If you drive frequently for work and want to make a good impression at any business meeting you turn up at, you'll need to have the right executive car to drive. There is an increasing number of high-end autos on the market, so here are just four of the best.

BMW 5 Series

The German automaker has picked up a series of awards for its 5 Series models – in 2012 Auto Express gave it the Best Executive Car accolade and the touring version was named the Best Estate Car over £25,000 by What Car? this year.

It performs well on the roads, providing a comfortable, smooth drive, while the interior is certainly luxurious and can be really enhanced with some of the additions you can choose, such as massage seats in the front and TVs mounted in the headrests of the front seats, to occupy passengers in the back.

If you're concerned that one of these motors is out of your price range, consider whether leasing could be a more suitable option. You can find out about some of the deals on the market here.

Mercedes E-Class

Mercedes and BMW have long competed for the top spot in executive's affections and the E-Class is certainly a close rival to the 5 Series. It was named the Best Executive Car in the 2012 Auto Express awards, with the publication stating it "has what matters most to executive buyers" and picked up a high score "for both comfort and ride quality".

Among the features that impressed Auto Express are its low noise levels, smooth steering and adaptive dampers as standard on all versions, which means that drivers won't feel every bump in the road.

The Mercedes E-Class was also named as the most reliable executive car in 2012 by What Car?, with the publication praising its dependability and highlighting the comparatively low repair costs for vehicles in this class.

Lexus IS

The Lexus IS is another of the vehicles that scored highly in What Car?'s reliability index, coming second to the Mercedes E-Class. That bodes well for its credentials as an executive car, while the saloon model also picked up a nod in the CarBuyer awards, taking third spot in the best executive car category (which was headed up by the BMW 3 Series).

According to the publication, a lack of engine choices holds the Lexus IS back, but it did highlight the fact that those who own one of these autos "constantly rave about its comfort and Lexus' dealer service".

BMW 3 Series

It would be difficult to talk about the best executive cars around without mentioning the BMW 3 Series, which has been heralded by many motoring experts as one of the top compact models in its class.

Much like its larger counterpart the 5 Series, it has all the sleek looks and top-end design features you'd expect from the German manufacturer, as well as reliable technology under the bonnet.

CarBuyer pointed to its competitive pricing, environmental credentials and low running costs as some of the main reasons why it came out on top in its awards, not only as the best executive model, but also receiving the title of Car of the Year in 2011. Opt for a 3 Series with a diesel engine and you can look forward to "staggering fuel economy" too, the publication noted.