Best used executive cars (and one to avoid)

It may be the only fully electric car on our list, but the Tesla Model 3 is a great proposition if it fits into your lifestyle. It's good to drive and well equipped, and even the Standard Range Plus model has an official range of 254 miles – or 267 miles if you go for a post-2020 updated version. It'll also see off the 0-60mph dash in just 6.1sec, and do it all in a hushed, smooth and suave manner. 

The Performance version goes a few steps further on the acceleration front, shrinking the 0-60mph time to just 3.3sec. Its official range is good – at 329 miles – too. There's also the Long Range that can officially travel 348 miles before running out of juice. 

It's a great package, giving you a lot of car for the money. Prices start from the £11,000 mark for a Standard Range Plus or Long Range car with high miles, but for £13,000, you'll find plenty of the former with reasonable mileage.

"The cream of the electric car crop and now the king of the executive cars. So smooth and now excellent value. I love its instantaneous responses and its ability to swoosh is addictive." – Mark Pearson, Used Cars Editor

We found: 2020 Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus, 55,683 miles, £13,750

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The BMW 3 Series is great to drive, plus it's available with a wide selection of superb engines that are very efficient. It's supremely competent and wonderfully classy. What’s more, it’s spacious enough for the average family and most versions are comfortable and reliable. 

Our favourite engine, if it fits into your lifestyle, is the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) 330e. It offers great performance (0-60mph is achievable in 5.9sec), yet it also has the potential for huge savings in fuel bills, provided you can charge it up regularly and the majority of your journeys are short.

Prices start from a reasonable £14,000 for the 330e, which is about the same as the 2.0-litre 320d diesel. The 320i petrol starts at around £17,000. Meanwhile, mid-range Sport comes with all the equipment you’d need and allows you to avoid the overly firm suspension of M Sport.

"A terrific car,  just beaten for value by the Tesla Model 3, but if anything even better to drive. I'd happily have one on my driveway." – George Hill, Used Cars Writer

We found: 2020 BMW 3 Series 330e Sport Pro, 46,747 miles, £17,099

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Possibly the classiest car here, the Audi A4 continues to live up to its award-winning reputation, especially when it comes to interior quality. 

It isn’t as lively to drive as the 3 Series, but it still impresses on the road – it's wonderfully refined. It also has a comfortable ride (as long as you avoid big wheels on S line models) and loads of desirable equipment. Prices for early 2015 cars with reasonable miles start from the £9000 mark, while 2020 facelift cars cost upwards of £15,000.

We’d go for the 160bhp 35 TDI diesel, because it has plenty of low-down punch (so you can tootle around town effortlessly), yet has enough pace to whisk you up to motorway speeds effectively – 0-62mph takes 8.2sec.

Our preferred trim – entry-level Technik – is pretty well-equipped. You get 17in alloy wheels, power-folding door mirrors, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, heated front seats, front and rear climate control, cruise control, keyless start, parking aids, LED headlights and infotainment features. 

"So classy inside and a really suave executive car. I had one as a long-termer for six months and loved its refinement." – Mark Pearson, Used Cars Editor

We found: 2021 Audi A4 2.0 TFSI 35 Technik, 40,462 miles, £16,250

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You’d be hard pushed to find a car with as broad a range of talents as the BMW 5 Series – a previous What Car? Used Car of the Year in our chosen form. It comes with a range of punchy yet efficient engines, neat styling and a wonderful ride and handling balance. It's very refined, too.

Our recommended version is the 530e plug-in hybrid, because it has the potential for great economy if you charge it up regularly. Add to that its luscious and spacious interior, excellent ergonomics and class-leading iDrive infotainment controller and it’s no wonder we rate this car above so many others as a used luxury buy.

The 2017-2023 generation of the 5 Series is excellent value, particularly with the 530e. You can pick up an early 530e with reasonable mileage for around £14,000, which is about the same as the 520i. The six-cylinder engines are lovely, but these do cost a bit more; prices start from £18,000 for the 530d and £21,000 for the 540i.

"Almost as good to drive as the smaller 3 Series and even more of a luxury hit. I've always loved the sheer rightness in so many areas of the 5 Series." – George Hill, Used Cars Writer

We found 2021 BMW 530e SE, 59,430 miles, £18,670

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The Mercedes E-Class is available on the used market with a great range of engines, plus it's a quiet and smooth cruiser with a generous list of standard equipment. Rear-seat space is generous for two passengers, though fitting three across can feel a little tight. Some versions also deliver a firmer ride than expected, but these are minor drawbacks in what is otherwise a refined, elegant and highly comfortable car. The interior looks very swish, too. 

While impressive, the E-Class is not quite as good to drive or as plush inside as the BMW 5 Series, so for those reasons, we can't put it any higher up this list. For early cars, prices are about the same as the 5 Series, with prices starting from around £14,000 for a E220d with reasonable mileage. As you get to newer cars, it becomes more expensive.

"There's something about the E-Class that's still really desirable, even when faced with such sterling opposition. It's quite reliable, and I love its wafting ability." – Mark Pearson, Used Cars Editor

We found 2021 Mercedes E220d Sport, 59,592 miles, £22,200

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Few executive cars are as stylish and fun as the Alfa Romeo Giulia. It’s actually very comfortable, too, with a supple ride in most versions, and you'll get plenty of equipment. All versions come with a punchy yet efficient range of engines. But it's its quick steering and eager handling that'll please the keen driver here. All for a price that's very tempting, if a touch more than the Jaguar XE; our favourite Veloce model starts from £13,000, while lower trim cars cost upwards of £10,000. 

If you can afford the extra money both to buy and to run, or if your annual mileage is a little lower, we do love the decently swift 2.0-litre petrol 276bhp Veloce model. We also love the Giulia Quadrifoglio performance car. Interestingly, the Giulia did very well in our most recent reliability survey, finishing in first place out of 23 executive cars, despite it doing badly in previous years.

The standard Giulia comes with plenty of equipment, but, of the early cars, it’s the Super version that we would recommend, because it has a slightly better interior and part-leather seats that give it a more premium feel.

"I've owned many Alfas over the years and ran a Giulia as a long-term test car. I'm hopelessly biased therefore, but I really like this car. I was amazed to see it jump up the ranks in our reliability survey, too, which was surprising, considering Alfa's history in this area." – Mark Pearson, Used Cars Editor

We found: 2019 Alfa Romeo Giulia 2.0T Veloce, 49,956 miles, £17,450

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The Jaguar XE ticks many desirable boxes. It features a traditional rear-wheel-drive layout, plenty of driver appeal, plus all the style and equipment buyers could want. It’s refined on the motorways and the ride is comfortable. True, there are others that are better finished inside and more spacious, but few handle as sweetly. It's also excellent value, with prices starting from just £6000 for early examples with reasonable miles.

While there has been a question mark over the XE's reliability in recent years, it did reasonably well in our most recent reliability survey, finishing in seventh place out of 23 executive cars. As for engines, the 178bhp 2.0-litre diesel feels usefully quicker than the lower-powered version, yet is almost as economical and efficient. The petrol models are smoother and quieter than the diesels, so they're even more pleasant to drive, but fuel economy suffers. If you can afford the bills, the 237bhp 2.0-litre petrol is worth a look.

All XEs get plenty of equipment, but of the earlier cars, Prestige models feel a little bit more premium than entry-level SE, making it our choice. With later cars, even the entry-level S trim is kitted out, making it a recommendable option, too. 

"Ah, a traditional old-school Jag, and none the worse for it. Runs the BMW 3 Series close for sheer driving fun in my book." – Mark Pearson, Used Cars Editor

We found: 2019 Jaguar XE D180 R-Dynamic S, 57,953 miles, £13,349

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The VW Passat is a fantastic all-rounder, blending comfort and efficiency with a delightfully classy interior. There’s plenty of room for everyone, too, and a capacious boot. Reliability is another strong point in this impressive car's favour. 

Diesels dominate the Passat range and most of the cars on the used market are oil burners. Our pick is the 2.0-litre TDI 150, which is punchy and flexible enough for overtaking and refined on the motorways. It’s also more economical than the more powerful 2.0-litre TDI 190.

Entry-level S trim is a little sparse, although it gets air-con and electric windows. We’d go with SE trim: it adds desirable goodies such as automatic lights and wipers, cruise control and parking sensors all-round. Prices for S start from £8000, while SE costs a touch more, from £10,000.

"I'm pleased to see the Passat has done better in in this year's reliability survey. Last year, it did poorly, which was a contrast to previous years, where it did quite well." – George Hill, Used Cars Writer

We found: 2019 Volkswagen Passat 1.5 TSI EVO SE Nav, 58,391 miles, £11,000

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The clue is in the name, it would seem. The Skoda Superb is good to drive, plus it's available with a wide selection of engines, many of which are extremely efficient. What’s more, it’s spacious enough to moonlight as a limousine and every version is extremely comfortable. For the money, which is about £9000 for an early example, it's an impressive package, but a poor showing in our most recent reliability survey makes it less recommendable than it once was. 

The entry-level S model is fine, but we’d be tempted to spend a bit more money and find an example in SE Technology trim, because it has the best compromise of equipment and price. This version starts from the £11,000 mark.

Among the later, post-2018 Superbs, we prefer the 1.5 TSI 150 engine. It's smooth, punchy and economical. The earlier 1.4-litre petrol is similarly refined. Neither of the two 2.0-litre petrol engines is worth the added expense in fuel (unless you do mainly urban driving).

"The bargain exec, especially if you factor in space. It's large enough that with the driver's seat set up for 6ft 2in of me, I can still sit behind in supreme comfort." – George Hill, Used Cars Writer

We found: 2023 Skoda Superb 1.5 TSI SE Technology, 42,019 miles, £16,000

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Mercedes has built its reputation on luxury, and that's reflected in the plush interior of the Mercedes C-Class. Throw in decent practicality, a comfortable ride and a wide range of engines, and you have yourself a compelling package. Used prices for early examples are reasonable, with prices starting from around £8000 for an early car. Later examples from 2019 start from the £13,000 mark.

The only problem with the C-Class has been the strength of the competition. For example, the Audi A4 is better built and the BMW 3 Series is more fun to drive. It's not as practical as a Skoda Superb or Volkswagen Passat, either, or as cheap as a Jaguar XE. For those reasons, we can't put it any higher up this list, but as a positive to finish on, it's reliability rating has improved in our most recent reliability survey.

"If the E-Class is just a fraction more than you actually need or want, try the C-Class. I think it's a class act, offering much of the same as its bigger sibling, but in a smaller package. " – Mark Pearson, Used Cars Editor

We found: 2020 Mercedes C-Class C220d Sport, 41,000 miles, £17,000

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