4. VW Passat Estate

The Volkswagen Passat Estate can’t quite match the practicality of its VW Group cousin, the Skoda Superb, but it still impresses with its boot size.

The load bay can be increased from 603 litres to 1,731 litres, while it’s easier to access than in many rivals as it features a clever automatic tailgate. This means it trumps cars like the Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer and Hyundai i40 Tourer.

If you have the keys in your pocket, you can wave your foot under the rear bumper, and the bootlid will lift open on its own – perfect for when your hands are full of shopping.

All models come with air-con, electric windows all-round and a USB input, as well as safety kit like ESP and a host of airbags, but options like sat-nav are expensive.

And while there’s a wide range of petrol and diesel engines, the most economical – the 104bhp 1.6-litre TDI, which promises 65.7mpg fuel consumption in BlueMotion eco guise – can feel underpowered. Better to go for the 138bhp version, which is more suitable for those carrying big loads on a regular basis, and still manages 54.3mpg

The Passat has variable service intervals, and VW offers a three-year package to keep maintenance bills down. While a five-star rating from Euro NCAP proves the Passat Estate is one of the safest cars in this class.