The wonderful thing about estate cars is the sheer breadth of the class. This is simply a consequence of the fact that, whichever type of car the public wants, there will always be a portion who want it with added practicality.
At the extremities of this world lie such oddities as the stretched-out Mini Traveller of 1960 and the V12-engined Ferrari GTC4 Lusso shooting brake, but even the more humdrum middle ground is overflowing with variety. So while the following 10 cars share a common utilitarian cause, they deliver it in different ways.
Look past their big boots and some strive for opulence. Others deploy every trick in the book to make their owners' lives easier. And a couple have quietly prioritised dynamism. A handful, we might add, manage to do it all, albeit at a price. However, be aware that the inexorable rise of the SUV means that the estate car is facing an uncertain future, and while it's not on the endangered list yet, you should definitely enjoy its multi-talented appeal sooner rather than later.
So which are the best options if you're an Autocar reader who wants only one car to do it all?
Best estate cars on sale in 2022
1. BMW 3 Series Touring
BMW's mid-sized stalwart is our preferred mid-sized premium saloon and it's arguable that ballooning the rear bodywork only increases its vast all-round appeal. The first reason for this is that air suspension is standard fit at the rear axle, and combined with the optional adaptive dampers, this makes for first-class ride quality.
The second reason is that BMW's strong range of diesel and petrol engines allows you to prioritise economy with four cylinders; to ensure progress is always deliciously effortless with a straight six under the bonnet; or to opt for a tax-efficient plug-in hybrid. That the G30-generation car isn't quite as incisive as its forebear also matters less for the Touring version, whose 1700-litre load bay with the rear seats down is right in the mix.
BMW doesn't offer an M5 Touring currently, nor even an M Performance M550i or M540d Touring option, so the quickest regular 5 Series is the six-cylinder petrol 328bhp 540i xDrive. But if you've got spicier appetites for your do-it-all, propeller-badged premium load-lugger, just keep reading.
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Al right then, hands up, who buy a Car for need?, or, just because they like whatever Car, even I think the Tourer is a three series with more weight added, but, then again, if your minted enough, buy what you like.
Bit of a joke list isn't it surely the point of an estate car is useable space? putting the BMW 5 series at the top of the list seems ridiculous then adding the Alpina version of the 3 series is rubbing salt in the wounds. Why pay more for less with the VW Arteon Shooting Brake? the Passat Estate offers so much useable space than it's over priced stablemate
@fellwalker before you have a heart attack the article states 608 litres of space for the Ford Focus, 375l is for the hatch.