Estate Reviews

Top Gear’s guide to: Estates

Some of the best-looking versions of popular cars are estates. And they have practicality to burn

What you need to know

Volume

Check the shape of the boot if you want to carry something specific – litreage is only a rough guide

Driving

Modern estates don’t drive much differently to saloons unless fully loaded

Engines

If you regularly carry full loads, go diesel. If it’s big loads or towing, go big diesel. It’ll help

Need an SUV?

Some estates offer 4x4 and a slightly raised ride. Do you really need a full-size SUV? Really?

Check deck

Some load bays are completely flat – others have seat-shaped humps which restrict load

Estate pace

Audio RS6 Avant, Merc E63 AMG Est, - supercar pace with plentiful practicality. Woo!
Found 30 results
9/10
Mercedes-Benz

E-Class Estate

£37,810 – £94,460

One of the most practical, sensible and desirable large estates.

9/10
BMW

3 Series Touring

£28,540 – £46,090

Being based on the best junior exec is a good start: this car is a belter.

9/10
Audi

RS6

£80,175 – £87,090

It’s the most amusing car that Audi makes – including the R8 – for sheer wilful silliness.

9/10
Volvo

V90

£37,500 – £56,550

A properly desirable Volvo wagon - finally a decent alternative to the Germans.

9/10
Skoda

Superb Estate

£22,920 – £37,930

Skoda’s kept all of what we loved about the old Superb (size, space, value) and added updated interior tech and a genuinely stylish body. Verging on genius

8/10
Volkswagen

Golf Estate

£18,925 – £35,555

It's taken Volkswagen a surprising amount of time to get here, but finally we have a Golf Estate that's up with the best.

8/10
Subaru

Outback

£29,425 – £32,440

A likeable Swiss Army knife. A bit bland but will shrug off anything thrown at it.

8/10
Hyundai

i40 Tourer

£21,390 – £29,370

Another convincing effort from Hyundai and a tempting alternative to the more obvious Mondeo.

8/10
Mercedes-Benz

CLS Shooting Brake

£87,420

If ever there was an estate to get the masses out of their X6s, this is it.

8/10
Land Rover

Range Rover Velar

£43,850 – £84,195

The Velar majors on style but it's still a useful car. It's roomy enough for a family, not so big it's awkward in cities, and capable of unusual off-road feats.

8/10
Volvo

V60

£23,890 – £53,270

The V60 is a sensible, safe Volvo, just as you’d expect. The estate car of choice if comfort means more to you than handling

8/10
Mercedes-Benz

V-Class

£48,060 – £58,320

A few niggles aside, this V-Class feels luxurious and worth the outlay. A fine, MPV/business-express.

8/10
BMW

5 Series Touring

£38,745 – £53,890

The new 5 Series is as good to drive as the BMW image, and yet it's as refined and plush as a Mercedes E-Class.

8/10
Mercedes-Benz

C-Class Estate

£30,020 – £77,388

Classy, sensible and easy to live with. Not the most exciting small estate on sale, but possibly the most well-rounded

7/10
Volkswagen

Passat Estate

£23,575 – £39,180

Nothing radically’s altered with the new Passat, but a lot of it is now better than ever.

7/10
Audi

A4 Avant

£28,995 – £46,595

A car to respect rather than enjoy as a drive. For refinement it’s peerless.

7/10
Audi

A6 Avant

£35,045 – £61,405

Another crushingly good effort from Audi, but it’s not the dynamic rival the 5-Series needs.

7/10
Seat

Leon ST

£18,640 – £35,005

Only the interior isn't as good as the Golf. Beyond that, there's not a lot to split the Leon ST.

7/10
Honda

Civic Tourer

£18,590 – £25,165

The Civic Tourer’s all about one thing: space. Want more than one thing? Consider a Golf Estate.

7/10
Ford

Mondeo Estate

£22,225 – £33,040

More grown up and all the better for it. Priced very keenly too - it's a smart shout.

7/10
Peugeot

308 SW

£18,720 – £28,250

This is among the best compact estates on sale (partly because it isn’t really compact at all).

7/10
Hyundai

i30 Tourer

£16,795 – £25,240

Sensible and worthy, but pretty desirable too. Tons of room in the back, but little driving fun to be had