It's new car time and I'm stumped.

[Bailes1992]

It's new car time for me, and this time it's a bit different. You see, I'm quite impulsive, if I see a car I like, and it's affordable, I buy it. If I have a company car, I usually select off reallocation lists as there's often something there that I wouldn't have otherwise looked at, thus my 2022 Cupra Born V2. Most of the cars I'm choosing from aren't available in the US, so figured you guys might find my choices interesting.

I've just started a new job, and requested a company car due to high business miles. There was another engineer due to leave, so I was offered his 12 month old Polestar 2 Long Range Dual Motor which I was somewhat excited about. However, they have now decided to stay with the company and there's no other reallocation cars. So, I'm now in a situation I haven't dealt with before. I have some time, a budget and minimal requirements to pick a brand new car, and honestly, I'm struggling.

It's a mix of there being too much choice, and nothing out there that just does everything I want.

My requirements are as follows...

• Full EV due to company car tax rules in the UK.
• Saloon, hatchback or estate. No SUV's or crossovers.
• Rear wheel drive or four wheel drive. Nothing FWD.
• Minimum 300miles range.
• Minimum 300bhp.
• Adaptive cruise control.

And this is the 4 cars I've narrowed it down to, well 5, but two cars are the same car but from 2 different manufacturers.

BMW i4 MSport eDrive 40 (current favourite)

Appreciate this one is probably a bit boring as you have them in the US. BUT, I love the way BMW's drive and while most new BMW's are a bit ugly, I'm quite fond of the i4. My previous BMW was a G31 530d MSport and I broke my heart when it left. I'd probably go for fire red with a cognac interior with optional harmon kardon sound system, adaptive cruise and keyless entry.

Pros

• Typical BMW driving experience.
• RWD platform.
• Larger than my previous Cupra Born.
• Prestige image and dealer experience to suit.
• Good colour selection on both interior and exterior.
• 370miles WTLP range.
• Physical controls for HVAC etc.

Cons

• Quite a few optional extras required to get it up to the level of equipment I desire.
• The most expensive out of all my selections and between 'topping up' my budget and paying company car tax, this would cost me £260/month.
• Less power than some of the other options with 340bhp, a 0-60 time of 5.6 seconds and a top speed of 118mph.

IM 5

This should be more interesting, these aren't available over the US. IM are owned by SAIC Motors, the same company who now sell MG in the UK. So IM's are currently sold by MG dealers under the MG brand, despite maintaining their IM badge? Weird.

Pros

• The below line isn't a joke.
• 751bhp, 0-60 in 3.2 seconds and 167mph top speed.
• The above line isn't a joke.
• Slightly cheaper than the i4 at £211/month in tax and top up.
• Far higher spec'd than any other car on this list, there is no optional extras, you just get everything.
• 344miles WTLP range.
• Bigger than the i4, closer to i5 in size.
• 800v 396kw charging capability if you can find the right charger.

Cons

• Everything is on a touch screen.
• Not sure if it looks amazing, or a little bit awkward.
• It's Chineese and quality is a bit of an unknown right now.
• MG dealer network is dreadful.
• Leather feels a little cheap and plasticky and there is a lot of it.
• Colours are basically different shades of grey and a baby blue thrown into the mix.
• Interior only comes in 90's Ford grey or white.
• Four wheel drive, which I don't mind, but would prefer RWD.

Cupra Born VZ / VW ID.3 GTX

So both Cupra Born VZ and ID.3 GTX are essentially the same car, just a badging exercise. The VZ is the more powerful version of my previous Born. The Cupra has a slightly higher quality interior, and generally looks better over the VW but the VW has better choices of paint colour and that might sway me.

Pros

• Loved my Cupra Born V2.
• Rear wheel drive.
• 366miles WLTP range.
• Just £110 per month top up and tax.

Cons

• Battery preconditioning and general charge rates and worse than the other 3 cars. However, I managed perfectly fine with my Born V2.
• Interiors only come in black.
• Range of colours basically just greyscale. The Born is available in the blue above and the ID.3 comes in a solid red.
• Least powerful car on the list with 326bhp.
• Was hoping to get something a little bigger.

Volvo EX30 Cross Country Twin Motor Performance

Bit of a funny one, as it looks like a crossover despite being more hatch. I like it in a cute kind of way and only considering it due to it's value, performance and wolf-in-sheeps-clothing looks.

Pros

• Interior space for passengers better than in the Born.
• £90/month top up and tax, the cheapest of the cars here.
• A great performer with 428bhp taking the training shoe to 60 in 3.7 seconds and on to a limited 112mph.
• Interior comes in blue or the cream/green above called 'pine' which I quite like with the Sand Dune paint. It's very understated.
• As well spec'd as the IM 5, no optional extras required.
• Love it's understated looks.

Cons

• WLTP range of 270.9miles. Less than I wanted and around the same as my old Born V2.
• Boot space less than the Born.
• Interior is very 'empty' like a Tesla with everything on one screen.
• Boring range of exterior colours, but there is a baby blue and the hearing aid beige above.

And that's where I am. I'm completely undecided and totally confused. I'd like to own every car on the list. The fleet management company will arrange 3 demonstrators for me for 1 week at a time. I've asked them first for the IM 5 as I need to experience the 751bhp, but I'm really struggling to get over the Chinese aspect of it. But then again the Volvo is basically Chinese these days too. The play it safe option is the Cupra Born, but I feel like I've already ticked that box now. My heart wants the BMW but the performance and value for money being offered by the IM5 is staggering, I keep calling it the Temu Taycan. The EX30 was a bit of an offshoot idea, but I think the range is a bit of an issue now I'm going further afield than in my previous job.

I'll keep this updated.

 

[Zee09]

Great post and pictures
A man like myself makes no impulse buys. I trained and studied a strict doctrine of minimalistic behavior for which I am proud.

That said I wish you the absolute best in your endeavor .

 

[cptbarkey]

My dad told me awhile back that a vehicle is simply to get from point A to point B. Thats why I bought a Lexus as an adult. Thanks Dad.

 

[Owen Lucas]

I'd stay away from that Chinese Tesla clone. Numbers look great, but how is repair support and long term reliability?

 

[Bailes1992]

I'd stay away from that Chinese Tesla clone. Numbers look great, but how is repair support and long term reliability?

My experience with MG dealers hasn't been great. My Wife had an MG ZS which had an electrical issue nobody could solve, but the dealer did give us a full refund after 6 months.

However, it's worth remembering this won't be my car and there's a fleet management company to deal with any nonsense that may arise.

 

[benjamming]

What do you do for transportation while the fleet management company deals with the nonsense? What's the recovery look like?

 

[Bailes1992]

What do you do for transportation while the fleet management company deals with the nonsense? What's the recovery look like?

They'll drop off a hire car. I'm currently in one at the moment while I make my mind up.

 

[Passport1]

As @cptbarkey said, "a vehicle is simply to get from A to B". Seems like you added the entire alphabet. Likely the colonials on this side of the pond can't whittle that down much.

 

[RhondaHonda]

I’d lean towards the IM 5 or the BMW since it appears you are just paying some sort of personal use tax and don’t really own the car.

Thanks for posting, it’s nice to see what’s out there across the pond. Does the company pay for the electricity you use and if so, how does that work?

 

[dogememe]

Is Tesla Model 3 not available there? It’s a fantastic car.

 

[Hirev]

Is Tesla Model 3 not available there? It’s a fantastic car.

I was just going to ask that question. Around here in the affluent areas Lots of Teslas most people I've talked to about them like them.

 

[Bailes1992]

I’d lean towards the IM 5 or the BMW since it appears you are just paying some sort of personal use tax and don’t really own the car.

Thanks for posting, it’s nice to see what’s out there across the pond. Does the company pay for the electricity you use and if so, how does that work?

Our tax office sets reasonable reimbursement rates for business mileage depending on the vehicles and circumstances in which you have the vehicle. An EV like the above that was provided by the company would incur a reimbursement rate if 7p/mile for all business mileage. If you had your own car it can be as high as 45p/mile as it covers wear and tear etc.

Is Tesla Model 3 not available there? It’s a fantastic car.

Standard Tesla model 3 is my 'benchmark car' and what most of my new colleagues drive.

I dislike Tesla's interiors. I find them cheap, empty and souless. The thought of sitting in one for many hours a week doesn't excite me in any way at all.

 

[AZjeff]

The red one has the steering wheel on the correct side.

1. BMW
2.Volvo
3..... whatever.

 

[Oillover]

Seems you are already leaning towards the BMW.
If I were in your shoes, I'd choose the same and leave it at that.
No need to make things more complicated.

 

[meep]

I’m sitting somewhere between the bmw and the VW/Cupra. Poor dealer network is crummy on a high tech ride. I really like the looks of the Volvo but the shorter range is a thing and the single-panel experience is so unengaging.

Both of these are nice cars. Between them I’d probably look for “Best Value” for reliable and longer term ownership, in case you liked it and kept it.

 

[MrJayhawk]

• The below line isn't a joke.
• 751bhp, 0-60 in 3.2 seconds and 167mph top speed.
• The above line isn't a joke.

So where in England is that top speed possible?

 

[Bailes1992]

• The below line isn't a joke.
• 751bhp, 0-60 in 3.2 seconds and 167mph top speed.
• The above line isn't a joke.

So where in England is that top speed possible?

I can think of a lot of places where it's possible, legal on the other hand is a totally different question.

Also, I live in Wales, which is in Britain. England is also in Britain. But England and Wales are not the same place.

 

[Boomer]

I was always taught by my dad (born 1919) that a car is just " a chair that goes down the road." As long as the chair takes you where you want to go cheaply and dependably, that is all you need.

 

[Number_35]

I can think of a lot of places where it's possible, legal on the other hand is a totally different question.

Also, I live in Wales, which is in Britain. England is also in Britain. But England and Wales are not the same place.

My first (and by far, best) supervisor was a very fine Welshman who had moved here in the early '70s, hired for an ill-fated aircraft project.

Once, as a gag, he had the printing shop make a one-off cover for a technical spec that he sent up to an aggressive female lawyer for review - instead of March 1, the date was St. David's Day. It was received with bewilderment.

All that to say, the one time I saw him rather agitated was when an older lady in the department, not the sharpest knife in the drawer, kept insisting he was English. ("Well, it's the same thing anyway, isn't it?")

 

[Owen Lucas]

Also, I live in Wales, which is in Britain. England is also in Britain. But England and Wales are not the same place.

What? What is going on over there?

Just get one of those vintage Minis as call it a day. You can use it as a lunch table at rest stops too.