2024 sees the arrival of an all-new Mercedes E-Class, but for regular motorway drivers, there's still plenty going for the current one. If you want a refined and classy motorway car, we can think of few better than the high quality E-Class. A car designed for covering vast Autobahn distances in serene comfort, it has a superbly comfortable interior, excellent ride quality and feels reassuring Teutonic from behind the wheel.

There’s a wide range of engines available, but the E220 d is our choice for covering motorway miles effortlessly. You’ll see close to 51mpg in real-world driving, a figure that would be impressive even if the engine clattered like the generator at a budget campsite. But it doesn’t. In fact, the not only is the E220 d incredibly quiet at speed, but it’s actually quite pacey and extremely composed. 

This is a board-level car with factory floor running costs. It’s also well equipped and all models come with navigation, climate control, Bluetooth, LED headlights, radar cruise control and Mercedes Artico fake leather (but actually very good) upholstery.

Whereas once upon a time the ubiquitous car you’d see on every street corner and in every supermarket car park was likely a Ford Mondeo (or Ford Sierra/Cortina depending on your age...) the modern-day equivalent is the BMW 3 Series. 

Yet despite selling in huge numbers, particularly here in the UK, the 3 Series' appeal hasn’t been dented by its popularity. Indeed, it continues to sell like garlic-flavoured crosses at a vampire hunters weekend retreat.

The latest BMW 3 Series really does lay a strong claim to being able to hold the title of ‘all the car you’ll ever need’, it’s that good. BMW hasn’t done anything revolutionary with the latest version, but has refined the formula that made the previous 3 Series so good. The 318d and 320d are the best choices for motorway driving, and you can expect to average around 52mpg. You can also add four-wheel drive with an xDrive model.

The Jaguar XF is somewhat long-in-the-tooth these days, but that doesn't stop it from being a fabulous motorway car. Jaguar's engineers have an uncanny knack of building cars that ride incredibly smoothly, and yet also corner with incredible agility and poise, so in truth, the XF is a car that excels on any kind of road.

And while many car makers continue to shun diesel, Jaguar still offers the XF - available in both saloon and 'Sportbrake' estate forms - with diesel power. The D200 is a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine that produces a muscular 204PS, yet also returns an official WLTP fuel economy figure of up to 56.8mpg. A silky-smooth eight-speed automatic gearbox makes the car even more relaxed.

Again, 2024 has seen the arrival of a new Superb, but buying the previous one as a used car could save you a heck of a lot of money. Understated, bordering on anonymous it may be, but the Skoda Superb remains a car that offers what few other rivals can. It’s specialities are comfort and space. The Superb may not be the most dynamic of models, but it’s supremely comfortable and cosseting, making it an ideal long-distance car. 

True, it may not have a BMW badge on the bonnet, but no BMW this size can offer the amount of space in the back the Superb can. In fact, nothing this side of an Mercedes S-Class matches the Skoda Superb for rear space. There’s acres of legroom for those in the back even with both front seats moved all the way back. 

The 1.6 TDI Greenline will average more than 60mpg, making it incredibly cheap to run, but we’d suggest going for the 2.0 TDI 150, which will still do more than 55mpg but has a lot more get up and go when needed. The Superb is available with petrol power, too. The 2.0 TSI is great but thirsty, so we’d go for the 1.5 TSI, which works surprisingly well.

The Ford Mondeo is perhaps the ultimate victim of the relentless rise of SUVs: once the UK's unofficial company car king, its popularity dwindled as buyers' affections switched to SUVs as the family cars of choice, and it's now been withdrawn from sale by Ford. However, it was popular for a reason, and a big part of that reason is that it's sensational on the motorway. That's because it has a plush and settled ride and excellent refinement, making it an ideal motorway cruiser. That's helped by economical engines: our choice is the 2.0 TDCi 150 Econetic, which will return 52mpg yet still gives you decent performance when needed.

It has plenty going for it besides, too. For starters, it’s a big car, which means a huge boot and lots of space for everyone, both those in the back and the front. And, while the interior is starting to look dated, it still boasts a great driving position and high levels of standard equipment (on the later models built from 2018 onwards). You get things like touchscreen navigation, dual-zone air-con and a centre armrest for the rear seats. It feels pretty handy in the corners, too.

Volvo was made famous by its estate cars - rightly so because it built some cracking ones - but the Swedish firm has since turned it back on the humble wagon to concentrate on solely producing SUVs. However, you can still get a brilliant Volvo estate car on the used car market. It’s a toss up here between the excellent Volvo V90 and the smaller V60, but we’re plumping for the latter here, due its cheaper price tag and better economy. The V60 may not have the boot space of the V90, but it echoes its bigger sibling in crucial areas such as comfort and refinement. 

And like its larger counterpart, the V60 has some of the best seats around. Volvo has long been renowned for having brilliant seats, which is no surprise when you learn that Volvo works with orthopaedic surgeons to design them. It means that even after long stretches at the wheel, you won’t get out full of aches and pains.

The D3 manual model is the most economical in the range and 54mpg should be achievable in real-world driving. It’s a 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel with 150PS, but pulls strongly and never feels like the poor relation to the D4.

Think ride quality, and traditionally, you'd think Citroen. The French brand may have changed a lot over the years but it has never lost its tradition of making cars that ride well. And that tradition is certainly alive and well in the C5 Aircross. For our money, this is the best-riding crossover or SUV (call them what you will) of its type on sale right now. And with Citroen abandoning big cars and traditional saloons, this is now one of its flagship models. 

It may not have the handling prowess of others - we’d say the Peugeot 3008 and SEAT Ateca are much better in corners - but the C5 Aircross trades that in place of a serene and extremely forgiving ride. That makes this the perfect choice of crossover for motorway driving.

The most economical model is the 1.5 BlueHDi 130, which may not be a ball of fire, but will happily return 50mpg all day long. The C5 Aircross also comes with Citroen’s excellent 1.2 Puretech petrol engine that delivers far more performance than its size would suggest, with respectable fuel economy in the mid-30s.

When it comes to onboard tech, few cars can match the Audi A6. This thing has so many systems that we could fill a page explaining what all the different abbreviations and initialisms mean. Audi says it has 39 driver assistance functions, from clever adaptive cruise control, which slows down and accelerates using data from the navigation, to parking pilot, which lets you stand outside the vehicle while it parks itself.

But perhaps the A6’s best feature is its interior. It’s a lovely place in which to spend hours and hours, which is brilliant for those long motorway slogs.

While the 50 TDI, with its 3.0-litre V6 diesel engine, may be appealing on paper, we’d avoid it. Not only is it going to be expensive, but its gearbox is frustrating and the car feels noticeably heavier than the four-cylinder diesel. The 40 TDI is actually the better choice, and is also more economical: expect to see 49mpg. 

If you're after a petrol, check out the 40 TFSI as it's a real gem. It may only be a 2.0-litre four-cylinder, but with 250PS, it has plenty of power in reserve for effortless performance when needed.

The estate version of the Kia Ceed may stand out like a sore thumb alongside the likes of the Mercedes E-Class, but there’s a good reason the Ceed Sportswagon makes an appearance here: fuel economy. The 1.6 CRDi version is incredibly frugal, and you can expect to see a genuine 60mpg without having to drive as if you’re on a milk round.

But there’s more to the Ceed than just an economical diesel engine. The latest Ceed shows Kia at its best. There may be those who still dismiss Kia as a cheap budget make, but sit them in the Ceed for a few minutes and they will quickly change their mind. The quality inside is top-notch, with a finish to match.

True, it’s hardly a barrel of laughs to drive - the Ceed majors on comfort and reassurance rather than fun - but its quality and ability will undoubtedly surprise you. 

Volkswagen has purged diesel engines from most of its model ranges these days - not really surprising given that the German company could be accused of starting the backlash against diesel in the first place - but the latest Volkswagen Tiguan is one of the firm's few cars where diesel remains an option.

Where once a broad range of diesel. engines would have been offered, there's now only one, a 2.0-litre unit with 150PS. This gives official WLPTP fuel economy of 52.3mpg, so expect 45mpg in the real world, not bad for a family SUV of this size.

And a cracking family SUV it is, too. The interior is smartly trimmed and has lots of passenger space, while the huge boot adds to the Tiguan's practicality. There's lots of equipment provided as standard, while the driving experience is confident, assured and refined.