We say Good-looking estate which is practical but not as vast as some other family estates. A luxury estate is always a bit of a strange beast though.Performance All engines are strong, the diesels especially so if hauling. The supercharged 1.8-litre diesels replace petrol engines and improve fuel economy.Emissions Not great, even for a luxury estate. The smaller diesels go some way to improve emissions but a figure in excess of 165g/km is some way off the class leaders. Expect fuel economy around 35mpg.Driving The C-Class Estate is good in town and on the motorway. It handles well despite its size and the engines are comfortable enough as load-luggers.Feel The diesels are particularly quiet and the cabin is well insulated against outside noise intrusion, even at motorway speeds.Space The boot is big and well-shaped meaning the C-Class Estate can swallow a good amount of luggage or equipment. It seats five with ease as well. No complaints here.Equipment Good kit levels on entry-level cars as you would expect from a more premium model. Satellite navigation and a leather interior are available as optional extras.Price At £20,000 it seems reasonable but higher specs can rise to as much as £50,000. Its good looks and premium quality ensure high residuals however.Quality Reliability should not be a problem, which is good considering servicing costs. However, interior quality could be better considering the price.Safety Loads of safety technology and strong EuroNCAP scores but no deadlocks and lags behind newer, safety-packed models now.Pros The Mercedes C-Class Estate adds a bit of style to the premium estate segment. It drives well and is practical and spacious inside. In short, it ticks most of the boxes.Cons There are question marks over interior quality and despite high residual values, starting prices are a little steep.Alternatives Audi A4 Avant, BMW 3-Series Touring, Jaguar X-Type Estate
