Used Car of the Year Awards 2022: Executive cars

With demand for used cars on the rise, you’ll want to know which are the best buys. That’s where our annual Used Car Awards come in. These are our favourite executive cars...

Used Executive Car of the Year

Audi A4

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Price from £12,000

When it comes to soothing your furrowed brow on the way home from a hard day in the office, the Audi A4 certainly deserves its executive stripes.

We named it as our Car of the Year in 2016, and it still leads its class when it comes to comfort, refinement and quality. It’s no slouch when it comes to fuel economy, either – particularly if you opt for one of the quiet diesel engines. Admittedly, the Jaguar XE is a little sharper to drive and the Skoda Superb is roomier inside, but neither is such a consummate all-rounder.

And that’s before you factor in Audi’s premium reputation; that four-ringed badge carries a certain cachet that helps to keep values firm and put more money in your pocket when it comes time to sell the car on.

So, how does it earn the nod over the brilliant BMW 3 Series as a used buy? Well, that comes down to value for money. A budget of £18,000 gives you a broader choice of newer, lower-mileage A4s than it does with its arch rival, and the combination of our favourite SE trim and 2.0 TDI diesel engine (latterly dubbed 35 TDI) makes for a truly tempting three-year-old buy.

One we found: 2018 Audi A4 2.0 TDI Ultra SE, 12,380 miles Price £17,995

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Also consider...

Skoda Superb (2015-present)

With acres of room for those in the rear, the Superb beats the A4 if you need to carry five adults in comfort. Its petrol and diesel engines are among the most economical in this class, too. Okay, you do without the posh badges of the A4 and BMW 3 Series, but you get a newer car for the money. And it’s not as if the Superb cuts corners on quality; its smart interior belies its tempting price.

One we found: 2018 Skoda Superb 1.4 TSI SE Technology, 34,160 miles Price £14,999

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BMW 3 Series (2019-present)

The latest BMW 3 Series outshines the Audi A4 on driving fun and runs it very close elsewhere. It’s narrowly beaten for ride comfort by the A4 and Mercedes-Benz C-Class but makes amends with brilliantly intuitive infotainment. With fuel economy, quality and image firmly on its side, 3 Series values are strong, but £25,000 grabs a two- year-old 320d in our favourite Sport trim.

One we found: 2019 BMW 320d Sport, 31,000 miles Price £25,000