Top 10 best estate cars 2024

Is it an estate? Is it an MPV? Is it an SUV? It does have seven seats and a mildly raised ride height, but we reckon it’s an estate - and a really good one too.

Given the rampant rise in the cost of living that we’ve experienced in the past few years, the Dacia Jogger is particularly welcome. It offers all the space and utility you need, including a genuinely usable third row of seats, for significantly less money than most standard hatchbacks.

And it’s not as if Jogger drivers have to give up a lot of creature comforts. Yes, the plastics are hard and there is no expensive-feeling leather on the seats, but Dacia has grown very adept at brightening up its interiors with a strip of fabric here, and a bit of faux knurled aluminium there, without breaking the bank.

Go for one of the still very reasonably priced higher trims and you get heated seats, cruise control and navigation, as well as an infotainment system that works more logically than a lot of fancier systems.

The 1.0-litre engine is no powerhouse, but thanks to the snappy six-speed manual, it gets out of its own way well enough. If you must have an automatic transmission, the Dacia Jogger Hybrid is the one to go for and returns very impressive economy.

It rides well on its soft suspension but has enough inherent balance to still be enjoyable on a twisty road. Some might scoff at the one-star NCAP rating, but the Jogger protects still its occupants perfectly well in a crash.

However, NCAP marked it down for the absence of some active safety systems. Those can be less of a help than a hindrance on some cars, so it’s not the biggest loss.

The Jogger offers lots of space for relatively little money in what is quite a cheery and pleasant package. It’s the opposite of a luxury car, but it’s hard not to like.

Jaguar did much for the rational appeal of its slightly long-in-the-tooth larger executive option, the XF, early in 2021 when it widely overhauled the interior, cut the engine range and slashed a four-figure sum off the list price.

A rear-driven, diesel-powered D200 XF Sportbrake can now be had for a little over £40,000, which makes it cracking value - especially when the Mercedes E-Class is pushing into the £60ks.

WLTP emissions tests have robbed Jaguar's only estate of its multi-cylinder engines, sadly: Jaguar never got around to dropping any of its straight-six Ingenium motors into the car, and it isn't likely to in the future.

But whichever engine sits in the Sportbrake's nose, you're getting arguably the best-handling chassis in this class, and one that changes direction beautifully thanks to the weight and response of Jaguar's trademark steering.

The top-billing XF P300 model pairs the same 296bhp 2.0-litre petrol engine from the Jaguar F-Type with all-wheel drive and is a superbly competent all-weather family car, now finally with a cabin and infotainment system worthy of a premium executive operator.

If you're looking for those traditional Jaguar values of space, pace and grace, then the Sportbrake has them by the bootful.

The smaller sibling of the 5 Series, the 3 Series Touring, packs many of its larger stablemate’s strengths into a more compact package. 

However, even if you can’t stretch to the fast and furious flagship, you’ll be pleased to discover that plenty of its magic is sprinkled over the rest of the range. Few estate cars at any price are as good to drive, the 3 Series wagon’s mix of agility, driver engagement and right-sized exterior making it feel at home on any twisting stretch of Tarmac. 

And while it rides a little firmer than some, the sense of solidity and excellent refinement mean it's also relaxing when you just want to mooch. The 3 Series also features a lavishly appointed and finished interior, while the boot will swallow 500 litres (410 litres for the 330e plug-in hybrid) with the rear bench in place.

There’s also that handy lifting glass tailgate, numerous storage cubbies and shopping bag hooks.

A facelift in 2022 mostly concerned the interior, where the 3 Series gained a massive curved screen, but lost a lot of its physical controls. We’re no great fans of BMW’s latest iDrive operating system, but at least the presence of the signature rotary controller makes up for a lot

The 3 Series also had its engine line-up slashed in the UK. The regular range now consists of a 2.0-litre petrol, a 2.0-litre diesel and a 2.0-litre plug-in hybrid. However, you can still have a straight six with either petrol or diesel power in the form of the M340i and M340d.

These are also joined by the magnificent 503bhp BMW M3 Touring, which has all the saloon’s incredible pace and poise but with an extra dose of practicality as well.

Citroën has rediscovered its knack for doing things differently, and the C5 X is arguably the most tangible proof of this.

Combining the style of a coupé with the stance of an SUV and the versatility of an estate (according to Citroën), the flamboyant French machine forges its own path to practicality. It’s an estate car, Jim, but not as we know it.

What’s clear from the outside is that comfort is the order of the day with the Citroën, even if it’s not quite as accomplished in this area as some of its double-chevron ancestors.

The soft suspension can get unsettled but otherwise it delivers a supple and easy-going gait, while the squidgy seats are surprisingly supportive. Light steering and a fair amount of body movement mean it's best at a gentle canter, but consistent grip and accurate steering ensure it’s hardly a chore to drive.

Despite its rakish exterior, the C5 X features a spacious interior that looks good and is well-built. There’s a large boot as well, which will swallow a very useful 540 litres of luggage with the rear seats in use, although this drops to 485 litres in the C5 X hybrid.

Speaking of which, the plug-in model delivers some decent savings for business users and is the most relaxing choice these days. The C5 X launched with the option of an un-hybridised 1.6-litre petrol engine, whose quiet running and adequate torque suited the car well.

However, that was removed from sale after only a few months, leaving the 1.2-litre triple as the only C5 X without a plug. It’s a decent enough engine and is capable of excellent economy, but it can struggle with this big car, not helped by the somewhat petulant automatic gearbox.

Does the E-Class get any more convincing than in estate form? We think not, because if the role of a big Mercedes is to convey the whole family in enviable comfort, the estate is where you should spend your money. 

With the seats in place, there’s a healthy 615 litres, while dropping the 40/20/40-split folding rear bench liberates a cavernous, and flat-floored, 1830 litres of capacity (although as with others here, the plug-in hybrid’s version is smaller, at 460-1675 litres, due to the need to house a large battery).

The load area is also well shaped and there’s a low load lip and a powered tailgate, all of which make it easier to carry awkward items.

For the latest E-Class – codenamed W214, or S214 for the estate – there are a few changes. The first is that Mercedes has gone all-in on screens and tech. Higher trims get what Mercedes calls the ‘Superscreen’, which fuses a large central screen and a smaller screen for the passenger in a large expanse of black.

It mostly works quite well, and you don’t have to have it. Interior materials generally feel high quality too. Most new E-Classes in the UK come on sport suspension. We’ve yet to drive the estate in the UK, but we expect the ride to be okay rather than pillowy.

The plug-in hybrid E300e is likely to be the comfiest, as it comes on softer suspension. All estates have rear air suspension, but that’s more for self-levelling than comfort.

From launch in the UK, there are only three powertrains on offer, all using a 2.0-litre four-cylinder: there’s an E200 mild-hybrid petrol, an E200d mild-hybrid diesel and an E300e plug-in hybrid.

There are six-cylinder and four-wheel-drive versions in Germany, but it’s unclear if any of those will make it to the UK. For now, we’ve only tried the E220d, which proved very refined and very frugal.

For decades, Ford’s mid-size car – first the Escort and then the Focus – was the default family car, with estate versions available for those who needed more space.

With the rise of SUVs, the Focus has been marginalised a bit, to the extent that there won’t be a new generation once the current one’s run ends in 2025.

We still like it quite a lot, however. It doesn’t offer the premiumish experience or plug-in hybrid drivetrains of some rivals such as the Peugeot 308 SW, but if you like driving and being in control, it ticks quite few boxes.

The regular Focus is always powered by a mild-hybrid 1.0-litre three-cylinder these days – either with 123bhp and a six-speed manual or 153bhp and a seven-speed dual-clutch auto.

Both are pretty good, but we’d stick with the cheaper manual. It’s no hot hatch, but it does offer a very natural, satisfying driving experience, and there’s very little to annoy you. And when we ran a 153bhp automatic as a long-term test car, it returned 58mpg on average, which is pretty impressive for a mild-hybrid petrol.

The most recent facelift has introduced a massive multimedia screen. It sadly usurped the physical climate controls but, truth be told, it still works pretty well.

The Focus Estate is practical too, without being massive on the outside. Boot capacity stands at 608 litres, increasing to 1653 with the seats folded flat. It’s not just big: there are also practical features such as a luggage cover that’s easy to remove and reinstall.

If you do want that hot hatch experience, the estate is available as a 276bhp Ford Focus ST as well.

There was a time not that long ago when the Toyota Corolla was a byword for humdrum transport. Durable and dependable, it was also dynamically flat and devoid of charm.

However, that’s all changed with the current 12th-generation version, which features all the nameplate’s' traditional strengths, but mixes in some style and a big dollop of driver appeal. Go for the Touring Sports and you get a healthy injection of practicality too.

Thanks to the brand’s TNGA (Toyota Next Generation Architecture), the Corolla is blessed with a fine ride and handling balance that makes it a genuine pleasure to steer down your favourite road as well as affording it genuine comfort and refinement.

These days the Corolla is always a petrol-electric hybrid, but you have the choice of a 1.8- or a 2.0-litre. The former got a sizeable power bump to 138bhp in 2023, making its performance adequate rather than sluggish.

The 2.0 got a smaller upgrade to 193bhp, making it pleasantly nippy. Neither are performance machines because the CVT gearbox will still give you soaring revs if you really put your foot down, but both get out of their own way, and will return good economy.

In that respect, the 1.8 can be incredibly frugal on congested roads, but the 2.0-litre might be the better option if you do a lot of motorway miles.

The interior isn’t quite up to premium standards and the infotainment is fairly lacklustre, but there’s decent space and it’s robustly built. Likewise, the boot lacks some of the clever features of rivals, but it’s roomy enough and benefits from a low-loading lip and a decent shape.

It is worth noting that the 1.8 has a slightly bigger boot because its 12V battery can go under the bonnet, whereas the 2.0-litre’s has to live in the boot – 696 litres plays 581. So there you have it: a Corolla with space, style, substance and sparkle.

Audi’s large estate can match neither the newness of the E-Class nor the driving enjoyment of the 5 Series, but it still has a lot going for it.

It’s available with four-cylinder petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid powertrains, and rather than chase BMW for driving dynamics, it majors on mechanical refinement and cabin isolation.

It has an attractive, roomy, expensive-feeling cabin that looks good and is a pleasure to while away the hours within. And although we’ve criticised the multimedia for its clumsy attempt at tactile feedback, the interface works quickly and logically, and there’s a separate screen for the climate controls, making easier to use than some modern systems.

The A6 Avant scores plenty of practical estate points. The 565-litre boot is accessed via a suitably wide aperture and there’s no awkward sill over which heavy items will need to be lifted, which is handy, although the angle of the bootline may prevent taller items from being loaded easily.

The 40:20:40-split folding rear seats collapse to liberate an additional 1115 litres of space for a total capacity of 1680 litres.

And if you want to go fast, there’s always the Audi RS6. The S6 is a slightly odd duck with its diesel V6, but the RS6’s thundering V8 is a real event and does without the complication of hybrid systems, which are likely to afflict the upcoming M5 and E63.

Dynamically, it’s one of the best fast Audis ever, too. It isn’t lairy like a BMW M car, but there’s enough poise, combined with some rear bias and a well-tuned four-wheel steering system to keep you entertained.