6/10Peugeot508 SW£27,425 – £42,175Not the most rounded family estate, but the big Pug oozes desirability. Much cooler than a 3 Series
6/10Peugeot508 SW£27,425 – £42,175The Peugeot 508 SW is a better car than the Citroen C5 Tourer it shares its chassis with.
7/10FordKuga£22,790 – £37,730The new Kuga is safer and roomier than before. Less fun, but a better family car
7/10AudiA5 Sportback£34,525 – £56,240Beautifully built and beautiful to look at. But the A4 is 98 per cent as good, cheaper and less pretentious.
7/10VolkswagenT-Roc£20,265 – £37,540Just what the market ordered. Stylish crossover for people who don't need family space. But don't dig too deep beyond that
7/10AudiA3 E-Tron£22,500 – £37,925Not the perfect solution to all your motoring needs, but a great first effort at a useable everyday hybrid.
7/10Peugeot308 GTI£20,920 – £30,480Peugeot's hot hatch renaissance continues. The 308 GTI has a joyously wild streak
7/10FordMondeo Estate£25,675 – £33,825More grown up and all the better for it. Priced very keenly too - it's a smart shout.
7/10AudiA3£22,500 – £37,925The definitive example of rock-solid, sensible, impeccable German engineering
7/10Peugeot308 SW£21,870 – £29,890This is among the best compact estates on sale (partly because it isn’t really compact at all).
7/10KiaSportage£20,085 – £34,765Facelifted Sportage gains mild hybrid diesel tech, but it’s not enough to radically alter the class landscape
8/10Mercedes-BenzB-Class£27,385 – £37,585The B-Class is now a genuine contender – if an expensive one – in the family hatch sector.
8/10SkodaKaroq£22,305 – £34,880The Karoq might have lost its predecessor’s personality, but on every other front it’s a better car than the one it replaces
8/10SeatAteca£22,770 – £36,075Been around for a few years. Still among the best of its ilk, but look at the new Leon Estate before you buy
8/10BMWX2£31,935 – £42,550Manages to serve up a zingy new style that hardly compromises its space or usefulness
8/10AudiA3 Sportback£22,500 – £37,925Fussy design inside and out doesn’t spoil a really rather good family hatchback
Editor’s choice8/10SkodaSuperb£24,140 – £39,000Bigger and better than ever, the Superb offers a whole lot of car for the cash.
8/10VolvoXC40£24,700 – £38,050Volvo has made something nicely distinctive here. It'd be impressive even if they'd been practicing for years
