While crossovers and premium hatchbacks are the cream of the family car crop these days, the humble three-box saloon still has a place in ours and buyers’ hearts alike. And while its market share is diminished, the importance of this long-standing format to the identities of a number of manufacturers cannot be overstated. The X1 and GLC would not appeal to their buyers as much if not for the reassuring 3 Series and C Class sat next to them in the showroom, reminding us of what cemented these as the desirable brands they are today. For a class whose sales are diminishing, there are a remarkable number of these cars to choose from on the new car market too, with petrol, diesel, hybrid and electric options abound.
The nine best saloon cars to buy in 2022
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Volvo S60 – the tasteful one
“Not German” isn’t an official Volvo marketing line but may as well be, given the company has positioned itself as an alternative to BMW, Mercedes and Audi without engaging on their terms. Sure, in essence it follows a familiar formula, with a scalable platform based on transverse engines and front-wheel drive shared with various other Volvo models. Hybrid Twin Engine versions of the S60 combine efficiency with serious power and all-wheel drive, up to and including the discreetly sporting 405PS T8 Polestar Engineered. Smartly done, if hardly revolutionary or game changing. The attraction is more the class and conviction of the execution, informed by Volvo’s knowing expression of Scandinavian design and culture. The tech is good too, the vertical touchscreen at the centre of the dash one of the more intuitive systems of its kind.
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Alfa Romeo Giulia – the sexy one
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. But, clattery diesels aside, 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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Audi A4 – the upwardly mobile one
Saloon cars have always been associated with expressions of status. And while those in the corporate world may not wear uniforms or badges of rank the traditional company car has served a similar purpose, with every generation having its chosen model for projecting aspirational intent. From the Rovers, Granadas and Senators of a previous age to the German domination of more recent times, it’s clear Audi is the one with its finger on the pulse of what fast-moving execs want out of a saloon, at least going by their prevalence in the outside lanes of our motorways. Updated last year, the A4 combines its popular, understated style with the latest digital onboard tech, all screwed together with typical integrity. A winning blend.
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BMW 3 Series – the one moving with the times
Back in the ‘80s the 3 Series masterfully combined the looks, handling and sportiness of classic Italian sports saloons with the quality and engineering of contemporary German ones. That spirit carried through into later generations and meant it was always the saloon sportier drivers gravitated toward. The modern one has, however, matured, got bigger and more complicated and is now closer in spirit and stature to the 5 Series, leaving the sports saloon field to Jaguar and Alfa Romeo. As business becomes ever more connected, digitally driven, and taxation drives company car buying decisions more than ever, the switch in emphasis to tech, downsized engines, hybrids and the rest is probably the right one. Even if the cars are less exciting than they used to be.
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Mercedes-Benz E-Class – the quality one
The E-Class saloon is arguably the definitive Mercedes, the 14 million sales in the post-war era making it the biggest model in the brand’s history. And for an instant snapshot of the corporate mindset of any given era just check out the E-Class it was building at the time. The ‘70s W123 is still a symbol of Mercedes quality, proven by the million-mile survivors still operating as taxis the world over. Its W124 successor paired that with innovations in aerodynamics and safety while the goggle-eyed ‘90s successor embodied a shift from money-no-object engineering to more mainstream ideas of building to cost. Quality suffered as a result but the E-Class has slowly rebuilt its reputation and is, once again, the perfect overlap of C-Class usability and S-Class luxury. Now in facelifted form with an array of new tech, the E-Class saloon remains the benchmark Benz.
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Mazda 6 – the surprisingly beautiful one
As discussed, rep-spec saloons are fast becoming an endangered species. The Mazda 6 soldiers on where the Ford Mondeo and Vauxhall Insignia have faltered, leaving the market to which they were oh so faithful for three decades or more. The 6’s resilience is a testament to Mazda’s independent spirit, which is obvious inside and out. The confident expression of Japanese design ideals is both elegant and distinctive. The interior is particularly nice, both sumptuous and minimalist while grounded in tradition. It may lack the toys and gimmicks of German rivals but it looks great. Respect is also due to Mazda’s single-minded ‘Skyactiv’ engine range, even if numbers for power, economy and emissions won’t impress many in the intended company driver audience.
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Jaguar XE – the underrated one
We’ll gloss over the cringey #FeelXE launch pantomime (attendees of the 2014 event still suffer flashbacks…) and instead concentrate on the product itself. Breathlessly teased on literally every Autocar cover since the unloved X-Type went out of production, the much heralded ‘baby Jag’ landed with huge expectation but the contraction of the saloon market has left Jaguar relying more on SUVs like F-Pace, E-Pace and I-Pace for volume sales. Which is a pity, because the XE is a lovely looking car thanks to Ian Callum’s typically graceful pen, while its sporty, rear-wheel-drive set-up and deft handling make it a delight at any speed. Sadly, modern saloon buyers are more into their tech and, despite recent advances, Jaguar has struggled to keep up with the Germans in this regard.
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Toyota Corolla Saloon – the unexpectedly interesting one
Drift-tastic AE86 coupes aside, Toyota Corollas haven’t traditionally done much to set the pulse racing. The embodiment of white goods motoring it’s therefore a pleasant surprise to find the latest Corolla has real style, especially in apparently unfashionable saloon format. The hatchback remains the best all-rounder and there’s a Touring Sports (estate to you and me) for those who need space, leaving the saloon as something of a left-field choice. But an unexpectedly handsome one. The hybrid powertrain and CVT gearbox don’t sound too promising and it’s a shame you can’t get it with the 2.0-litre, 181PS powertrain available in the hatch and estate. But in style and character it’s a much more appealing proposition than the Prius with which it shares its platform and hybrid system with.
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Tesla Model 3 – the electric one
Whichever way you cut it, however you feel about Elon, his cars are actually quite good, certain quality hiccups and feature paywalling notwithstanding. The very basic truth of the matter is that still, if you want an electric car in 2022 in the UK, Teslas remain enormously compelling. Even if you don’t like the cars themselves, that expansive and reliable charging network gives them an enormous advantage compared to rivals. The Model 3’s driving dynamics, while not outwardly thrilling, are decently sorted, and when you’re not spanking it the efficiency is excellent too. It’s comfortable, practical, spacious and truthfully, still leagues ahead of rivals in terms of its digital user interface. The Model 3 has less of a ‘Teslarati’ association to it too, given how much cheaper and how much more common it is now than its Model S and Model X siblings. After three years on sale and after Polestar and BMW have had their cracks, the Model 3 remains a very good electric car that suits the needs of many drivers perfectly.
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Which saloon would you want to eat up the miles with?
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