Launched in 2008, Mercedes’ BlueEFFICIENCY range has continued to grow and has become a true contender amongst the rest of the field of economic cars.

The competition in this area of the market has grown with each year as more and more consumers look for the highest rate of return on the fuel, with the German manufacturers generally leading the way.

These cars are usually found to be owned by families that eat up the miles – mainly through work needs – and also companies that supply their fleet cars to their employees that require the best on efficiency when it comes to fuel.

Merc’s C-Class model range was the first to be garnished with the BlueEFFICIENCY magic and has since moved onto the more luxurious models such as the E-Class and the CLS range to mix performance with outright economy.

Using the sharply designed CLS as an example, the 350 CDI model produces a fairly hefty 265 bhp, yet manages to a return of 47 mpg from its 3.0 V6 power plant.

Of course when it comes to companies that want to distribute numerous cars to its workers, £50,000 might be a little steep, therefore the C-Class is most likely the better option. Most employees in this position will not only be looking for economy from their car, but also from the petrol stations they will regularly visit.

The most common solution to this is having the employees having their business fuel cards to hand when they fill up and the costs will be kinder to them than they normally would have been.

Mercedes’ new 7G-Tronic Plus gearbox is also helping the cause with its smooth gear changing helping the economy of the car, especially when in the respective ‘E’ mode.

The C 200 CDI will be the common choice amongst those doing the high mileage and owners will be more than content with the nearly 60 mpg they’ll be getting from the four-cylinder common-rail diesel unit, whilst 136 bhp will be more than enough during their motorway stints.

Of course there are other options across this class of car that can offer more mileage from their fuel, with such examples as the Volkswagen Passat BlueMotion and the BMW 3-Series EfficientDynamics, but few can offer such a mix of economy and luxury, as well as such a diverse range of vehicles as Mercedes.

Although, this all comes at a price obviously, so such a car is only available to companies with a healthy budget and choosing a rival of Mercedes would be no bad choice either, especially when the Volkswagen equivalent starts below the £20,000 mark.

About the author: Sam Bisby writes on behalf of directfuels.co.uk who offer various BP fuel cards for companies who want major mileage from their fleet.