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Compare the best small estate cars

High-quality small estate cars from rated and reviewed dealers

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Rated 4.6/5 from 53,562 reviews

Best small estate cars of 2024

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.

BMW 3 Series Touring

1. BMW 3 Series Touring

9/10
BMW 3 Series Touring review
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.
Skoda Octavia Estate

2. Skoda Octavia Estate

9/10
Skoda Octavia Estate review
Battery range up to 46 miles
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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Audi RS4 Avant

3. Audi RS4 Avant

8/10
Audi RS4 Avant review
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.
Volvo V60

4. Volvo V60

8/10
Volvo V60 review
Battery range up to 31 miles
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.
Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate (2020-2023)

5. Mercedes C-Class Estate

8/10
Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate (2020-2023) review
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.
Jaguar XF Sportbrake

6. Jaguar XF Sportbrake

7/10
Jaguar XF Sportbrake review
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.
Kia Ceed Sportswagon

7. Kia Ceed Sportwagon

8/10
Kia Ceed Sportswagon review
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.
Toyota Corolla Touring Sports

8. Toyota Corolla Touring Sports

8/10
Toyota Corolla Touring Sports review
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.
Ford Focus Estate

9. Ford Focus Estate

7/10
Ford Focus Estate review
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.
MINI Clubman

10. MINI Clubman

6/10
MINI Clubman review
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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Advice about small estate cars

Small estate cars FAQs

Small estate cars have become less popular in recent years, with their market share being eroded by crossovers and SUVs. That said, there are still a decent range of estate cars out there and many are not only more practical and spacious than similarly priced crossovers, but they tend to be more fun to drive too.

The Skoda Octavia Estate can swallow 640 litres of luggage with the rear seats up and 1,700 litres with them down. That is more than you get in some larger estates like the Jaguar XF Sportbrake (565/1,700) and well above similarly-sized rivals.

For serious pace and a posh interior, the Audi RS4 Avant is a great choice. The Skoda Octavia Estate also makes a strong case for itself thanks to a combination of good pricing and acres of interior space. Depending on what your needs are, you really can’t go wrong with any of the estate cars we have selected for you here.

The maximum figure depends on a number of factors of which engine power and overall vehicle weight are arguably the most important. This gives the heavier and more powerful small estate cars an advantage, so something like a BMW 3 Series Touring can tow up to 1,800kg with a braked trailer or caravan. The smaller MINI Clubman can manage just 1,300kg.

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