Best estate cars 2026

While SUVs continue to be top of the pops, estate cars have rather fallen out of fashion. However, at Autotrader 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.

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 on Autotrader

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 V90 and the V60. Sadly, the V90’s comeback was short-lived, but we are very grateful you can still buy a V60, for now. The V60 is a masterclass in Swedish design, beautifully made and extremely safe. It’s timelessly elegant while offering plenty of space and tech. A real winner in our book. Your brand new Volvo V60 can be found on Autotrader

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 on Autotrader

Not only is the Volkswagen ID.7 brilliant value, but it is also one of the few electric estate cars on the market. Its front styling may not be the most exciting, but it is very efficient , making it a great alternative to the premium BMW i5 at a fraction of the price. We think it’s one of the best electric estates on the market, particularly for its generous space and quoted range of 424 miles. In a long-term review, Erin Baker put the range to the test and got a respectable 399 miles on a single charge. That’s particularly impressive when compared with the BMW i5 Touring, she lived with previously was way off its quoted maximum range, click here to read more from our long term review. Your brand new Volkswagen ID.7 can be found on Autotrader

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 on Autotrader

Vauxhall’s longest serving model in their range, the Astra has been around for eight generations and more than 45 years. With the option of four main powertrains comprising petrol, hybrid, plug in hybrid and fully electric, the Astra offers something for everyone allowing you to pick the option to suit your wallet and needs. It is solidly built and offers an engaging driving experience, but being an estate means you get loads of extra room in the back making it a great all-rounder. What’s not to like? Your brand new Vauxhall Astra can be found on Autotrader.​

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 on Autotrader

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 on Autotrader

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 on Autotrader

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 on Autotrader