Compare the best fast estate cars

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Rated 4.5/5 from 62,788 reviews

Best fast estate cars of 2024

Estate cars are the thinking man’s SUV. They’re often just as practical, while typically being more rewarding to drive. When it comes to fast estate cars, there are some superb options out there, as at home on the school run as they are spearing up a mountain pass.

If that sounds like the kind of car for you then take a look at some of the fastest estate cars you can currently buy, hand-picked by our carwow team to make sure you don’t settle for anything but the best.

BMW M3 Touring

1. BMW M3 Touring

9/10
BMW M3 Touring review

What's good

  • Bonkers performance
  • Decent practicality
  • Optional carbon bucket seats are top notch

What’s not so good

  • A lot of tyre noise at motorway speeds
  • Very expensive, especially with options
  • Sportier suspension modes too firm for UK roads
It has finally happened. BMW has built an M3 Touring. It gets the same 510hp 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged engine found in the saloon, but the estate body shape means there’s a slightly bigger boot and more rear seat space. It’s a bit jiggly around town but comfortable enough to drive everyday. Then you switch to its more aggressive drive modes and tear up corners like an agile sports car. All the car you’ll ever need? Maybe.

What's good

  • Bonkers performance
  • Decent practicality
  • Optional carbon bucket seats are top notch

What’s not so good

  • A lot of tyre noise at motorway speeds
  • Very expensive, especially with options
  • Sportier suspension modes too firm for UK roads
BMW 3 Series Touring

2. BMW 3 Series Touring M340i

9/10
BMW 3 Series Touring review

What's good

  • Excellent infotainment system
  • Great fun to drive
  • High-quality cabin

What’s not so good

  • Some options should be standard
  • Six-cylinder petrol engine is thirsty
  • Some estates have more rear legroom
M3 Touring a bit too hardcore for you? May we present the BMW M340i xDrive Touring. It accelerates like a two-seater sports car, packs in as much luggage as an SUV and measures just 34mpg in combined driving. It's a bit more comfortable and a lot less expensive to buy and run than the M3 wagon, but still incredibly capable and fun to drive.

What's good

  • Excellent infotainment system
  • Great fun to drive
  • High-quality cabin

What’s not so good

  • Some options should be standard
  • Six-cylinder petrol engine is thirsty
  • Some estates have more rear legroom
Mercedes-Benz AMG E63 Estate (2020-2023)

3. Mercedes-AMG E63 S Estate

9/10
Mercedes-Benz AMG E63 Estate (2020-2023) review

What's good

  • Monumental engine
  • Lavish interior quality
  • Humongous boot space

What’s not so good

  • Infotainment can be fiddly
  • Very expensive
  • There are faster alternatives around on track
If you need to get the kids to school two hours early every day, then the Mercedes-AMG E63 S Estate is one to shortlist. It is the quickest estate car on our list, and thanks to all-wheel-drive, you can actually use the power on offer. Well, most of it anyway. Sure, the vastly cheaper E53 is still indecently quick – and far more fuel efficient – but there’s no substitute for the E63’s glorious V8 and surfeit of power. And it’ll take 640 litres of luggage which is better than most alternatives.

What's good

  • Monumental engine
  • Lavish interior quality
  • Humongous boot space

What’s not so good

  • Infotainment can be fiddly
  • Very expensive
  • There are faster alternatives around on track

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Audi RS6 Avant

4. Audi RS6 Avant

9/10
Audi RS6 Avant review

What's good

  • Sledgehammer V8 engine
  • Spacious interior…
  • …And high-quality

What’s not so good

  • Thirst for fuel
  • E 63 S has a bigger boot
  • M5 is even more fun
The RS6 takes the fast estate car recipe and adds twin-turbo V8 power into the mix which makes it a formidable family-friendly sportscar. Matching the 23mpg fuel economy rating is going to be tough when you have 591hp at your disposal, but few cars offer such a beguiling combination of accessible performance, practicality and luxury. And it looks so good, too.

What's good

  • Sledgehammer V8 engine
  • Spacious interior…
  • …And high-quality

What’s not so good

  • Thirst for fuel
  • E 63 S has a bigger boot
  • M5 is even more fun
Audi RS4 Avant

5. Audi RS4 Avant

8/10
Audi RS4 Avant review

What's good

  • Beautifully built inside
  • Power and practicality
  • Infotainment system

What’s not so good

  • Alternatives more fun to drive
  • Engine noise lacks drama
  • Expensive to run
Audi has offered a fast estate car in its range ever since the seminal 311hp RS 2 arrived on the scene in 1994. The latest RS 4 follows the same formula of turbocharged engine and all-wheel-drive grip, but in this case it develops 444hp from its 2.9-litre turbocharged V6 which rockets it from 0-62mph in just 4.1-seconds. It’ll swallow 495 litres of luggage (1,495-litres with the rear seats down), too, and has a beautifully crafted interior.

What's good

  • Beautifully built inside
  • Power and practicality
  • Infotainment system

What’s not so good

  • Alternatives more fun to drive
  • Engine noise lacks drama
  • Expensive to run
Jaguar XF Sportbrake

6. Jaguar XF Sportbrake P300

7/10
Jaguar XF Sportbrake review

What's good

  • Great to look at inside and out
  • Decent touchscreen infotainment
  • High quality interior

What’s not so good

  • Some rivals have bigger boots
  • Inefficient petrol versions
  • Road noise with larger wheels
It’s not a fire-breathing machine like some of Jaguar’s V8-powered offerings, but the P300 XF Sportbrake mixes everyday practicalities with a potent 300hp turbocharged 2.0-litre engine which is quick and fuel efficient. It looks stunning inside and out, and the cabin is finished in some high-quality materials although the boot isn’t the biggest in its class. Plenty of luxuries and standard all-wheel-drive make this a perfect year-round sporty estate car.

What's good

  • Great to look at inside and out
  • Decent touchscreen infotainment
  • High quality interior

What’s not so good

  • Some rivals have bigger boots
  • Inefficient petrol versions
  • Road noise with larger wheels
Skoda Octavia vRS Estate

7. Skoda Octavia vRS Estate

8/10
Skoda Octavia vRS Estate review
Battery range up to 43 miles

What's good

  • Enormous for people and luggage
  • Quick and comfortable
  • Lots of standard equipment

What’s not so good

  • PHEV batteries hit boot space
  • Pretty unexciting
  • Scratchy plastics
There’s a lot to like about the latest Skoda Octavia, it’s rather plush inside and has acres of passenger and boot space. In hot vRS trim it gets a 242hp turbocharged engine and comes with that rarest of devices – a six-speed manual gearbox. You will struggle to find more space and pace for the money, and it comes very well-equipped, too. There’s even a plug-in hybrid vRS which delivers great fuel economy and very similar performance to the turbocharged petrol model.

What's good

  • Enormous for people and luggage
  • Quick and comfortable
  • Lots of standard equipment

What’s not so good

  • PHEV batteries hit boot space
  • Pretty unexciting
  • Scratchy plastics
Volvo V60

8. Volvo V60

8/10
Volvo V60 review
Battery range up to 31 miles

What's good

  • Roomy boot
  • Spacious for passengers
  • Comfortable to drive

What’s not so good

  • Ageing cabin
  • Alternatives are more fun
  • Hesitant automatic gearbox
Volvo’s V60 is a great estate car with some typical Scandinavian design touches that help it stand out from the crowd. Fitted with the top T6 plug-in hybrid engine, it adds a healthy dose of speed to the equation. It’s superbly practical too, with 519-litres of boot space behind the rear seats, and the ability to do up to 54.1-miles using electric power. Just don’t forget to plug it in.

What's good

  • Roomy boot
  • Spacious for passengers
  • Comfortable to drive

What’s not so good

  • Ageing cabin
  • Alternatives are more fun
  • Hesitant automatic gearbox
Volkswagen Arteon Shooting Brake

9. Volkswagen Arteon R Shooting Brake

8/10
Volkswagen Arteon Shooting Brake review

What's good

  • Quiet and comfortable to drive
  • Loads of cabin space for passengers
  • Feels beautifully built inside

What’s not so good

  • Fiddly touch-sensitive controls
  • Boot lip makes unloading heavy items harder
  • Rear seats don't fold flat
The Volkswagen Arteon is a stylish alternative to the VW Passat and in Shooting Brake (estate) guise, it matches up to the Audi Avant and BMW’s Touring models. Its swish exterior is complemented by an equally smart cabin, while the turbocharged 320hp 2.0-litre motor delivers strong acceleration. The huge boot and standard all-wheel-drive make the Arteon the perfect alternative to yet another hulking SUV.

What's good

  • Quiet and comfortable to drive
  • Loads of cabin space for passengers
  • Feels beautifully built inside

What’s not so good

  • Fiddly touch-sensitive controls
  • Boot lip makes unloading heavy items harder
  • Rear seats don't fold flat
Peugeot 508 SW

10. Peugeot 508 SW PSE

8/10
Peugeot 508 SW review

What's good

  • Comfortable to drive
  • Well-equipped
  • Looks cool

What’s not so good

  • Alternatives are more practical…
  • …and more fun to drive
  • Cramped rear seats
Peugeot opted for plug-in hybrid power when designing the performance-oriantated 508 SW PSE (Peugeot Sport Engineered), with a turbocharged 1.6-litre petrol engine and two electric motors putting out a combined 360hp. The result is a 0-62mph time of just 5.2 seconds, all wrapped up in one of the best-looking estate bodies on the market. The boot offers 530-litres with the rear seats up, and a cavernous 1,780-litres with them down.

What's good

  • Comfortable to drive
  • Well-equipped
  • Looks cool

What’s not so good

  • Alternatives are more practical…
  • …and more fun to drive
  • Cramped rear seats

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Advice about fast cars and estates

Fast estate cars FAQs

Many fast cars, including estates, are limited to 155mph. A few can have that limiter raised, like the Mercedes-AMG E63 S Estate which can be ‘limited’ to 186mph when you option on the AMG Drivers Pack.

Porsche doesn’t feel the need to limit its cars and the Porsche Panamera Turbo S Sport Turismo maxes out at 196mph. The much pricier and rarer Ferrari GTC4Lusso is capable of 208mph.

The 612hp Mercedes-AMG E63 S 4-Matic Estate not only has one of the longest names but is also the most powerful estate car on our list. The Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid Sport Turismo is more of an elongated hatchback than pure estate car, but it serves a similar purpose and thanks to the help of its electric motors, puts out an incredible 690hp.

That depends on what your definition of fast and cheap is, although the Skoda Octavia vRS Estate should qualify on both counts for most buyers. With a 6.8-second 0-62mph time and a starting price of just under £35,000, you’ll have to pay a lot more elsewhere if you want to go faster.

The Skoda Superb Estate is a simply massive car with 660 litres of boot space that extends to a van-like 1,950 litres with the rear seats folded flat. Not even a Mercedes E-Class estate can match that.

The Superb Estate can also be had in vRS trim with a 276hp turbocharged engine, this launches it from 0-62mph in just 5.3-seconds.