Compact executive car champs

Anyone who keeps a close eye on the stock levels at their local showrooms will have noticed how tempting some compact executive models have become.

Entry versions of these cars are always popular choices for image-conscious company drivers, and when they trade up, the second-hand market is flooded with these premium brand saloons – and of course, this doesn’t help their residual values.

Audi’s brand new A5 Sportback is expected to one of the strongest choices in this class for holding on to its price, thanks in part to the fact it’s such a fresh design. It also breaks new ground for the company, as it hasn’t replaced an existing model. As a result, the Sportback should be able to maintain its novelty value when all the attention attracted by the initial marketing campaign has died down.

Once again, smart buyers will go for the diesel-engined variant – the 2.0-litre TDI, priced at £25,440, is predicted to retain an impressive 54.7 per cent of its value.

The all-wheel-drive quattro version costs an additional £1,495, but the financial gap between this and the front-driven variant isn’t expected to be as wide by the time the Sportback makes it on to the second-hand market. As a result, the standard 2.0 TDI depreciates by slightly less – and is our pick of the new range. Over the course of three years and 30,000 miles, this variant will set owners back a total of £3,841 every 12 months, or 38 pence per mile.

No other model in the compact executive car sector can match these figures. And the A5 Sportback’s appeal doesn’t end there. The newcomer has a distinctive shape and is sure to be an exclusive choice, plus it sprints from 0-62mph in 8.7 seconds and promises 54.3mpg combined economy. The German manufacturer clearly has another winner on its hands.

TOP 5 COMPACT EXECUTIVE CAR CHAMPS
1. Audi A5 Sportback - 2.0 TDI (170) - 54.7 per cent
2. Mercedes C-Class - C200 CDI - 48.2 per cent
3. Audi A4 - 2.0 TDIe - 45.6 per cent
4. BMW 3-Series - 318i M Sport - 45.1 per cent
5. Lexus IS - IS 220d SE - 44.2 per cent

TOP BUY: A5 Sportback 2.0 TDI (170)

Sector: Compact executive car

Price: £25,440

Residual after 3yrs/30,000 miles: £13,916/54.7 per cent

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl, 168bhp

Economy/CO2: 54.3mpg/137g/km