Best executive cars to buy 2024
These executive cars add a real touch of class to every journey
If you’re looking to buy an executive car you’ll quickly find yourself in a sea of prestigious, premium-badged models, typically in saloon body styles. To help narrow down your search, we’ve compiled this list of the best executive cars you can buy right now, based on our extensive testing of every new model on sale. Read on to find our top-10 executive cars.
Best executive cars
- BMW 5 Series
- BMW 3 Series
- Mercedes E-Class
- Tesla Model 3
- BMW i4
- Mercedes C-Class
- Volkswagen ID.7
- Porsche Panamera
- Alfa Romeo Giulia
- Audi A6
1. BMW 5 Series
- Prices from £51,000
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Whether you opt for the regular BMW 5 Series or the fully electric BMW i5, the latest generation of this full-size executive saloon offers the same class-leading tech, excellent driving experience and top-shelf fit and finish that have made it a staple of the executive car class for decades.
Step inside the 5 Series and the cabin doesn’t feel too dissimilar to the pricier and more luxurious BMW 7 Series flagship. There are plenty of plush, comfortable materials and these are accompanied by a 12.3-inch digital driver’s display and a 14.9-inch widescreen infotainment system that operates BMW’s iDrive software. Unfortunately, the touch-sensitive controls cause the usual frustrations, but these are soon forgotten because the BMW 5 Series is highly enjoyable to drive. There’s even room for all the family, thanks to its spacious cabin and 520-litre boot.
2. BMW 3 Series
- Prices from £41,500
- Best driving experience
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BMW takes a one-two in this list because the 3 Series pretty much offers the same attributes as its bigger 5 Series sibling. The driving dynamics are arguably better, there’s still an excellent, premium-feeling interior with plenty of technology and the Touring estate model should be practical enough for most families.
The 3 Series has long been the default compact executive-car choice for those seeking a sporty drive, and the latest version builds on this by reducing weight by up to 55kg and increasing rigidity by up to 50 per cent. Despite being larger than its predecessor, the latest 3 Series is even more agile and nimble in the bends. Ride comfort only loses out to the Mercedes C-Class, but the BMW’s specially developed damper technology means long drives are no chore.
3. Mercedes E-Class
- Prices from £55,100
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The latest Mercedes E-Class had big shoes to fill when it arrived in 2023. Not only is it the latest generation of a long line of E-Classes, but we were particular fans of the outgoing model. Thankfully, the W214 is one of the brand’s best cars to date.
Take a seat inside and you’ll immediately notice the Superscreen dashboard. This consists of a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel and a 14.4-inch central display – a 12.3-inch passenger screen is also available as an option. These run the latest MBUX software and operate a plethora of functions, including voice-activation, massaging seats, mood lighting and even a cabin camera that can be used to take selfies. The technology is plentiful, and the materials and build quality more than match it.
On the move the ride is especially smooth if you choose the optional air suspension. Although the Mercedes can’t quite match the dynamic nature of the BMW 5 Series, it still maintains its composure well in corners. This generation is also the largest E-Class yet, with most of its added bulk being used to increase cabin space. This means that five passengers will fit with ease and, with 540 litres of boot space, it can even double up as a family car.
4. Tesla Model 3
- Prices from £40,000
- Best value for money
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The Tesla Model 3 has been with us for a while now but, thanks to a midlife facelift, it’s still one of the best electric cars to buy. With up to 390 miles of battery range on tap, the Model 3 should quell any anxiety around charging, and every variant offers enough performance punch to surprise many focused sports cars. The flagship Performance variant shoots from 0-60mph in an incredible 2.9 seconds, yet it still offers up to 328 miles between charges. It’s not just acceleration and range where the Model 3 excels, though, because the quietness of the electric motor and relatively well judged damping make for a pleasant ride.
The cabin is futuristically minimalist and an alternative approach to the clutter of having dozens of buttons, although some people might call it dull. There’s plenty of space inside, with generous headroom in both the front and rear. The big windows also help to make the cabin feel airy.
5. BMW i4
- Prices from £51,300
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The BMW i4 is still one of the Tesla Model 3’s fiercest competitors in the growing electric executive car market. Pricing for the i4 starts from less than £52,000 for the entry-level eDrive35, yet this model still provides up to 308 miles of range, along with a reasonable 282bhp – meaning 0-62mph is dealt with in six seconds. If speed is what you seek, the i4 M50 ups the power to 537bhp and will easily keep up with most performance cars (electric or otherwise), thanks to a 0-62mph time of just 3.9 seconds.
It’s not all about the performance, though, because the i4’s technology is bang up to date, with BMW’s latest iDrive infotainment system being the centrepiece. This is operated through a large, seamless display that combines a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel and a 14.9 inch central screen. The i4 is well put-together, too, and while it has a sportier feel than some rivals, it should still prove comfortable on longer journeys.
6. Mercedes C-Class
- Prices from £45,100
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The latest Mercedes C-Class is the best version of this compact executive car that we’ve seen for decades. The C-Class has always been known as one of the more comfortable offerings in its segment, and this new one uses a smaller version of the MRA architecture that underpins the flagship Mercedes S-Class.
This translates into a superb ride that can rival far more prestigious cars. Couple this with the plush, tech-filled interior and the C-Class is an excellent car to rack up the miles in. Choose the plug-in hybrid C 300 e and you can even cover up to 70 miles on pure-electric power.
7. Volkswagen ID.7
- Prices from £51,500
- Best for efficiency
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As the electric executive car sector continues to expand, Volkswagen has finally thrown its hat into the ring with the ID.7. Available as either a saloon or an estate car, we think the ID.7 is VW’s best EV to date, and it offers plenty of refinement and practicality, along with a whopping 437-mile claimed battery range in the Pro S variant.
Unfortunately, a starting price that sits firmly north of the £50,000 mark means this isn’t really a “people’s car”, but the VW ID.7 certainly feels upmarket enough to sit in this bracket. There’s plenty of kit included across the line-up, although we do wish that the heat pump wasn’t a £1,050 option.
8. Porsche Panamera
- Prices from £82,500
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If you fancy a sports car but need something that’s a bit more suitable for long motorway runs and maybe even family duties, the Porsche Panamera is an ideal solution. While it’s not quite as engaging to drive as a full-fat Porsche 911, this four-door saloon still produces a minimum of 348bhp and 500Nm of torque, so it’ll still put a smile on your face when you want it to.
When it’s time to be a bit more sensible, the Panamera settles down into a calm and comfortable mile-muncher. There’s also the option of the plug-in E-hybrid model if you want to keep the Porsche’s fuel economy and emissions well under control.
9. Alfa Romeo Giulia
- Prices from £40,600
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If looking good ranks high on your list of priorities for an executive car, the Alfa Romeo Giulia should be near the top of the pile. That said, the Giulia is no disappointment when it comes to running costs and refinement either. If you’re buying brand-new, the only option is a 276bhp four-cylinder petrol engine – which is certainly peppy enough to have fun with the rear-wheel drive set-up. Of course, there’s always the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio if you really have a need for speed.
The interior is a great improvement over Alfa saloons of old, too, with good-quality materials and slick design helping to give an upmarket appeal – even if it falls just shy of the Mercedes C-Class. Where the Giulia falls down is on practicality, because there’s no estate model to challenge the BMW 3 Series Touring.
10. Audi A6
- Prices from £44,300
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The Audi A6 is much more than just a third wheel to the Mercedes E-Class and BMW 5 Series. It’s a smart blend of refinement, equipment and relatively low running costs.
The A6 feels agile on the move, thanks to the extensive use of aluminium in its structure, while the nimbleness is aided further still with the optional four-wheel steering. That said, the steering can't match that of the BMW 5 Series, but it remains a precise and good car to drive. The A6 is set to be replaced by the incoming electric Audi A6 e-tron, though, so the clock is ticking if you’re planning to buy one.
What is an executive car?
This was once a very straightforward question to answer. You had your executive saloons, such as the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes E-Class, then you had your compact executive saloons, such as the BMW 3 Series. Today, the variety of options has multiplied.
Cars such as the Peugeot 508 and Skoda Superb all have aspirations of upsetting traditional executive car offerings such as the Mercedes E-Class and BMW 5 Series. The best of these models offer most of the necessary quality and tech, and only really lack the premium badge.
Even without dipping into the SUV class, where executive-car buyers will increasingly find tempting options, there are more body styles available to executive-car drivers than ever. As well as the traditional saloons, there are the usual estate versions on offer, and beyond that things start to get interesting.
Two-door coupés such as the BMW 4 Series offer similar engine ranges to their saloon counterparts for similar tax and running costs, while looking and driving that bit sharper. Many also come in convertible guise for open-air motoring. Then there's the rise of the four or five-door coupé, typified by cars such as the Audi A7 Sportback and BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé.
The usual cohort of German executive-car manufacturers now has plenty of other challengers to face, especially the incoming wave of pure-electric models that qualify for executive-car status, such as the Tesla Model 3.
With the executive-car market so strongly reliant on business and company car buyers, EV powertrains are a huge draw because of the lower associated Benefit-in-Kind company car tax. Diesel and petrol powertrains are still popular for private buyers, but plug-in hybrid and electric sales are starting to really gain momentum. If you're willing to take the plunge into EV territory, the BMW i4, Polestar 2 and Tesla Model 3 offer sports car-rivalling straight-line performance, acres of space and very low everyday running costs.
Searching for something a bit more special? Read our list of the best luxury cars...
