Best estate cars 2024 – the top choices if you need a big boot

As we've said, there's more to being an excellent estate than just the ability to accommodate a family in comfort or the occasional wardrobe, because the best of them are also cosseting, frugal and dependable. And it’s these qualities that propel the Corolla Touring Sports to the top of this category.

Unlike any of its direct rivals at the cheaper end of the estate market, the Touring Sports is a hybrid, so it can run on electric power alone for short distances to help conserve petrol. In our recommended 1.8-litre form, the Corolla averages 62.7mpg, beating a comparable petrol or diesel Ford Focus Estate or Skoda Octavia Estate.

What’s more, ride comfort is impressive, striking a fine balance between suppleness and control. And the Toyota brand has an exemplary reliability record, so buyers can rest assured that they’re unlikely to be let down by their car.

Crucially, the Touring Sports is eminently practical, too, with a large, square load bay that has a low, flat load floor for easy access.

"I think the Corolla’s new 10.5in touchscreen is a big improvement on the previous model’s setup. As well as being bigger, it now comes with wireless phone mirroring, clearer menus and shortcuts down the left side of the screen to make it easier to hop between menus." – Neil Winn, Deputy Reviews Editor

Read our Toyota Corolla Touring Sports review

The latest Volkswagen Passat is only available as an estate car, with the older hatchback model now having gone the way of the Dodo – in short, then, given this is the only version of the car you can now buy, it had better be good.

Fortunately, it is. Our recommended 148bhp 1.5-litre petrol engine endows the Passat with a healthy amount of grunt, enabling a 0-62mph sprint time of 9.2 seconds, and helped by mild hybrid assistance to help keep your running costs in check. If you'd rather go greener, then two plug-in hybrid versions of the Passat are also available, with both able to travel for around 50 miles in electric-only mode in real-world conditions.

What about space? Well, this latest Passat is bigger in just about every dimension than the old car, and that means no matter which seat you're in, your passengers will have room to stretch out. Those in the front will find they have more elbow room than in the rival BMW 3 Series Touring, while rear-seat passengers get limo-like leg room. When it comes to the boot, you'll fit more into the Passat than you would into the Peugeot 508 SW or Mercedes E-Class Estate.

Elsewhere, the Passat impresses with high-quality materials throughout, and a comfortable driving position.

"I'm frequently loaded down with shopping, so I find it useful that the latest Passat comes with an electrically powered bootlid as standard. I like that the boot's load lip is low, too, meaning I don't have to lift my heavy bags too high to slide them in." – Will Nightingale, Reviews Editor

Read our Volkswagen Passat review

While it's not as frugal as the Corolla Touring Sports we saw earlier on this list, the Skoda Octavia Estate still strikes an excellent balance between practicality, comfort and value.

We managed to fit nine carry-on suitcases in its boot, so none of your passengers will need to pack light. And it's not just luggage that's well catered for; there's also loads of leg and head room in both the front and rear of the car.

Our favourite engine is the 1.5 TSI petrol, which offers a welcome performance boost over the entry-level 1.0 TSI 110 petrol. We’d also recommend going for SE Technology trim, which adds several desirable features, including front parking sensors and sat-nav.

I like using the voice control system in whatever car I'm driving, and in the Skoda Octavia Estate, that should soon be better than ever thanks to Chat GTP artificial intelligence. It'll allow me to, for example, ask my car what the weather will be like at my destination." – Darren Moss, Deputy Digital Editor

Read our Skoda Octavia Estate review

Fully electric estate cars are a relatively new breed, but the BMW i5 Touring shows that just because you're going green doesn't also mean you can't have a spacious and comfortable cruiser.

For a start, its official range of 344 miles in our recommended eDrive40 form will be more than enough for the needs of most buyers, and should still equate to around 250 miles of real-world use in winter. Second, while the 355bhp which the eDrive40's single motor produces makes it slower than any version of the Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo, in real-world use it has all the performance you could want, with a prod of the accelerator pedal being enough to send the i5 Touring hurtling down the road.

Then there's the space on offer. Even with its hefty battery taking up some space, the i5 Touring's 570-litre boot is almost a match for the conventionally powered Mercedes E-Class Estate, and is enough to ensure that nobody needs to pack light for your family holiday. And speaking of your family, they'll appreciate the i5 Touring's generous rear seat space, as well as the high quality materials which coat every surface. 

"While the Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo may be faster than our recommended eDrive40 version of the BMW i5 Touring, there's a big reason why I'd choose the BMW over the Porsche – it has a bigger boot."– Neil Winn, Deputy Reviews Editor

Read our BMW i5 Touring review

Mercedes has a long history of building large and luxurious estate cars, and the latest E-Class Estate is its best yet, despite the E300e plug-in hybrid having a higher boot floor and smaller luggage capacity than other models in the line-up.

On the other hand, the E300e is by far the cheapest E-Class Estate for company car tax, and its official electric range of 69 miles means you'll be able to complete many journeys without troubling the petrol engine at all.

On top of this, ride comfort is an E-Class Estate strength, no matter which version you choose, and the interior looks fantastic – particularly at night, thanks to the dramatic ambient lighting.

"While they may look snazzy, I find the steering-wheel-mounted touchpad controls in the latest E-Class Estate fiddly to use, so you're better off using the effective voice control system." – Steve Huntingford, Editor

Read our Mercedes E-Class Estate review

The second electric estate car to appear here is the MG5 EV, but don't go thinking that it's here by default.

True, quite a few combustion-engined rivals can carry more, but the MG5 still has enough space to handle your holiday luggage or the largest of child buggies.

It's temptingly priced, too, and you get loads of kit for your money; even entry-level SE models come with 16in alloy wheels, adaptive cruise control and keyless entry and start.

No matter which version you go for, you'll get a single 154bhp motor which draws power from a 57kWh (usable capacity) battery, which is officially good for a 250-mile range. We'd drop that figure to around 200 miles between charges in real-world use, but that should still be enough to suit most buyers.

"Unlike some electric cars, I find that the MG5 is quite softly sprung, which is good for comfort when you're cruising at speed, yet thanks to the considerable weight of its battery being positioned low down, it doesn't lurch about excessively through corners." – Will Nightingale, Reviews Editor

Read our MG5 EV review

The regular Seat Leon is one of the best family cars to drive, and likewise, this Leon Estate handles very tidily indeed. 

You might imagine that our recommended 1.0-litre 108bhp petrol engine would struggle to pull the Leon Estate along, especially once you've packed it full of people and luggage, but in fact it's peppy even on faster roads, meaning you don't need to spend more on a more powerful option. You can't have this engine with an automatic gearbox, but the standard six-speed manual offers smooth shifts and if pleasant to use.

The only thing that prevents the Leon from finishing higher on this list is the fact that the closely related Skoda Octavia Estate is more practical – although the Leon still offers good space for both passengers and luggage. You'll need to choose a high-end model if you want the luxury of an electric tailgate, though.

"I'd recommend avoiding FR trim if comfort is a priority, because this brings firmed-up sports suspension. Our chosen SE Dynamic cars have a better ride." – Dan Jones, Reviewer

Read our Seat Leon Estate review

The C5 X will cost more to run as a company car than some rival estates, even if you choose the fuel-saving plug-in hybrid version, because this model's official electric-only range of 39 miles isn't quite enough for one of the lowest benefit-in-kind tax (BIK) ratings.

On the other hand, the C5 X has the sort of super-supple ride that Citroën used to be famous for, and refinement also impresses; no matter which engine you choose, you'll barely hear it when cruising at motorway speeds, while wind and road noise are also well suppressed.

The boot is smaller than some others here, but if you’re looking for an estate car with a slightly raised, SUV-like driving position, the C5 X has you covered.

"At first I wondered why the boot of the C5 X isn't a little bigger than it is, given how long the car is. But then I climbed into the back seats and realised it's because Citroën has traded some cargo space for limo-like leg room." – Stuart Milne, Digital Editor

Read our Citroën C5 X review

While the C-Class Estate isn't as fun to drive as the BMW 3 Series Touring, it’s still a great choice thanks to its comfy ride and punchy yet efficient engines. 

Speaking of engines, our pick of the bunch for private buyers is the C220d diesel, which can propel the C-Class Estate from 0-62mph in 7.4sec, and officially return more than 60mpg.

The C300e plug-in hybrid, meanwhile, is the best bet for company car drivers; its 66-mile official electric-only range results in low BIK tax bills, while standard rear air suspension keeps the rear of the car level no matter how heavily you load the boot.

Boot space is slightly down on that of the 3 Series Touring, but the Mercedes counters by coming with an electric tailgate as standard, which means you don't have to put your shopping down to open the boot lid. A standard-fit motorised luggage cover can help keep your shopping out of the view of prying eyes, too.

"I recommend adaptive susepension on the C-Class Estate for the extra comfort brings, but you don't have to go for the plug-in hybrid model to get it, because it's optional on the rest of the range." – Lawrence Cheung, New Cars Editor

Read our Mercedes C-Class Estate review

The 3 Series Touring has long been one of the best cars in BMW's range, and the latest version continues that tradition, mixing precise steering with stellar body control and strong grip, while still managing to serve up good ride comfort and relaxing refinement. 

Add to all that an upmarket interior featuring one of the best infotainment systems you’ll find in any new car, and there's an awful lot to like. 

True, plenty of other estate cars have significantly bigger boots – the Skoda Superb Estate can hold substantially more, for example – but the 40/20/40 split rear seats and separately opening tailgate window of the 3 Series Touring are nifty practical touches.

While you can get the 3 Series Touring with diesel, plug-in hybrid or petrol power, it's the latter which is our recommended choice, with the entry-level 181bhp 320i engine being perky enough for most situations while also keeping your running costs in check.

"For me, BMW's iDrive infotainment system continues to set the standard for usability, because it can be controlled through touch, voice commands, or via a handy rotary controller. It’s a bit of a shame, though, that the air-con controls are now on the screen rather than being controlled with physical buttons." – Steve Huntingford, Editor 

Read our BMW 3 Series Touring review

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