Top Gear's top five saloons

£28,080, 181bhp, 280lb ft, 0-62mph 7.5secs, vmax 146mph, 62.7mpg, CO2 119g/km

All you need to know about the BMW 3-Series is that it's possibly the best car in the world. And the 320d is the best model. Or a 330d, if you like poweeerrr.

Read the full verdict here

£31,465, 204bhp, 368lb ft, 0-62mph 7secs, vmax 149mph, 56.5mpg, CO2 131g/km

Doesn't quite have the handling fluency of the BMW, but is perhaps an even more upmarket contender for class honours. Don't like diesel? There's a petrol V8...

Read the full verdict here

£22,325, 170bhp, 258lb ft, 0-62mph 8.8secs, vmax 137mph, 48.7mpg, CO2 153g/km

A bargain. A huge bargain, both financially and physically. Not one for the high speed corner attack, but for wafting and comfort it's peerless.

Read the full verdict here

£20,000, 160bhp, 177lb ft, 0-62mph 9.3secs, vmax 134mph, 44.1mpg, CO2 149g/km

A change from ubiquitous diesel - Ford's latest turbo petrols are excellent and the Mondeo, though ageing, can still show younger cars how things should be done.

Read the full verdict here

£29,845, 163bhp, 295lb ft, 0-62mph 9.2secs, vmax 137mph, 65.7mpg, CO2 114g/km

The Volvo S60 appears in this list at the expense of the Audi A4, which should give you some indication of how highly we rate it. It's a car that looks after you.

Read the full verdict here