Best estate cars for 2025: spacious models tested by experts

Much like MPVs, estate cars aren't the default choice for large families these days, because of the increased popularity and availability of SUVs. But with a lower profile and normally much lower kerb weight, they can often be more efficient and enjoyable to drive.

Most estate cars are also immensely practical, with almost all models offering capacious boots. These are capable of swallowing everything from holiday luggage to kids' bikes and larger purchases from the local garden centre.  

Estate cars need more than a big boot to be a Best Buy, though – our tests cover everything from reliability and comfort, to fuel-efficiency and safety. If a model doesn't stack up in those key areas, we won't recommend it. You'll find our top recommendations for the best new and used estate cars in the tables below. Plus we reveal some models that aren't worth your money.

Browser all our lab tested new and used estate car reviews

Best new and used estate cars

We've broken down our pick of the best estate cars into two categories, to help you choose the one that will best suit you and your family. 

• Medium estate cars will benefit those who want more boot space without losing the benefits of a hatchback around town; they're typically a little longer than their hatchback counterparts, but otherwise very similar. 
• Large estate cars give you oodles of space and are ideal if you regularly transport lots of passengers or equipment, but they can be a little more unwieldy in town than medium estates, though often excel at comfortable motorway journeys.

Only Which? members can view our expert impartial reviews in the tables below. Log in to see the estate cars we recommend. If you're not already a member, join Which? to unlock all of our expert reviews, including our Best Buys and Don't Buys.

The best mid-size estates don’t compromise on practicality or safety and also prove you don't need a huge parking space to get a big boot.

Our latest estate car reviews

Want to find out how the newest estates have fared in our tests? Read our latest and most-recently updated estate car reviews.

Not found the car for you? Browse all our estate car reviews.

Should you buy an estate car, SUV or MPV?

Estate cars used to be the default choice for families and for anyone needing to carry a lot of luggage, but MPVs and particularly 4x4s have captured the attention of many buyers in recent years.

The best MPVs (people carriers) usually offer much greater seating flexibility, along with more headroom and – in some cases – the option of seven seats. 

However, they're normally more prosaic to drive and less visually appealing than a sleekly styled, lower-slung estate. If you're after something with room for seven, have a look at our guide to the best seven-seater cars.

High-riding large SUVs and 4x4s, as well as small SUVs and crossovers, claim to offer much of the practicality of estate cars, although our tests highlight models that come up short inside, despite taking up lots of room on the road. However, SUVs have a higher, more commanding driving position, and some – depending on the model – will also have better off-road ability. Full-sized four-wheel-drive cars are often more expensive to buy and run, though.

Where estate cars tend to have the upper hand is on the road, as they're often little different to drive than their hatchback or saloon counterparts. This is in contrast with SUVs that, unless you go for a particularly performance-orientated model, can feel heavy and unwieldy on twisting roads.

We test cars more thoroughly than anyone else

Our tests go further than those carried out by other organisations, and because Which? is independent, you can trust our reviews to give you the full, honest and impartial truth about every car we test.

Every car we review is subjected to more than 300 individual tests in a lab, on a test track, and on real roads – and we really clock up the miles, driving around 500 miles in every car we test.

Testing in controlled lab conditions means the results we collect are directly comparable between different cars, helping us to determine exactly which models are better, and why, and helping you find the perfect car for your needs.

And so you know which cars are likely to prove reliable for years to come, we also gather feedback from thousands of UK car owners through the Which? Car Survey, using it to generate detailed reliability ratings for the cars we test.

Read more about how we test cars.

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