New and Used Estate Cars For Sale

An estate is a practical body style that takes a saloon or hatchback and extends the roof all the way to the back, creating one large, shared space for passengers and luggage that opens through a wide tailgate. It's what Americans call a station wagon, and the name harks back to the original shooting brake - a long-bodied car built to carry people and their kit out to the country estate.

Boot space is the whole point of an estate, and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate is among the most generous at 615 litres behind the rear seats. The Toyota Corolla Estate and the BMW 5 Series Estate both come in close to the 600-litre mark too, making for a number of generously proportioned options.

Because an estate shares its engines, gearbox and underpinnings with the saloon or hatchback it's based on, it's generally no less reliable than its more conventional sibling, meaning the badge matters more than the bodystyle. One of the most dependable picks is the aforementioned Toyota Corolla Touring Sports, while long warranties from other brands such as Kia and MG add peace of mind. It still pays to check the record of the exact model and engine.

Estates are one of the most family-friendly cars on the road. That big, square boot takes buggies, prams and the weekly shop with ease, and the low load lip makes lifting heavy items - or loading the dog - far less of a chore. The upright roofline frees up proper rear headroom, with room for child seats and Isofix points fitted as standard. Many family estates also carry strong Euro NCAP safety scores, so the whole family travels in confidence.

The giveaway is the roofline. Where a saloon has a separate, sealed boot and a hatchback tails off soon after the rear doors, an estate carries its roof flat and level right to the back, adding an extra rear pillar - the D-pillar - and a near-vertical tailgate to make the most of the space. Underneath, it usually shares its platform and front-end with a saloon or hatchback in the same range, simply stretched at the rear into a long, versatile load area.

For many drivers, yes. An estate usually costs only a little more than the hatchback or saloon it's based on, yet gives you far more usable space. Its lighter, sleeker shape is also typically cheaper to fuel than a larger SUV style car over the same journey. Buy a used example a few years old and you'll sidestep the steepest depreciation, too, since cars lose most of their value in the first two or three years.

Start with the load area, since that's the whole reason for buying an estate. Check the manufacturer’s specs for boot space with the seats up and folded, and see how the rear seats split and whether they drop properly flat. Also, test that the tailgate opens and seals as it should. If the car has towed, look for a towbar and signs of heavy use on the clutch, gearbox and suspension, and check the boot floor and trim for wear from pets or bulky loads. Then apply the usual used-car checks - a full service history, a clear MOT and history check, and an unhurried test drive. Every used estate at Evans Halshaw is HPI-checked and passes our 123-point inspection, with a minimum three-month guarantee for added reassurance.