new rivals, the BMW remains the accomplished all-rounder its always been and is our Best Executive Car again for 2022.
So, what keeps the 5 Series at the top? Well, one of the key factors is how it drives. It might be one of the more senior models in the executive class, but it’s still the best car to drive in our opinion and one of the most refined.
Whether you choose petrol, diesel or plug-in hybrid, BMW Efficient Dynamics help keep the running costs down. The slick shifting automatic gearbox, makes the most of the performance available. The direct steering helps this BMW to corner confidently with agility, poise and loads of grip.
BMW’s established executive challenger also looks great, whether you decide to choose a Saloon or Touring, exuding restrained elegance.
The current 5 Series remains impressively practical, with high comfort and space levels. Most practical is the Touring model, with up to 570 litres of boot space with the seats up.
The finishing touch is that the 5 Series is well-equipped, with the fleet-friendly M Sport trim offering all the kit you’ll ever need.
Best Premium Car: BMW 3 Series
More recent rivals have run it close, but the seventh-generation new BMW 3 Series remains king of the Premium Cars in our opinion.
Whether you choose diesel, petrol, or plug-in hybrid versions in the Saloon or Touring bodies of the 3 Series, you won’t be disappointed by the driving experience. In addition to the performance, other driving highlights are the precise steering and tidy handling. The ride and refinement are well-judged, too.
All current 3 Series models offer excellent performance, but not at the expense of efficiency. Our favourite and a key choice for fleets, is the BMW 330e plug-in, which combines a 181hp 2.0-litre petrol with an 11.15kWh battery and 88kWh electric motor, which together equal up to 35 miles** of EV range, a total of 288hp and BiK starting at 12%.
Just facelifted with new lights and a tweaked grille, like the bigger 5 Series, the 3 Series looks great whether you choose the Saloon or more practical Touring model, with restrained elegance.
The biggest facelift change is to the interior, with the addition of tech borrowed from another of our winners – the BMW i4. It’s now fitted with a huge, curved display made of two screens, running an intuitive infotainment system that interacts via voice or gesture control. Like the i4, the 3 Series also benefits from all the features of the MyBMW app.
Best Premium Large SUV: BMW X5
BMW has been refining the X5 for the past 21 years, and the current fourth-generation version is a brilliant fleet choice.
Outside, the X5’s styling might be more evolution than revolution, but its tall SUV shape looks attractive and modern and keeps buyers coming back.
Inside, the X5 oozes quality, with premium materials used throughout. The tall shape gives a commanding driving position and it’s easy to get comfortable with. When you’re seated, all the switchgear is logically laid out and the infotainment is easy to use.
There’s more than enough room in the back of the X5 too, with good stowage space. For extra practicality, seven-seat versions are also available.
Key fleet X5 choice is the XDrive 45e Plug-In Hybrid version. The 45e combines a 286hp 3.0-litre six-cylinder petrol engine, with a 24kWh battery pack and 113hp electric motor. This equals 389hp, yet this X5 is still capable of travelling up to 54miles** on electric power alone, equalling an impressively low 8% BiK figure.
In fact, we’d go as far as to say that the X5 XDrive 45e must be one of the most impressive plug-in hybrid models on-sale, and that is why it’s our Premium Large SUV pick.
**These figures were obtained using a combination of battery power and fuel. Figures shown are for comparability purposes. Only compare fuel consumption, CO2 and electric range figures with other cars tested to the same technical procedures. These figures may not reflect real life driving results, which will depend upon a number of factors including, accessories fitted (post-registration), variations in weather, driving styles and vehicle load.
Fleet Manufacturer of the Year: BMW
BMW builds on its strong fleet record through its choice of models – most recently with its expanded EV range. This is backed up by a massive shift to EV, with even more models incoming, including the all-electric version of the new, range-topping 7 Series – the i7.
Then there’s the support for company car drivers, with the roll out of ‘Inside Edge’, an exclusive rewards platform for BMW company car drivers.
‘Inside Edge’ is more than just benefitting from exclusive rewards, it provides a programme for drivers to engage with the brand in a unique way. BMW reports that whether it’s a tie-up with a brand, or some self-development content, all has been very well received by fleet drivers.
In response to receiving the five category award wins, Steve Roberts, General Manager, Corporate Sales at BMW Group UK said,
“I am delighted to accept these awards on behalf of the corporate sales teams at BMW UK. We are incredibly proud to be named Fleet Manufacturer of the Year as the award recognises BMW’s continuous ability to adapt to fast-changing market conditions with our extensive model portfolio and ever-growing electrified range, without compromising on our industry-leading service for business customers.”
Fuel economy and CO2 results for the BMW Range: Combined: 20.8 – 470.8 mpg (22.8 – 0.6 l/100km) CO2 emissions: 307 – 0 g/km. Electric Range: 254 – 387 miles. For plug-in hybrid vehicles these figures were obtained using a combination of battery power and fuel, for battery electric vehicles after the battery had been fully charged. Plug-in hybrid and battery electric vehicles require mains electricity for charging. Figures shown are for comparability purposes. These figures were achieved using the WLTP test procedure. Only compare fuel consumption, CO2 and electric range figures with other cars tested to the same technical procedures. These figures may not reflect real life driving results, which will depend upon a number of factors including the starting charge of the battery, accessories fitted (post-registration), variations in weather, driving styles and vehicle load.
