But this particular model is something entirely new. It’s the diesel version, launched earlier in the year and using the 1.9-litre 150bhp TiD turbodiesel unit which does sterling service across many of Saab and Vauxhall’s key fleet cars.

In an ideal world, so Saab hopes, user-chooser company car drivers would flock to its heady combination of good looks, soft top, frugal diesel engine and low company car tax bills.

But diesels and convertibles, despite the advances in engine technology that have softened the noise of a diesel, are still unlikely bedfellows.

Many of the improvements in noise, vibration and harshness have come from insulation as well, and, of course, with the top down all that goes out of the window – literally.

And it’s not easy to predict which convertible will suit a diesel: the BMW 320Cd Convertible makes a horribly harsh racket and is, quite frankly, embarrassing to attempt posing in.

It is a bit metallic when cold, there’s a little vibration through the steering wheel at idle and, if you’re pulling away with walls nearby, some harshness bounces back off them, but in 99% of situations with the roof down the engine is smooth and refined.

In fact, because of its naturally low-revving nature, in cruise mode the 9-3 is very quiet and relaxing. This car has some of life’s little comforts, with extras such as satellite navigation and parking sensors, and some very chic light leather seats which seem to be holding up well to a life exposed to the elements. The seats are also fantastically comfortable, as Saab seats always seem to be.

There are, of course, some compromises to be made when you live with a convertible. The boot space, especially with the roof stowed in it, is hopeless. A potholer would feel claustrophobic in the dark slot that is left.

And if you have anything larger than a carrier bag in the boot when powering the roof back, paranoid sensors will intervene and stop your progress, so you have to take everything out and restow when the action is completed.

But if such little discomforts are likely to drive you through the roof, then owning a convertible is not for you.

Equipment and options

STANDARD

Upgraded looks, better specification levels and keener pricing are likely to prove popular with doctors, nurses and health workers, according to Vincent Kinner, Volkswagen UK head of fleet services.

“These are the people who still have money to spend and we are convinced they will appreciate the combination of style and quality on offer in this car. We also believe the Polo is on course to increase our success rate with councils and local authorities,” he told Fleet News.

“The Polo will also be backed by the best residual values – it is our best small car package so far and we are confident it will beat everything in the sector by some margin.”

Last year, Volkswagen sold more than 14,000 Polos to fleets and Kinner expects registrations to top the 12,000-mark this year in a smaller market.

“We think it will win a sector share of 8.6% compared with 6.9% for the current model,” he added.

With new power units offering up to 20% improved fuel economy, the supermini could be set for a significant role in helping fleets reduce costs.

The combination of a dramatic advance in appearance and a comprehensive interior makeover result in a notable upgrade in stature that could tempt user-choosers of larger cars to make the switch to the smaller Polo.

With styling chief Walter de Silva’s Scirocco-like frontal treatment, the Polo stands to win the second looks that eluded its 10.6 million predecessors.

The kerbside attraction is underlined by an interior transformed by fresh production processes, superior plastics, high-grade materials and subtle aluminium detailing strips on the fascia.

Bodywork weight fall by 7.5kg despite the new car being longer and wider to offer sufficient space for four adults.

Significantly, the design team also found a way to offer more generous headroom, despite the sleeker styling demanding a 13mm lower roofline. Load capacity ranges from 280 litres to 952 litres.

The result fully justifies Volkswagen’s claim of creating a class-leading interior that makes the car feel bigger than the average supermini.

With positive and secure roadholding and handling poise that remains intact irrespective of speed or road conditions, the grown-up Polo certainly provides more than a hint of the new Golf for both driver and passengers.

Remarkably, four 1.2 and 1.4-litre petrol engines all return 51.4mpg combined economy despite having outputs ranging from 59bhp to 103bhp.

The smallest and lowest powered unit will be the most popular with both fleet and private buyers.

Two versions of a new 1.6-litre TDI combine 74bhp and 88bhp outputs with 67.3mpg economy.

The Polo will be available with seven-speed automatic DSG transmission.

A modified 1.2-litre engine with stop-start will allow the BlueMotion model to boast 85.5mpg with 87g/km emissions when it arrives next summer.

Sales of five-door versions start in October; three-door in December.

Verdict

It might not have the Fiesta’s swoopy lines, but the sleek styling of the fifth-generation Polo still wins admiring glances. Inspired by the sporty Scirocco, the car is backed with a classy cabin boasting good accommodation despite a lower roofline.

High levels of refinement should help this model persuade more drivers to downsize.

By engineering a new version of its core 320d saloon below the key 110g/km of CO2 level, BMW has set the bar to a new level (in this case low, rather than high).

What appears to be a conventional diesel 3 Series hides some engineering advances which make this model – the 320d EfficientDynamics Saloon, to give it its full name – a massive step forward over its stablemates.

Dropping below 110g/km means this model attracts the full first year writing down allowances, allowing outright purchase fleets and leasing companies the opportunity to offset the car’s full first year depreciation against tax.

At 109g/km and claimed fuel economy of 68.9mpg, this new version has slightly less power (163bhp vs 177 in the regular 320d), a smidgeon more torque yet vastly improved efficiency – the normal 320d emits 128g/km and returns 58.9mpg.

Naturally, the new model comes with the full suite of EfficientDynamics technology (low rolling resistance tyres, stop-start, gearshift indicator, lower ride height), but BMW has re-engineered the flywheel so that it vibrates less, eliminating that stuttering when diesels are out of the torque band.

As a result, the new 320d is much smoother at lower revs, meaning drivers are more inclined to stay in a higher gear, improving fuel economy.

And it really works, the engine pulling smoothly from low speed in high gears. While BMW engineers say that they have had to compromise the driving dynamics of the 320d slightly to get down to 109g/km, in real-world driving it feels little different to the regular 320d model.

Verdict

The greatest compliment you can pay this new BMW is that it feels very similar to the current ‘full fat’ 320d. The benefits for outright purchase fleets with the full writing down allowances will make it a key model for BMW in the corporate arena, and driver BIK will be very low for a sporting executive saloon. BMW has set a new standard for the rest.

Prices start from £25,440 for the 170bhp 2.0-litre diesel – putting it on a par with a top-spec volume upper-medium hatchback.

Further engine variants and additional Quattro models will be phased in during 2010.

Audi is aiming the new A5 at fleets, with 75% of overall sales intended for the sector. Those overall sales equate to 550 units for 2009, rising to 4,700 for the first full year and between 4,700 and 5,000 for subsequent years.

Audi is clearly trying to carve a new niche in the market and attract buyers from many different segments, which makes it a difficult model to draw direct comparisons with other cars.

With CO2 emissions of 137g/km, making it well under the 160g/km threshold for increased writing down allowances, it’s sure to interest the fleet market.

Throw into the mix a claimed 54.3mpg, a top speed of 141mph and 0-62 in 8.7 seconds for the 2.0-litre diesel, plus its premium status and residual value benefit, and it continues to impress.

The boot boasts a 480-litre capacity when the rear seats are up, coming close to matching the A4 Avant.

And when luggage takes priority and the rear seats are folded down, a total of 980-litres can be freed up. 

Verdict

The A5 Sportback combines the striking looks and curves of the coupe with the everyday practicality of the A4.

It drives well, with plenty of standard equipment, while offering useful savings to both the company and the driver.

Factor in class-leading build quality and strong RVs and its appeal is evident.

The 2.0 TDI 170 makes it an ideal package.

BMW has made something of a habit of winning Fleet News Awards recently (nine in the past two years alone).

And it’s not just because of the desirable badge on the bonnet or the driving experience offered by its revered rear-wheel drive format.

The arrival of the fuel saving EfficientDynamics technology has changed the face or executive motoring in the fleet world.

No longer must a director be faced with punitive tax bills simply because he or she wants a car to match their office status.

In the case of the 5 Series, EfficientDynamics (brake energy regeneration, gearshift indicator, low rolling-resistance tyres and lightweight body panels) means that a director can opt for a £27,000 520d executive model and enjoy supermini-like levels of frugality.

CO2 emissions of 136g/km put the 520d in the 18% benefit-in-kind tax bracket, while BMW claims it will return an average of 55.4mpg.

Even if the driver returns mid to high 40s mpg in real-world driving, that’s a real result, both for the compnay and the driver.

And as emissions are comfortably below 160g/km there are more attractive writing down allowances.

The 520d’s performance on the balance sheet is very impressive, and still class-leading despite the car’s position in its lifecycle, and on the road it continues to impress.

The ride and handling are excellent, veering towards a firmer ride to match the car’s sporting saloon pretensions, while the 177bhp 2.0-litre diesel engine is by no means overwhelmed by the larger body of the 5 Series (remember, this engine is also used in the smaller 1 and 3 Series models).

The gearbox shifts cleanly, the engine pulls from low revs without complaint and the engine settles into a relaxed low rpm cruise at motorway speeds.

In SE trim the interior is somewhat austere and lacking in equipment, but BMW has recognised this with the option of a Business Edition model which costs £1,000 more than SE specification. For the money, you get additional equipment worth nearly £3,500 including leather seats, satellite navigation, Bluetooth telephony and a six-CD changer.

This package makes the interior seem a far more inviting place to be and boosts the 520d’s appeal.