Best estate cars to buy 2025/2026

They might be less popular than they once were, but the best estate cars are still hugely spacious family-focused models that offer plenty of practicality. These cars are often very good to drive, too, and there’s now plenty of choice when it comes to fuel, with petrol, diesel, hybrid, plug-in hybrid and fully electric estates all up for grabs.

Our expert road testers have driven all of the estate cars that you can buy in the UK, and have carefully evaluated every crucial factor including space, fuel efficiency, on-board technology, comfort and the purchase price.

Whether you want carrying capacity, style, dog-friendliness, towing ability, performance or simply a great all-rounder, you’ll find an ideal choice among the top 10 best estate cars you can buy right here.

Compare the best estate cars

Scroll down for more information on each of the best estate cars, or simply click the links in the table above

1. Skoda Superb Estate 

• Prices from £37,200

​​​​The Skoda Superb Estate could well be considered the quintessential estate car, because it features the elements that buyers in this class need without compromising what they want. 

The main selling point of the Skoda Superb is its unrivalled practicality. The boot provides a cavernous 690-litre load area (increasing to 1,920 litres with the seats down), and these are figures that few rivals come close to matching. It’s a very similar story for passengers, too, as there’s enough head and leg room in both the front and rear for even the very tallest of occupants to stretch out and relax.

This kind of space makes the Superb feel surprisingly luxurious, and this is also reflected in the level of quality and kit on offer. Plenty of the Skoda’s cabin materials would be perfectly at home in a much pricier Audi model, but the brand’s ‘Simply Clever’ touches (including the famous door-mounted umbrella) only add to the appeal. 

Buyers have the choice of petrol, diesel or plug-in hybrid power, and every powertrain provides enough shove for stress-free motorway runs. Naturally, the Superb’s luxury ambitions are backed up by a smooth ride and plenty of sound-deadening. The plug-in hybrid also features an excellent all-electric range and has little compromise in terms of boot space, but it’s also a little more expensive to buy than you might expect of a Skoda.

If there's one criticism, it’s that the sheer size of the Superb Estate made it a bit tricky to park during our testing. Aside from that tiny gripe, though, this car has been the obvious candidate for our Estate Car of the Year award in 2024 and 2025.

“To our eyes, the Skoda Superb's sculpted bodywork could easily pass for something with an Audi or Mercedes badge on it.” - Ellis Hyde, news reporter

Latest Skoda Superb Estate deals

2. Toyota Corolla Touring Sports 

•  Prices from £32,100

The Toyota Corolla Touring Sports has a set of traits that might not seem a perfect fit in this list. The boot is smaller and less versatile than many rivals’, and there’s no tax-friendly plug-in hybrid model. However, for many estate buyers, the Corolla offers a compelling package built on its peerless reliability and hybrid efficiency.

Inside, the boot capacity varies depending on your chosen engine size – 596 litres for the 1.8-litre unit or 581 litres for the 2.0-litre model – but the load area is well laid out with a low load lip. There’s also good space in the second row, and the touchscreen is now a decent size and connects to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The Corolla is a tad deceptive in its reputation and appearance, too, as its generally sensible ethos and conventional bodywork hide a surprisingly enjoyable driving experience. Our road testers were particularly impressed with the Toyota’s handling and steering, and we reckon it’s more fun to drive than the Volkswagen Golf Estate. As with many other modern Toyotas, the latest Corolla is available exclusively in hybrid form. There are two petrol hybrid powertrain options; a 1.8- or 2.0-litre, and both can achieve over 60mpg with very little effort. Yet with 138 and 193bhp respectively, they also offer decent performance. 

One of the Corolla’s biggest weaknesses used to be its infotainment system, which was dated and sluggish compared to several of its rivals. Thankfully, Toyota addressed this by installing an upgraded system with a larger and more responsive 10.25-inch screen as part of a facelift. 

“The TNGA underpinnings feel sophisticated, as it allows for a great balance between ride comfort and body control.” - Ellis Hyde, news reporter

Latest Toyota Corolla Touring Sports deals

3. Audi A6 Avant e-tron

• Prices from £65,100

Don’t let the name fool you, the Audi A6 Avant e-tron isn’t related to the Audi A6 Avant that you’ll find further down this list. Confusing naming strategy aside, though, this is one of the best electric estates you can buy. 

While its 502-litre boot and cabin space are fairly average compared to rivals, there’s no denying how supremely comfortable the A6 e-tron is. The lack of a combustion engine keeps things nice and quiet, while fitting the optional air suspension helps to alleviate the effects of Britain’s poorest tarmac. 

As with many executive cars, the Audi A6 Avant e-tron’s interior is dominated by screens, but our road testers found the software easy to fathom and operate with minimal practice. The majority of materials surrounding these screens are of a very good quality too, if not quite as nice as those found in the BMW i5. 

Of course, the biggest draw for buying an EV is savings, and company car drivers can enjoy that delightful three per cent Benefit-in-Kind tax rate. The fact that every variant of the A6 Avant e-tron can cover well over 300 miles on a single charge means you shouldn’t find yourself forking out a fortune on top-ups, either.

“On the road, the A6 e-tron’s shove doesn’t feel dramatic; without the flare of noise and gearshifts we’re used to in fast Audi estates, the feeling here is a silent, relentless surge.” - Alex Ingram, chief reviewer.

The electric estate market is a fledgling one, but the Volkswagen ID.7 Tourer and BMW i5 Touring are two other premium, zero-emission wagons that are worthy of your attention

Latest Audi A6 Avant e-tron deals

4. Volkswagen Passat

 Prices from £40,000

If you’re a fan of the Skoda Superb Estate, you’ll probably have lots of time for the latest Volkswagen Passat, because under the skin they are similar. Where they do differ is in what engine options are available. Either way, if you’re interested in going hybrid, there’s still a great deal to like about VW’s classic estate. 

There is one area where the Passat does stand out though; practicality. Being based on the Skoda Superb Estate means the VW manages to outshine most of the competition when it comes to its 690-litre boot. On top of all this luggage capacity, there’s also a huge amount of space for every occupant. 

Much like its sister car, the Passat’s overall quality has taken a big step upwards and it now feels like a fully-fledged executive estate. Sadly, though, this car doesn’t have physical controls like the Skoda, and touchscreen sub-menus can quickly become frustrating. Aside from this drawback, though, it’s still a very pleasant place to be and there’s plenty of useful kit thrown in as standard.

There’s also no diesel power to be found here, but you do get the choice of petrol or plug-in hybrid models. The latter option offers more than 80 miles of pure-electric range on the WLTP combined cycle, and this can result in some serious savings on running costs. No Passat is about to set the world on fire with its performance or driver engagement, but we did find it just as comfortable and refined on long trips as its Skoda sibling.

“The steering remains well-weighted and accurate, and while there’s not much feel, it makes the Passat easy to place on the road.” - Jordan Katsianis, senior staff writer

Latest Volkswagen Passat deals

5. BMW 5 Series Touring

•  Prices from £54,500

The BMW 5 Series Touring offers a traditional combination of superb comfort, engaging driving dynamics and a generous boot – as the model has historically done for generations. 

This latest 5 Series Touring gets a very useful 570-litre boot, which is easy to fill up thanks to its low loading lip. The amount of passenger space is nearly on a par with that in the luxurious BMW 7 Series, too. In other words, there’s plenty of it.

Being a BMW, the 5 Series Touring is certainly one of the more engaging cars to appear on this list. The Bavarian brand’s efforts mean that the Touring doesn’t feel as large as it actually is on the road, and this combined with direct steering makes this large estate car feel surprisingly agile in corners. If you’re in a rush, the most powerful variants can cover the 0-62mph dash in under four seconds.

When it comes to power, there’s the choice of petrol or plug-in hybrid, or you can opt for the fully electric BMW i5 Touring. The latter is the best choice for company car drivers because it attracts the lowest Benefit-in-Kind tax rate, not to mention further savings on running costs. The least powerful, petrol-powered 520i is the cheapest 5 Series to buy, but it still offers enough performance to live up to its badge.

“The standard 5 Series, and in particular the Touring, has the almost unique ability to be all things to all people.” - Richard Ingram, deputy editor

Latest BMW 5 Series Touring deals

6. Mercedes E-Class Estate

• Prices from £59,700

The Mercedes E-Class Estate has typically been more spacious and comfortable than its BMW 5 Series rival, and for the most part this still applies.

There’s plenty of bells and whistles, but these do take up their fair share of space. This means the E-Class Estate’s cabin does feel a bit more compact compared to some of its rivals, and this may be a bit surprising when considering the Merc’s overall size. 

It’s still a very pleasant place to sit, it’s just that space for bigger passengers to stretch out is rather limited for an executive estate car. Luggage space depends on your chosen powertrain, and the petrol and diesel variants are the most capacious with 615 litres of boot space. 

Step inside the E-Class and the dashboard will probably be the first thing that catches your eye. A 14.4-inch central screen and two 12.3-inch displays make up Mercedes’ Superscreen set-up. It’s not quite as information-packed as the even more impressive Hyperscreen option, but there’s still plenty of data to get your head around. 

The techfest continues underneath the bonnet, too, where you have the choice of the aforementioned petrol and diesel, a petrol plug-in hybrid or even a diesel plug-in hybrid, which is a very rare sight on today’s market. The latter claims up to 565mpg on the WLTP combined cycle, but in typical PHEV fashion you’ll struggle to achieve this in the real world. Much like its larger sibling, the Mercedes S-Class, the E-class is exquisitely comfortable and refined, but this relaxation does come at the cost of driving fun. 

“The Mercedes E-Class Estate is incredibly quiet at low speeds, especially the hybrid models that can drive using near-silent electric power without waking the engine.” - James Disdale, Auto Express contributor

Latest Mercedes E-Class Estate deals

7. BMW 3 Series Touring 

• Prices from £43,900

Much like the larger 5 Series, the BMW 3 Series Touring offers practicality and sportiness in equal measure.

In order to keep up the fight against Audi and Mercedes, BMW’s engineers paid closer attention to rear cabin space in the latest generation 3-Series, so it’s now much more convincing as a family car. Of course, front passengers can get nicely settled, too, and there’s plenty of adjustment to help them find the ideal seating position. At the back resides a 500-litre boot which isn’t the biggest in the class, but this should still prove plentiful for an impromptu week away.

Although some rivals have the Touring beaten on load capacity, very few of them deliver the same driving experience that the BMW boasts. The price for genuine sporting credentials is a slightly firmer ride than the likes of the Mercedes C-Class, but the BMW is still pleasingly refined in the majority of situations — only when it’s fully laden can the worst road surfaces manage to upset the ride.

Inside, the BMW’s cabin is beautifully built, and more recent models feature the brand’s iDrive 8 infotainment software, which centres around a curved pair of display panels on the dashboard. As well as being a touchscreen, the 14.9-inch infotainment screen can be operated by a traditional rotary dial, making it one of the more intuitive systems on the market. 

“The 3 Series lives up to the driver appeal expected of the model with excellent poise and agility. But like its rivals, it does suffer from having slightly lifeless steering.” - Shane Wilkinson, senior content editor

Latest BMW 3 Series Touring deals

8. Mercedes C-Class Estate 

• Prices from £47,900

With its hi-tech cabin, wide range of powertrains and slick road manners, the Mercedes C-Class Estate is among the best of its kind.

That said, at 490 litres, the boot is fairly compact when compared with most on this list, and is compromised further in the plug-in hybrid models. However, the cabin is by far one of the most luxurious you’ll find in a car within this price bracket, with enough space for four adults to sit with room to spare. There are some useful storage solutions to be found, too, and we even managed to store a small bag in the large centre armrest.

Traditionally, the BMW 3 Series has edged out the C-Class for outright driving enjoyment, and this trend continues with the latest generation of each. However, while the BMW is more agile through a series of bends, the Mercedes has an appeal of its own with a supple, cosseting ride and a relaxed demeanour. Opting for PHEV power also brings up to 67 miles of silent, pure electric driving.

The C-Class’s cabin feels strikingly modern, too, with an enormous portrait touchscreen that rises up from the centre console and runs the firm's MBUX software. Swathes of ambient lighting and intricate detailing help to bring the Mercedes more up to par with the refreshed BMW 3 Series. 

“The C-Class Estate driving experience matches the saloon, which is to say it rides beautifully and has just enough dynamism to entertain.” - Alastair Crooks, senior news reporter

Latest Mercedes C-Class Estate deals

9. Volkswagen ID.7 Tourer

• Prices from £51,000

The electric executive car market has so far been a tough one for most car makers to crack, but the Volkswagen ID.7 offers an intriguing new option in the form of a more practical, and many might say more attractive, estate model.

With 565 litres of boot space, the Volkswagen ID.7 Tourer falls short of the combustion-powered VW Passat’s 690 litres, but it does still have a luggage-lugging edge over the Tesla Model 3, BYD Seal and Hyundai Ioniq 6 — all of which are exclusively available in hatchback or saloon forms. The ID.7 has solid family car credentials, too, with ISOFIX points in the front and back, even for the rear middle seat.

For those who cover long distances on a regular basis, the ID.7 comes with the choice of a 77kWh or 86kWh battery pack, returning up to 373 and 424 miles of claimed range respectively. This means even the smaller battery provides more than enough for just about every daily need. When you do run out of juice, you can top up the ID.7 Tourer from 10 to 80 per cent in around 28 minutes, thanks to its 175kW peak DC charging rate.

As is typical with executive EVs, there’s no shortage of tech to be found within the ID.7 Tourer. We’re pleased to report that VW has made efforts to improve the functionality of its touchscreen tech, but the brand’s reluctance to include physical buttons is still a bit of a bugbear. The materials used here are also a step up from VW’s other electric offerings. 

“Given that the ID.7 Tourer is designed to cover long distances, you’ll be pleased to find it can happily cope with town driving.” - Max Adams, online reviews editor

Latest Volkswagen ID.7 Tourer deals

10. Audi A6 Avant

•  Prices from £53,300

The all-new generation Audi A6 Avant offers plenty of style and luxury, but doesn’t quite hit the same high notes that made previous models so compelling. Still, this is a hi-tech and very sleek offering that stands out from its key rivals. 

Space inside is good, if not great, for the class, and while the boot is wide and low, its 503-litre capacity isn’t quite the best in class; although the PHEV version doesn’t have the same annoying hump in the floor as some rivals’. This smaller boot is a consequence of the latest A6’s rakish design, but there is ample space for passengers in both the front and rear.

Comfort is brilliant, and the A6 now drives with pleasing agility and accuracy, feeling more connected than a BMW 5 Series or Mercedes E-Class. Buyers can choose from petrol, diesel or plug-in hybrid power.

Audi has a pretty stellar reputation for its interiors, but the latest A6 does suffer from a few cheaper-feeling materials here and there. Build quality is still very strong overall, though, and there’s a tonne of tech to sink your teeth into.

“The A6’s soft suspension and firm steering made for an extremely comfortable ride without the car feeling nervous or twitchy. The exceptional refinement from both road noise and powertrain drone improves matters further.” - Jordan Katsianis, senior staff writer.

Latest Audi A6 Avant deals

How we choose the best estate cars

You could probably have guessed this, but we know for a fact from our own study of UK car buyers that the top priority for estate car owners is cabin and boot space. 66 per cent of the estate owners surveyed had it in their top three priorities. Reliability was the next most important factor with 51 per cent, followed by value for money, which was chosen by 46 per cent. 

This underlines the fact that the typical estate car’s role as a family workhorse hasn’t changed a lot down the years. Owners value the sensible qualities an estate car has to offer and that’s where we focus a lot of our testing and evaluation when looking at estates. 

The load area is the main reason for choosing this type of car so we put a lot of focus here, taking our own measurements of loading height and testing how easy it is to use the available space. We look at how easy the seats are to fold down and take more measurements for rear passenger space to aid our comparisons with rival models. 

Useful features also win estate cars marks, like additional storage areas under the boot floor, load divider systems, 12-volt sockets in the boot area and fold-out tow bars. The top models have a full suite of clever add-ons, either as standard or on the options list.  

Beyond that, running costs are a key priority and we test real-world efficiency both around town and over longer distances. Depreciation, insurance prices and reliability are also taken into consideration to get a clear picture of overall running costs. 

An estate also needs to be easy to use and good to drive so we carefully check out the key functions of the infotainment system and the other control interfaces while covering hundreds of miles of testing in every car. It all means that you can trust our verdicts on the best estates to help you buy the best car for your needs. 

How you can choose the best estate car

The SUV may have overtaken the estate as the go-to choice for family car buyers but don’t underestimate the qualities of a good estate car, our expert road testers certainly don’t. 

There aren’t as many estate options as there once were and many of those remaining are from premium brands at higher prices but this type of vehicle still has a huge amount to offer. Here are some things to consider when building your shortlist and taking some test drives…

SUV or estate?

The advantages of an estate lie in its lower, sleeker body shape than the typical SUV. This provides a lower centre of gravity for less body-roll and better handling in most cases. It generally means better aerodynamics for superior fuel efficiency, too. 

There are plenty of all-wheel drive estates but even these 4x4 cars tend to be lighter than an equivalent SUV, bringing further efficiency boosts. Front- or rear-wheel drive models will be lighter still.

Of course, estates don’t have the high driving position of an SUV and that can mean access is more of a strain and you don’t get such a good view out. But they are almost as good in terms of carrying capacity, often with a lower loading height for hoisting heavy items into the rear.      

What fuel type do you want?

We’re in the era of electric estate cars that can cover over 400 miles on a full charge, like the bigger battery Volkswagen ID.7 Tourer, so there’s no reason why drivers regularly covering longer distances couldn’t make an electric estate work for them. 

The key with an EV model is whether or not you can charge at home to access cheap charging. If you will be forced to rely on public charging, a hybrid or plug-in hybrid (PHEV) may be more suitable. There are even a few good old diesel estates still hanging around on the market but their numbers are dwindling fast. 

If you’re a company car user, the Benefit-in-Kind tax savings attached to electric cars make them highly desirable. Although the growing band of plug-in hybrids that can cover over 70 miles on electric power are also quite tax-efficient, like the Skoda Superb Estate iV and the VW Passat eHybrid.      

Charging is also vital if you’re considering a plug-in hybrid because your fuel economy will plummet if you don’t keep that battery topped up. For that reason, higher mileage drivers may be better with a hybrid or full EV. Also remember that PHEVs sometimes have reduced load capacity because of the need to fit the battery under the boot floor.     

How many seats do you need?

Unfortunately, if you want more than five seats you’re going to have to go for an SUV or MPV. Some estates in the past were offered with two extra seats in the load area but most were very compromised with almost no luggage space remaining when those seats were in use and the chairs themselves were only large enough for small children. Today, estates are five seats and a big boot. 

How much luggage space do you need?

Estates come in various shapes and sizes. There are models based on mid-size family hatchbacks like the Toyota Corolla Touring Sports or the Golf Estate right up to large executive car models like the Mercedes E-Class Estate or BMW 5 Series Touring. 

How much luggage space you get depends partly on that, but also on the shape of the car. Some estates will sacrifice a bit of luggage capacity for a sleeker ‘shooting brake’ profile with a sloping roofline and a raked rear windscreen. The less boxy look tends to also be less spacious inside and some estates don’t offer a lot more capacity than the saloon (or hatch) they are based on. 

The BMW 3 Series Touring has a 500-litre boot while the standard 3 Series saloon has 480 litres. The advantage of the estate, of course, is that the hatchback makes the boot that much more versatile and folding the back seats down opens up a far larger luggage area. 

How much towing capacity do you need?

Towing capacity can vary greatly from estate to estate as well. The Skoda Superb is among the best performing estates with a maximum braked towing capacity of up to 2,200kg. Should you require slightly less grunt, the BMW 3 Series Touring offers decent towing capabilities for its size, too. More and more electric cars are rated for towing but the maximum towing weights tend to be a lot less than for cars with internal combustion engines and our testing has shown that attaching a trailer to an EV can severely limit its range. 

What should you consider when test driving an estate? 

When taking your test drive in a new estate the usual advice applies. Make sure you feel comfortable in the driver’s seat but make allowances for that fact that it will be unfamiliar and aspects of the control interface may need some acclimatisation before they become second nature. 

Try to make a mental note of things like the noise levels, engine performance, steering weight and ride quality then write them down after the test drive so you don’t forget and have something to compare other models with. 

Because the practicality aspect is so important on estate cars, we would advise you to take along any bulky items that you regularly carry in your car and make sure they fit - bikes, pushchairs or golf bags are good examples. 

Check the height of the loading lip, how easily the seat backs fold down, whether they fold flat and - if you need to fit a child seat - how accessible the ISOFIX points are. If you’re tall, make sure the tailgate lifts up high enough so you’re not in danger of clouting your head on it - we know from experience that this can be a dealbreaker.      

What about optional extras?

Due to the fact that estate cars appeal to both private and business users, they quite often have extensive options lists. Parking sensors and blind-spot monitoring systems are incredibly useful in these long, large cars, while retractable tow bars, heated and cooled seats, and automatic tailgates all help make life a little easier. 

Manufacturers will offer a range of different towing hitch options and aftermarket roof racks or bike carriers but these can often be bought more cheaply from an aftermarket supplier so check the prices before ticking those boxes. 

Looking for something just a little bit bigger? Check out the best small SUVs...

Best estate car deals

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