If you want to buy a car that really can do everything, look no further than a BMW 5 Series Touring. There's an all-new model out in 2024, but even the outgoing model is still one of the best estate cars going, and buying a used one of those instead will save you a fair few quid. It's a superb all-rounder: a premium car with a first-class interior, a big boot, and a driving experience that strikes the perfect blend of sportiness and comfort. There's a reason our team of reviewers awarded the previous 5 Series Touring 10 out of 10: it's almost impossible to find fault with.

It's a strikingly handsome estate car (more so than the 5 Series saloon, we reckon) and one that exudes class alongside garish SUV alternatives. It's certainly on the large side, but that means it's simply cavernous inside. The boot can accommodate a mighty 1700 litres of luggage with the rear seats dropped, which is only really beaten by load-luggers like the Skoda Superb Estate.

The Skoda Superb Estate has always been a car that provides huge space and massive practicality in a package that offers incredible value for money in comparison to rivals, and the latest version, released in 2024, does the job even better than ever.

For starters, the huge space it offers is even huger than ever. We thought the previous version's 660-litre loadbay could never be beaten, but the latest version ekes out another 30 litres for a gargantuan total of 690 litres. That rises to 1920 litres if you fold down the rear seats. If you don't, you'll have five seats that are surrounded by a scarcely believable amount of space, making the Superb a hugely practical family car. The cabin is nicely trimmed, too.

Granted, it's not the most exciting car to drive, but who cares about that when it's so comfortable and refined? It's also offered with a broad range of engine options, and all versions come well equipped as standard.

If you don’t need the space of a big, premium wagon, the BMW 3 Series Touring combines all the versatility of a family estate car with the feel-good factor of a sports saloon.

You get a wide choice of petrol and diesel engines with the 3 Series Touring, as well as a plug-in hybrid option. If you want an estate car to cover the commute during the week before heading to the hills at the weekend, the plug-in hybrid 330e could be a really good choice. It can travel up to 35 miles under electric power alone, taking just over 2 hours to charge from a wallbox charger. 

The BMW 3 Series Touring has a 500-litre boot capacity with the rear seats in place, which is comparable with the likes of the Mercedes C-Class and Audi A4 Avant. That said, it is narrower between the wheel arches, so some bulkier items might be harder to get in the back. One nice touch is that the rear window can open independently of the rest of the tailgate, which is great for quick access to the boot with smaller items.

If you're more concerned about doing your bit for the environment than having a flash badge on your bonnet, take a look at the Toyota Corolla Touring Sports. It's a hybrid estate car powered by a choice of 1.8- or 2.0-litre petrol engines, combined with an electric motor for maximum frugality.

The best thing about the Toyota Corolla Touring Sports? It actually isn't a compromise at all. You get a thoroughly acceptable interior, with a lot more clever features and soft-touch finishes than the old Auris it replaced.

It's also pretty good to drive. No, it's not going to be as fun as a BMW 3 Series, but it's impressively comfortable over broken British road surfaces. That petrol-electric drivetrain means it's incredibly refined, too, and it feels at home both around town and out on the motorway.

The electric estate car market is yet to really take off, with most manufacturers concentrating their efforts on where the cash is: electric SUVs. The first mass-market electric estate car is the MG5 and even though it's short of rivals, it's still a really appealing package in its own right.

For a start, it represents really good value for money. You can buy a new one for £31,000 but, if you're not fussed about having the latest facelifted example, you can bag a used MG5 EV for around £20,000. That's great value for money for a used electric car that's practical enough to be your main family transport.

And it doesn't really feel like a budget car, either. The interior feels just as well finished as you get in a Vauxhall Astra (if not better), while thanks to a facelift, the car also looks sharper than it used to. Its 250-mile range will be sufficient for most, too. It's easy to see why the MG5 is proving such a hit with Uber drivers.

Volvo has, for many years, been synonymous with large estate cars, largely because it's built some of the best in the business over the years. A wee while ago, however, the Swedish firm did the unthinkable: it withdrew all of its saloon and estate cars from sale in the UK to concentrate on building and selling SUVs.

Predictably, that decision was met with a small public outcry, and not too long later, Volvo brought back its V60 and V90 estate cars (although not the S60 and S90 saloons they were based on, interestingly) 'by popular demand'. And the bigger V90 is more than worthy of inclusion here. It's effortlessly stylish inside and out, it has a comfortable and relaxed manner on the road, and its two plug-in hybrid powertrains offer you up to 54 miles of all-electric range, fuel economy of up to 353mpg, and power outputs of up to 455PS.

However, because it's now offered only as a PHEV, the boot capacity has shrunk to 488 litres, which some might consider defeats the point of a big estate car. However, it'll still be big enough for many, and it doesn't detract from the V90's other talents.

The latest Octavia Estate has grown in size versus its 2013 predecessor, giving you more space while still undercutting the competition in terms of price, including the Volkswagen Golf Estate and SEAT Leon Estate. It looks fresher than ever, too, having just been facelifted for 2024.

Comfortable and spacious on the inside, the family and dog will love it, as will those who drive for a living and find themselves behind the wheel most of the day (and/or night). The entry-level SE Technology is well equipped but we’d recommend opting for the SE L model to get nice extras including adaptive cruise control, keyless entry/start and heated front seats, along with a plusher interior finish. There’s a wide choice of diesel, petrol and hybrid engines, too.

By far the biggest selling point for the Skoda Octavia Estate, though, is the space on offer. There's generous passenger accommodation, which is great when your kids grow up faster than you thought (which they always do), while the massive - and we mean massive - 640-litre boot is great for swallowing tonnes of family detritus. 

It's not much of a surprise - given that both are made by the same group of companies - that the latest Volkswagen Passat is very similar to the Skoda Superb we mentioned earlier. As a result, nor is it much of a surprise that the Passat - which is now available exclusively in estate car-form - has its stablemate equalled when it comes to boot space: it has the same 690-litre figure, so it's truly massive.

If anything, it's even more impressive for passenger space, because whichever of the five seats you end up in, you have simply loads of headroom and legroom. This is a car that's very roomy and very practical, making it perfect for families with older children. The interior is also well equipped and pleasantly finished, and it's a pleasant car to drive, too.

The Passat features quite a bit further down our list than the Superb does, and there are a few reasons for that. Firstly, it costs a bit more, and secondly, it doesn't have as broad a range of engines to choose from as the Skoda. It's infotainment screen isn't as easy to navigate, either. With that all being said, this is still one very appealing and capable family car.

Now we appreciate that, objectively, the Citroen C5 X probably isn't the best estate car on this list (that's why it's down near the bottom, of course). It doesn't have the biggest boot, it doesn't have the poshest interior, it doesn't have the most desirable badge and it doesn't have the sharpest handling. It does, however, have a couple of things that very few other cars on this list have, and that's its individuality and its sheer likeability. 

Its flamboyant Gallic styling is a key reason for those attributes, as is the fact that it's certainly not the obvious choice. What's more, it's good enough in all those other areas to be a thoroughly convincing all-rounder. Chuck in its pillowy-soft ride comfort, its excellent refinement, its cavernous passenger compartment and its generous standard equipment, and you have a very appealing package.

Just like the bigger Mercedes E-Class, any thoughts that estate cars are boring will vanish from your mind the moment you take a seat in the Mercedes C-Class.

It’s got a lavish interior, full of the kind of surprise-and-delight features that’ll make you feel good about owning a Mercedes-Benz. You’ll be hard-pushed to find a harsh finish, and standard equipment levels are generous across the range: even entry-level cars will feel far from basic.

It might be a premium car, but don’t expect a C-Class Estate to cost a fortune to run. The C300e is a plug-in hybrid has an all-electric range of 65 miles, which is one of the best figures on the market, and that gives it an official fuel economy figure that spirals into the hundreds. Keep it topped up with electricity, and there's a very decent chance you'll go long periods without using a single drop of petrol.