Best Of
Best estate cars 2025
Estates offer plenty of space and practicality – here’s some of the best


Words by: Catherine King
Published on 9 January 2025 | 0 min read
While SUVs continue to be top of the pops, estate cars have rather fallen out of fashion. However, at Auto Trader we continue to be big fans of these humble wagons and love the combination of space, practicality, and comfort they offer.
While you may not get the high driving position of an SUV, being lower to the ground has many advantages. Lower tailgates make heavy items easier to load, four-legged friends won’t have to be agility prize-winners to come along for the ride, plus the aerodynamic advantage helps to reduce running costs. Here’s our list of some of our favourite estates, from the luxurious to the down-right ingenious.
While you may not get the high driving position of an SUV, being lower to the ground has many advantages. Lower tailgates make heavy items easier to load, four-legged friends won’t have to be agility prize-winners to come along for the ride, plus the aerodynamic advantage helps to reduce running costs. Here’s our list of some of our favourite estates, from the luxurious to the down-right ingenious.
Skoda Superb
The Skoda Superb really does live up to its name – it’s incredibly spacious and packed with features you just don’t get from other brands. Skoda has thought of every practicality you might need, from umbrellas in the doors to a built-in ice scraper. It also has a funnel on the washer fluid cap, hooks in the boot for shopping and a removable a torch. That’s not even the full list of “simply clever” features. To top it off there’s a range of frugal engines to choose from including a plug-in hybrid with a 70-mile all-electric range – totally superb in every respect.
Your brand new Skoda Superb can be found AT Auto Trader
Your brand new Skoda Superb can be found AT Auto Trader

Volvo V90
Back in 2023 Volvo made the decision to pull all estate and saloon models from its UK line-up to focus on SUVs. However, following customer feedback it quickly U-turned and reintroduced the V60 and V90. We couldn’t be happier! The V90 is a masterclass in Swedish design, beautifully made and extremely safe. It’s timelessly elegant while offering plenty of space. If only it had buttons for the temperature controls, then it would be perfect.
Your brand new Volvo V90 can be found AT Auto Trader
Your brand new Volvo V90 can be found AT Auto Trader

Audi A5 Avant
The new A5 replaces the previous A4 and is available as a hatchback or an estate (known as Saloon and Avant in the parlance). The A5 is packed with the latest tech and offers everything you expect from an Audi – it’s well built, refined, and reassuring, whilst providing plenty of space for the whole family. There’s a choice of petrol or diesel engines but if you are after a bit more power, the the sportier S5 Avant does all the above with the added bonus of a silky-smooth V6 petrol engine.
Your brand new A5 Avant can be found AT Auto Trader
Your brand new A5 Avant can be found AT Auto Trader

MG5
Not only is the MG5 brilliant value, but it was also one of the first electric estate cars on the market. Now in its second generation it has improved safety features and updated looks. True, its styling is not the most exciting, but it is very efficient and good value for money. It even has vehicle to load (V2L) charging which allows you use your MG5 to charge electrical devices, including other electric cars.
Your brand new MG5 can be found AT Auto Trader
Your brand new MG5 can be found AT Auto Trader

Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo
Yes, Porsche offers an estate car… well sort of. Some would argue it’s more of a hatchback as its boot capacity is almost identical to the Renault Megane E-Tech. Either way, here is an electric Porsche with room for a small piece of furniture in the back, making it more practical than the Taycan saloon. Plus, if you treat yourself to the Turbo S version, you’ll be able to accelerate from 0-62 mph in 2.8 seconds. A true jack-of-all-trades.
Your brand new Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo can be found AT Auto Trader
Your brand new Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo can be found AT Auto Trader

Ford Focus
Ford has announced that it will stop making the Focus this year but, the estate version of the car still makes an appealing choice. Like the hatchback, it is solidly built and offers an engaging driving experience, but being an estate means you get loads of extra room in the back. What’s not to like?
Your brand new Ford Focus can be found AT Auto Trader
Your brand new Ford Focus can be found AT Auto Trader

Toyota Corolla
A while back we lived with a Corolla estate and were impressed with the comfort, space and the economical self-charging petrol hybrid engine. While models with the larger engine lose a bit more boot space to the battery, it’s still very spacious and good to drive too, which explains why it’s so popular with Uber drivers.
Your brand new Toyota Corolla can be found AT Auto Trader
Your brand new Toyota Corolla can be found AT Auto Trader

Volkswagen Passat
The latest Volkswagen Passat only comes in estate guise, which is no bad thing. Based on the Skoda Superb, the Passat has bags of space, great refinement, and impressive efficiency. The mild-hybrid petrol engine is very economical and should do around 50mpg. Meanwhile, the plug-in hybrid version has one of the largest official ranges around. This allows it to travel around 80 miles on electric power alone, though you will have to sacrifice some of the boot to make room for the battery.
Your brand new Volkswagen Passat can be found AT Auto Trader
Your brand new Volkswagen Passat can be found AT Auto Trader

Subaru Outback
In true Subaru style the Outback is the epitome of a go-anywhere, do-anything wagon, seamlessly blending comfort with utilitarian design. Its permanent four-wheel drive system makes it capable off-road, and it comes with a generous amount of tech and safety features. If outdoor pursuits are your thing, look no further. The Outback is as at home up a mountain as it is on the road, but its thirsty engine means running costs can be high. If you don’t regularly find yourself in muddy fields, you’ll be better off with a Skoda.
Your brand new Subaru Outback can be found AT Auto Trader
Your brand new Subaru Outback can be found AT Auto Trader

BMW M3 Touring
If you are looking for a bit of excitement but need space for your family, the M3 Touring could be the answer. BMW was slow to bring us an estate version of the M3, but it was worth the wait. The M3 Touring takes everything we loved about the saloon and adds a much bigger boot, creating a practical car which doesn’t compromise on performance. The M3’s accelerates from 0-62mph in as little as 3.6 seconds and while the Mercedes-AMG C63 is now a plug-in hybrid and Audi has yet to bring us a RS 5 Avant to replace the RS 4, the BMW is the king of six-cylinder compact performance estates.
Your brand new BMW M3 Touring can be found AT Auto Trader
Your brand new BMW M3 Touring can be found AT Auto Trader
