10 best comfortable cars on the market of 2022

Having a car with racy suspension and body hugging sports seats may sound like a lot of fun, and it is. However, sometimes all you want is something which will gently waft you home from the office in comfort. With this in mind, here are the top 10 most comfortable cars on sale today.

Here are the most comfortable cars on sale:

1. Mercedes S-Class
2. Volkswagen Arteon
3. Mercedes E-Class Estate
4. Citroen C4
5. Audi Q5
6. BMW 5 Series
7. Volvo V90
8. Nissan Qashqai
9. Lexus UX
10. Skoda Fabia

1. Mercedes S-Class

• Starting price: £81,650
• Recommended trim: AMG Line
• Recommended engine: 3.0-litre diesel
• wowscore: 9/10

The Mercedes S-Class is an icon among luxury cars – often seen as the pace setter for the latest technology and design in the class. Its standard air suspension absorbs ragged road surfaces or huge potholes with near-unparalleled ease. The cabin is trimmed from roof to floor with luxurious materials and the seats are soft and supportive. You also get a huge infotainment screen, as well as a high quality sound system to keep you entertained on the commute to work.

There’s plenty of tech on board to take the strain out of motorway slogs. You get adaptive cruise control which can keep you a safe distance from the car in front, steer to keep you in lane and even bring you to a stop in traffic. In terms of engines, there’s a selection of petrol and diesels, all of which are 3.0-litre straight-six units paired to a nine-speed automatic gearbox. Regardless of which one you go for, they’re all smooth, punchy and quiet.

2. Volkswagen Arteon

• Starting price: £37,040
• Recommended trim: R Line
• Recommended engine: 2.0-litre petrol
• wowscore: 8/10

The Volkswagen Arteon is a great looking four-door coupe which is certainly more exciting to behold than the Passat that went before it. It’s not only a looker though, it’s also well equipped. All models get LED headlights, an eight-inch touchscreen, 12-inch drivers display and a leather interior. There’s also plenty of interior space, both for passengers and their luggage.

For an extra £1,000 you can add adaptive suspension to the Arteon, however the standard setup is so refined it’s not really worth it. The controls are all nice and light, making it easy to drive in town, and it’s smooth on the motorway. The 2.0-litre petrol engine is quiet and has plenty of performance on tap, and there are plug-in hybrids available as well for those who want extra economy.

3. Mercedes E-Class Estate

• Starting price: £42,725
• Recommended trim: AMG Line
• Recommended engine: 2.0-litre diesel
• wowscore: 8/10

While it doesn’t quite offer the stratospheric-levels of luxury found in the S-Class, the Mercedes E-Class Estate is still one of the plushest cars you can buy. The cabin is stylish, packed with technology and equipped with impressively comfortable seats with lots of back support. Optional air suspension gives the practical E-Class Estate a pleasant floating sensation when it hits a bump that really enhances the serenity of the driving experience.

The interior is a great place to be as well, a bit like a S-Class mini. The design is modern and you get two large screens for the infotainment and driver’s display. You can also get similar semi-autonomous tech to the S-Class to make the driving experience as stress free as possible.

4. Citroen C4

• Starting price: £21,940
• Recommended trim: Sense Plus
• Recommended engine: 1.2-litre Petrol
• wowscore: 7/10

The Citroen C4 is proof that you don’t have to spend a fortune to get a comfortable, practical and well equipped car. It’s clear within a few yards of driving that the C4 is set up for maximum comfort. It’s ‘progressive hydraulic cushion’ suspension system allows it to be as soft as possible, while not being too bouncy or wallowy. Granted, it’s not the ideal car for a backroad blast thanks the soft suspension and slightly numb steering, but not many cars in this price bracket come close in terms of relaxation.

There are a few engine options to choose from, however the 1.2-litre three cylinder petrol with 130hp is the pick of the range. It’s punchy enough as an all-rounder, while also being smooth and economical. If you want even lower running costs and an even more serene driving experience, there’s an all-electric version called the Citroen e-C4 as well. It has a claimed 217-miles of range and can fast-charged to 80% in just 30 minutes.

5. Audi Q5

• Starting price: £45,445
• Recommended trim: Sport
• Recommended engine: 2.0-litre diesel
• wowscore: 9/10

The Audi Q5 is a great jack-of-all-trades family SUV. It feels beautifully built inside and out, is great to drive with immense stability and accurate controls, and is a relaxing place in which to spend time. Optional air suspension adds another string to the Q5’s bow by letting it absorb even the biggest bumps while also smoothing out cracked and rough road surfaces. It’s also pleasingly hushed on the move with its diesel engines being among the quietest currently on sale.

There’s plenty of toys available for the Q5 to make life easier behind the wheels, such as the Tour Pack which can steer, accelerate and brake for you on motorways and in traffic. It’s just unfortunate that this, along with a lot of the tech on this car, is a pricey optional extra. Still, at least the engines on offer are quiet and refined, with the 2.0-litre diesel being the pick of the range. If you want a taste of EV motoring however, there are two plug-in hybrid models available as well.

6. BMW 5 Series

• Starting price: £40,125
• Recommended trim: M-Sport
• Recommended engine: 3.0-litre diesel
• wowscore: 8/10

The BMW 5 Series might hail from a brand better known for building sporty cars, it can still do a very convincing impression of a cosseting executive car. Its optional adaptive dampers can be set to comfort mode, allowing the 5 Series to mask big bumps while tuning out the worst road surfaces – plus it can be firmed up should you want to enjoy the car’s great handling. The cabin is stuffed with soft materials and the seats are very supportive, making it easy to while away the miles.

The great thing about the 5 series is it offers the best of both worlds. Put it in sport mode and you can happily throw it down a back road with a grin plastered across your face, before settling into a relaxing cruise. The standard 520d diesel engine is the best all-rounder. It’s smooth, quiet and will return north of 50mpg.

7. Volvo V90

• Starting price: £42,595
• Recommended trim: Core
• Recommended engine: 2.0-litre diesel
• wowscore: 7/10

Volvo has always been a byword for two things, safety and comfort, and the Volvo V90 is no exception to this. It’s a handsome, well built and supremely comfortable estate car which also offers economical and powerful engines. You’ll definitely want to splash out for the Nappa leather seats, as they are some of the most comfortable and supportive items in the business. Couple this to the soft suspension and you have a car which can waft you down the M25 with no fuss at all.

It’s not just on motorways where the V90 excels. Thanks to great all-round visibility and a plethora of cameras around the car it’s easy to drive in town as well. If the size of the thing intimidates you in a car park, you can also get it with a self parking feature. The interior is a very pleasant place to be as well, with lots of leather and solid metal trims really sprucing up the joint.

8. Nissan Qashqai

• Starting price: £24,555
• Recommended trim: Visia
• Recommended engine: 1.3-litre petrol
• wowscore: 8/10

The Nissan Qashqai practically invented the crossover SUV segment when it debuted back in 2008, and it continues to be a competitive offering today. It manages to be very comfortable over the bumpiest of roads, even when fitted with the largest 20-inch alloy wheels. The Qashqai is easy to drive in town too, thanks to good visibility and light controls, however the infotainment system isn’t the best on the market and smartphone mirroring is only available on higher spec cars.

The higher powered 1.3-litre petrol engine is the pick of the range for its blend of performance and economy. You’ll also want the CVT automatic gearbox for the most relaxing driving experience. There won’t be any stress when it comes to loading your luggage into the car either, as the Qashqai has a decent sized boot.

9. Lexus UX

• Starting price: £29,955
• Recommended trim: Standard
• Recommended engine: 2.0-litre petrol
• wowscore: 7/10

If you want a small SUV with a funky look, the Lexus UX might be the one for you. To sweeten the deal, it’s also one of the most comfortable cars in this sector. This is mainly thanks to the excellent seats, something Lexus is pretty well known for getting right, and the excellently judged suspension setup. It doesn’t judder or shake over bumps and the road and wind noise is kept to a minimum. However, it doesn’t lean or roll in the corners and it generally handles itself very well.

It stands out in a carpark as well thanks to Lexus’s signature spindle grille and the myriad of sharp creases. The interior is a nice place to be as well thanks to the metallic trims and and angular design. You also get adaptive cruise control as standard to take the stress away from day-to-day driving.

10. Skoda Fabia

• £15,305
• Recommended trim: S
• Recommended engine: 1.0-litre turbo-petrol
• wowscore: 7/10

If you want something thats comfortable and great value for money, the Skoda Fabia ticks these boxes. It’s a cheaper alternative to it’s stablemate the Volkswagen Polo, and it’s a great all-rounder with decent equipment levels and decent practicality. It may not be the most exciting car to drive, but it handles well enough and it copes with bumps in the road brilliantly. The large windows make for great all-round visibility as well.

You have a choice of three petrol engines, two of which are turbocharged. The higher-powered 110hp turbocharged unit is the one to go for because it can be optioned with an automatic gearbox and it has enough power for day-to-day life.

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