At present, there’s a real gap in the market for middle-market product here – it’s all GTI / S Line / 330e / 350e at the premium level, with no real Match, Sport, 200 options, which has kept many models off company car lists owing to overall list prices even with discounts which tend to be at a minimum owing to the higher positioning of the product.
Ford and Vauxhall, increasingly focused on the retail market as company car sales move towards the more German premium brands, only delve into the market from a token perspective.
Toyota has made interesting steps with it’s C-HR, and does have a great reliability rating and is affordable, if a little lacklustre to drive. The Mitsubishi Outlander remains a popular choice, but doesn’t perform well – barely at all, electrically – in poor, cold climates. There is a complete absence of a seven seat option, bar from one manufacturer,Tesla.
At present, the entry Model S will set you back a minimum 55k before you put in those seven seats, admittedly, and the X around 60k bare, but with the Model 3 on it’s way for 3 series money, and a likely foray into the compact cross-over market in the near future, they’re certainly one to watch.