Best small estate cars of 2025
Estate cars are perfect for families as they offer plenty of space and many come with a wide range of options. Small estates still come with big boots but are easier to drive around town and to park. Take a look at some of the best small estates on sale today.
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The BMW 3 Series has plenty of space for a family, is fun to drive and has some great standard and optional tech on offer. The six-cylinder petrol is superb but thirsty and there are even more practical estates in this class.
Battery range up to 46 miles
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The Octavia Estate has a huge boot, solidly-built cabin and affordable running costs. It also has a decent infotainment system as standard. It’s not the most stylish estate car around though, and the slightly bumpy ride around town doesn’t translate into very dynamic handling on a twisty road.
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What's good
What’s not so good
The RS4 Avant is an all-weather sports car wrapped in a practical estate bodyshell. It’s well-built, powerful and comes with a lot of tech. Some rivals are more exciting to drive though, and they sound better too.
The V60 is comfortable and spacious with a generous boot. The interior is plush although a few trim pieces could be better. It’s a great motorway companion, but the sometimes hesitant automatic gearbox and fiddly infotainment system slightly dim its otherwise impressive showing.
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The C-Class Estate looks classy and offers a comfortable ride while ensconcing its occupants in a plush cabin. Some rivals have more room for second row passengers and while the infotainment system looks great it could be a bit more intuitive.
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The recently updated XF Sportbrake looks stunning and has a much-improved interior and infotainment system. The petrol versions are smooth, but the diesel offers far better economy, and stick to smaller wheels for a more refined ride. Passenger space is great, and the boot should be big enough for most.
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The Ceed Sportwagon may not be the most stylish estate around, but it makes up for this with generous interior and boot space as well as a very attractive price tag. Some rivals may be posher or slightly better to drive, but the Kia is well-equipped and comes with a class-leading 7-year warranty.
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This small estate offers the traditional Toyota traits of solid build quality, comfortable driving experience and low running costs. It looks pretty good too, with a useful sized boot although the rear seats are more spacious in some rivals. The hybrid set up can sound a bit noisy under hard acceleration.
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The Focus Estate is packed with kit, has a spacious interior and is fun to drive. The cabin quality could be better, and we’d avoid the auto ‘box which can dull the driving experience. The boot is about average for the class and should meet most families’ needs.
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What’s not so good
You won’t want for more customisability or style in the MINI Clubman, but some of those options don’t come cheap and plenty of rivals are more practical, too. You can pick from frugal or fierce engine options and there’s enough space for four adults, but the boot is smaller than average.
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