Car firms are falling over themselves to offer new models that offer a mix of sporting fun and practicality. Richard Cree examines six of the best

The executive saloon
Car: Jaguar XJ
Price: from £53,000
Available: early 2010

"The fastest concert hall on earth" is one line Jaguar is using to describe the relaunched XJ. The top of the range, 5.0-litre supercharged V8 version certainly fits the description—the new aluminium construction and more than 500bhp means 0-60mph is achieved in under five seconds. The "concert hall" is a reference to a partnership with English speaker firm Bowers & Wilkins, which has produced a spectacular in-car stereo that pumps out 1200w through 20 speakers.

The exterior may not be to everyone's taste, with its powerful front sweeping back to a less refined rear, but the cabin is a thing of wonder. A panoramic sunroof is standard, but who will be looking out? The star gadget is a dual-vision, eight-inch touch screen that allows the driver to view information about the car or follow sat nav, while the passenger watches DVDs.

Jaguar is proud of its eco-credentials, and 50 per cent of the aluminium used is recycled, while a new 3.0 litre turbodiesel achieves 40.1mpg and emits 184g/km.

The safe option
Car: Mercedes E-Class
Price: from £28,000
Available: now

Mercedes is often criticised for focusing so much on safety that its cars are less fun. It's a complaint the carmaker defends by harking back to a heritage that includes a long line of motoring safety firsts. Features that are now standard—from ABS to lane-assist alerts—were seen first on a Mercedes. The latest E-Class comes with an almost bewildering array of safety features. More than one motoring writer has condemned it as a "nanny car". But can a vehicle destined to fill company car parks ever be too safety conscious? The ride and handling are better than on the last version of the E-Class, and there is fun to be had, especially in the 350CGI-its new V6 petrol engine does 0-60mph in a fraction over six seconds. But there's a downside to all this fun. Even with its BlueEfficiency systems-gadgetry that cuts emissions and improves fuel efficiency-it only returns just under 23mpg and emits 199g/km.

The stretch coupe
Car: Audi A5 Sportback
Price: from £24,000
Available: now

Audi's quest to plug every market segment continues with the latest instalment of its well received coupé, the A5. The idea is to answer those critics who moaned that the original coupé, while offering panache, did so at the expense of practicality. Audi calls  the car a "synthesis of sport and saloon".

The Sportback comes with the same range of engines as the normal A5, including the spectacular 3.0-litre TDI Quattro diesel. With a front end looking like any A5, the differences start halfway down, as a stretched roofline allows for two rear doors, backseat space for adults and an opening glass tailgate instead of a boot.

It's not quite as much fun as a normal A5. But as with all Audis, the focus is on comfort and safety, more than excitement. If you lug lots of equipment, samples or colleagues up and down the motorway, this is no bad thing. If you want to cut loose on a country road, it's not an obvious choice. Luggage space is a reasonable 480 litres, 980 litres with the seats down, i.e. not quite A4 Avant space. But if you've fallen in love with the A5 coupé, and need practicality, this could be the one for you.

The hybrid hybrid
Car: Lexus 450h
Price: £40,000
Available: now

Just as carmakers seem intent on providing us with practical coupés, they also seem determined to keep inventing new types of car. The most recent addition is the crossover. Part saloon, part SUV, part people carrier, the result is either an unholy mess or a sort of refined "Chelsea tractor"—or rugged saloon—with a sportier profile and space for the family. It's a matter of opinion. If that's a lot to ask from one box of metal on four wheels, Lexus doesn't stop there. The 450h is also a family car that might save the planet. The Japanese firm's commitment to alternative energy technologies has seen it and parent company Toyota dominate the hybrid market. That command is under threat as the Germans finally recognise that clinging to a diesel-only strategy isn't the smartest approach and start to invest more in electric and hybrids. Even Ferrari is starting to think electric. For the time being, Toyota and Lexus enjoy market leadership certainly in the hybrid market.

The 450h, for example, boasts emissions of just 148g/km and fuel economy of almost 45mpg. These figures would be impressive from any car, but for a mini-SUV, powered by a 3.5-litre, V6 engine capable of producing almost 300bhp (when the petrol and two electric motors are combined), it's incredible.

The downside is that while the 450h does a lot well, it isn't fun to drive, with ungainly handling and a strange, lumbering quality. Then again, who said driving the daily commute while saving the planet was meant to be fun?

The good-looking estate
Car: Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer
Price: £19,000
Available: now

It's ironic that GM should have got into bother now, just as it is starting to make cars that actually appeal to drivers. Vauxhalls have a long history of displaying all the visual appeal of dustbins on wheels. And this aesthetic has been most evident in its estates. On the plus side, looking rubbish often allowed them to also accommodate a lot of rubbish, which is often the point of having an estate car.

Launched earlier this year, the Insignia is the first Vauxhall with enough visual wow factor to turn the odd head and attract the occasional appreciative murmur. So it's no surprise that the estate version—which is what they mean by Sports Tourer—also looks the part.

The downside of form is that it gets in the way of function, and for an estate that means a lack of loading space. Here boot capacity is just over 1,500 litres. While that's enough for a decent amount of rubbish, it's not a match for some of its immediate rivals. But then not many of them boast these looks. Form or function? You choose.

The practical saloon
Car: BMW 5 GT
Price: £25,000 
Available: 2010

Not due for an official launch until next month, there has been a fair bit of pre-launch hype for this new BMW. While it's partly an early warning of a new 5 series, due next year, it's also another example of a carmaker trying to do something different. Whatever you call it—BMW has suggested Progressive Activity Sedan-it's basically a mash-up of a saloon, an estate and an SUV. By way of example, BMW points out that the GT offers the headroom of the X5 and the legroom of a 7 Series.

The idea seems to be: why bother with an estate when, if you use space properly, there's plenty of room in a saloon for 1,700 litres of boot space. Eye-catching gadgets include a clever dual tailgate that opens either as a small boot or as a full tailgate. Three engines will be offered at launch and while the entry-level diesel offers 45.3mpg, it's the 550i GT that catches the eye, with a promised 0-60mph of just 5.5 seconds.