Despite SUVs currently dominating the family car market, estate cars continue to be popular for their practicality, style and saloon-like driving feel. Not only do most of them look great, they also come with more than enough space for any situation – and in many cases more than comparative SUVs.
So what can the best three estates offer and what makes these wagons so special?
Skoda Superb
Despite its presumptuous name, the Skoda Superb Estate really is rather good. It has one of the largest loading spaces in the sector and drives as well as any other family car.
With the saloon offering plenty of room for passengers, the estate could only build on that, by adding even more to the boot. It has 660 litres in the rear space in the standard five-seat configuration, but with the back bench folded down, you get a gargantuan 1,950 litres – a figure no rival can match.
Yes, it may not be the most attractive estate on offer, but buying a car isn’t all about looks and is more about the substance – and it’s fair to say that the Superb performs well here, too. From standard, models come with daytime running lights, a touchscreen infotainment system, Bluetooth, DAB radio, air conditioning and a multifunction leather steering wheel – with more premium options fitted further up the trim lines.
Starting prices are also really competitive, as you can get a Superb from £23,440 – much less than many top-end estates – but the overall finish may not be as refined as more premium efforts.
Still, the Superb will fit the bill for almost any situation, and if you go for a mid-spec model it is likely to have everything you will ever need from an estate.
BMW 5 Series Touring
As a fixture of the BMW line-up since 1990, the 5 Series Touring has been around for a fair while now, but with every generation it has got better and better.
The latest version is, unsurprisingly, the most advanced yet and comes with a lightweight structure as well as the active air stream system that improves air flow and efficiency. The 5 Series comes with semi-autonomous driving technology to help with long-range travelling, the option to fit gesture control for the 10.25-inch infotainment display and a large head-up display to provide the driver all the information they need.
BMWs always look smart, and the Touring continues that trend. The distinctive kidney grille is flanked by sharp body lines that make it an attractive prospect, and that continues inside. The layout could have been dropped from any other BMW, but that isn’t a bad thing as every feature is well-placed and works as expected.
Storage space may not be as good as the Superb, but you still get more than enough room for all your gear. With the standard layout, the Touring comes with 570 litres and when the rear seats are folded down, that’s extended to 1,700 litres – so you won’t be short-changed.
As a premium product, prices do start a bit higher up – at £39,005 in fact – but you do get the quality you expect for that money. Plenty of options are available too, so you can make the model your own.
Mercedes E-Class Estate
Much like the BMW, Mercedes models have that air of quality that few can match, and with the E-Class Estate that is obvious to see. Now in its fifth generation, the E-Class Estate has matured into one of the best road cars on sale and is crammed with plenty of kit.
Even from the SE base spec, models come with a 12.3-inch infotainment display alongside a digital instrument screen in the instrument binnacle, as well as parking assists, cruise control, an automatic tailgate, a leather multifunction steering wheel and heated leather front seats. Clearly, quality isn’t a problem here.
It arguably isn’t as good-looking as the 5 Series, but it is still well finished in either the standard or All-Terrain guise. You can also get it as a savage AMG version that comes with either an in-line six-cylinder engine or a turbocharged V8 in the E 63 models.
You won’t be found wanting for space in the E-Class, as it comes with 640 litres in the standard layout, with 1,820 litres on offer with the rear seats folded flat. There are also plenty of equipment packs to enhance the safety of the vehicle on offer as well, including the driving assistance plus package that adds active lane-change and lane keeping assist, active blind spot assist, evasive steering assist and active brake assist.
It’s a similar standard to the 5 Series, with prices starting from £38,070, but the two German titans go head-to-head constantly in terms of quality and its products, so that’s no surprise.
So which one should you go for? Well, if space, space and more space is what you’re after, then the Skoda is a no-brainer. But the Czech car can lack quality in certain areas that others have in abundance, so could be better. The Mercedes is larger than the BMW and cheaper to buy in comparable trim levels, but doesn’t quite have the same air as the 5 Series. So, that leaves the 5 Series Touring, which is the smartest-looking of the three and comes with a lot of excellent technology to keep you on the straight and narrow. It’s our favourite of the three and is also the best to drive.
Test drive a BMW 5 Series