Premium Large cars: Australia’s Best Value Cars

Gone are the days when big luxury cars were all gas guzzlers.

Mercedes-Benz E200

Luxo-barges with small engines populated 2016’s Premium Large pointy end, reflecting the engine-downsizing movement prevalent in passenger cars.

So while it’s certainly still possible to have a hulking big engine in your executive express, each of the circa-1600kg misers here is powered by a turbo-fed engine in a size once more common in small and medium cars.

The 2.0-litre four-cylinder Benz ties with the 520i on a respectable 6.4L/100km and, like the 520i, the E200 can go for as long as 24 months between mechanical check-ups, depending on driving conditions, which earned them the full complement of points in that field.

The Merc’s 48 percent retained value isn’t great in an outright sense, but it’s the best of the top trio.

BMW 520i Luxury

Pricier insurance and a Glass’s three-year retained value just a single percentage point lower than the Benz keeps the Bee Em out of top place, but there’s next to nothing in it.

Audi A6 1.8 TFSI

A 1.8-litre four gives the A6 a slender fuel efficiency ace over its rivals, which each cost a mere 45 dollars more, but that isn’t enough to overcome a shorter service interval.

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