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JAN 29th 2024

Russell Campbell

The 9 best saloon cars to buy in 2024

Saloons have been dying a slow death for years now replaced by crossovers and SUVs that offer more interior space but in a cool boxy shape with an upright driving position that elevates you above other road users (or at least it did before everyone drove SUVs).

But we’re not ready to disband with the sleek looks and sweet drive of a decent saloon just yet and neither is the car industry because their aerodynamic shapes are an excellent way for squeezing as many miles as possible out of an EV’s battery. Could a saloon resurgence be on the cards? If it is, here are ten of the best currently on sale.

1. Citroen C5X

The Citroen C5X doesn’t really know what it is; it claims to offer a bit of saloon, SUV and coupe all rolled into one. It’s Citroen back to its oddball best, but the CX5’s inclusion on this list drives home the feeling that proper saloons are an endangered species. 

Citroen has been gracious enough to give the C5 X a character all of its own that’s clear from the moment you slide your posterior onto its armchair-like driver’s seat. Its heavily padded construction flattens out the bumps not caught by the Citroen’s uber plush suspension making this one of the most comfortable cars you can get without straying into the zone of pricy luxury models. You can have the CX5 as a hybrid but its weight battery ruins the ride, best to stick with the 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol which is cheap to run and surprisingly refined. 

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2. Alfa Romeo Giulia

Forget its unflattering portrayal as a foil for the Italian Job Minis. From the deceptive simplicity of its three-box design to the zesty performance of its twin-cam engines, the Alfa Romeo Giulia set the template for the sporting saloon car. Its successors kept the style but later front-driven Fiat platforms were left behind by rear-driven BMWs for driver appeal.

Enter Alfa Romeo’s new ‘Giorgio’ platform underpinning both the new-age Giulia and the Stelvio SUV. Rear-driven in the Giulia, the blistering Quadrifoglio sets hearts a flutter. Even regular versions retain that sense of sportiness characterised by that ‘60s original. An Alfa Romeo you can buy with both your heart and your head, the Giulia is once again putting the sport back into sports saloon. A major facelift is reportedly on the cards for the next two years, too, so if you were worried it was getting long in the tooth, the Giulia has a few years left in it yet.

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3. Porsche Taycan

Electric cars’ effortless power delivery and refinement can never be matched by a petrol alternative, but can they ever match the waterbomb-to-the-face engagement of a fully sorted sports saloon?

If you were going to bet on anyone it would be Porsche and the Taycan makes a decent fist of being a car you yearn to drive. Like most Porsches, the Tayacan gets the basics spot on. The driving position is excellent and the Taycan’s ruthless body control is a match for straightline performance that will literally take your breath away.  Problem is, the Taycan can’t hide its 2.3 tonne weight, its dustbin-lid sized brakes wince at stopping it from speed and while it’s playful on the limit, it can also be downright scary.

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4. BMW 3 Series

For what seems like always, the BMW 3 Series has been the go-to choice for anyone needing a practical family car they can enjoy driving properly and that remains true even if today's 3 Series is arguably the least sportiest of all. 

You can’t have it with a manual gearbox and if you want six-cylinders, you’ll need the top of the range M340i that, by the way, is only available with four-wheel drive. It’s also grown to the extent that it’s as big as a 5 Series was five years ago. But the BMW’s sweet chassis balance, neat body control and excellent eight-speed automatic gearbox mean it’s still the driver's choice, only it now roomier, safer and packs a huge infotainment screen.

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5. Mercedes S-Class

The Mercedes S-Class, seen by so many as the apex saloon, dictated its own spot on this list. Loved by dictators, company execs and chauffeurs alike, the S-Class shows us what tech will be widespread in the industry in ten years time – 3D displays and advanced self-drive tech if the current S-Class is anything to go by.

But to think of the S-Class as a mobile gadget shop would do it a disservice. It’s one of the most luxurious cars on sale with a ride quality that’s smoother than butter and an interior so quiet it makes a library seem like a German rave hall's warm up act. Sadly, V12s and V8s are off the menu, but the S580 hybrid’s refinement (it can run on electricity for more than 40 miles) and 5.2 second 0-62mph performance are a perfect match for the Merc’s luxury. 

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6. Maserati Quattroporte

The Maserati Ghibli makes little sense as a buying proposition, consistently underperforming against the measures of its more mainstream alternatives but Maserati ownership should never be reasoned.

Instead, it’s better to let the heart rule the head, drawn in by the Ghibli’s pretty face and shapely side quarters that don’t test your resolve like the gopher-toothed grille of a BMW M3. You can have your Maserati with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder but to do such a thing would be madness when in the Trofeo, you can have a magnificent Ferrari-built twin turbo V8 that’s good for more than 200mph.

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7. Jaguar XF

The Jaguar XF feels like it comes from a time that predates EVs, huge infotainment screens and self-drive technology, but it’s a welcome tonic if you like your car to be a car rather than Tomorrow’s World on four wheels.

It helps that Jaguar gets the fundamentals right. The XF’s oily smooth ride quality filters out the jagged secondary bumps EVs tend to crash into but not at the expense of body control because the XF has the kind of agility that most EVs can’t get close. Sadly, while the Jaguar is pleasingly analogue to some, others will find it unforgivably outdated.

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8. Polestar 2

The Polestar 2 was already the EV of choice for anyone looking to cut a discerning dash at the charging station, and it’s now been improved with a longer range and a switch from front to rear-wheel drive on entry level models.

The Polestar’s simple lines and bulky shape look as fresh today as they did when the car launched four years ago. With a large infotainment screen used for most of the interior controls, the cabin is uncluttered and is stuffed with posh-feeling materials. Driving is just as relaxing. The Polestar moves almost silently and with no gears to worry about it accelerates briskly away from the line.

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9. Tesla Model 3

If the BMW 3 Series is the car that shows us how small posh saloons started, the Tesla Model 3 shows us how it’s going. Tesla proved EVs were viable with the Model S and the Model 3 follows in its tyre tracks offering up a usable range with outrageous performance and an infotainment-heavy, mould-breaking interior. 

Under threat from a slew of Chinese alternatives, not to mention new EVs from more established opposition, the Model 3 has just been updated. Even basic versions of the Model 3 can get from 0-62mph 5.7 seconds and have a range of more than 340 miles between charges. In fact, Tesla gets the fundamentals so right you’re left to be annoyed like the fiddly steering indicator buttons and on-screen gear selector. 

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