Hi Kushal,

Right, first off, forget the Velar – it’s a lovely vehicle but, as a diesel, it will be fitted with a Diesel Particulate Filter and these hate being subjected to repeated short journeys where the engine doesn’t fully warm through; precisely the sort of usage you’re proposing. You’d therefore have problems with a clogged DPF and your annual mileage means a diesel doesn’t make sense.

When it comes to the BMW, you are exactly the sort of user that would absolutely get the best from a plug-in hybrid provided you charged it regularly, so we think you should most definitely be looking at the 530e iPerformance PHEV model. BMWs have strong residual values, hence why the company’s PCP deals are so tempting. In terms of boot space, the 530e saloon has 105 litres less than a 5 Series saloon with a normal combustion engine, as some of the PHEV’s hybrid running gear is housed beneath the boot floor. However, the 530e still has a healthy 415 litres of cargo capacity to play with.