Volkswagen Passat

New Skoda Superb Estate

Peugeot 308 SW

Skoda Octavia Estate

New Mercedes E-Class Estate

Toyota Corolla Touring Sports

Audi A6 Avant

Mercedes C-Class Estate

best-used-estate-cars-for-less-than-pound20000

Don't dismiss the good old-fashioned estate car. You might have been led astray by the promise of an adventurous SUV lifestyle, but why spend a fortune running a high-riding behemoth when you could have a posh estate that’s much more fun to drive?

Most of the examples on this list are only a few years old at most and will still feel pretty much like new. So&nbsp;go ahead and peruse our list of the top 10&nbsp;used estate cars.

Slideshow story: please click the right-hand arrow above to continue, or simply scroll down if you’re reading on your mobile

Best used estate cars for less than £20,000

Estate

Munich-based BMW is most famous for its sports saloons, in particular the 3 Series and 5 Series. However, it actually builds almost every type of car imaginable: everything from two-seat convertibles to seven-seat MPVs.

The cheapest model in the BMW range is the 1 Series hatchback, which is a rival to the Audi A3, Mercedes-Benz A-Class and Volkswagen Golf. Meanwhile, at the other extreme is the i8 plug-in hybrid sports car, which costs more than £100,000.

BMW was also quick to capitalise on the rise of the SUV and now has six in its range: the X1, X2, X3, X4, X5 and X6.

All of this makes it one of the big three German prestige brands, along with Audi and Mercedes-Benz.

3 SERIES

The latest 2019-onwards&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/3-series/estate/review/n108">BMW 3 Series Touring</a>&nbsp;is a terrific car but outside our budget here, but this&nbsp;previous-generation model is still a great all-rounder for those looking for an estate car with a premium badge. It's not&nbsp;the most commodious choice,&nbsp;but the space it does have is reasonably flexible. Plus, it's&nbsp;one of the few estates with a back window you can open separately from the rest of the tailgate when you just want to throw in a bag.&nbsp;

We found:&nbsp;2018&nbsp;BMW 3 Series Touring 318i&nbsp;Sport, 40,000&nbsp;miles, £18,950

Shop for a used one&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/bmw/3-series?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true&amp;postCode=tw1%203sp">here</a>&nbsp;

10: BMW 3 Series Touring

<h3>Pros</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Precise handling</li>
	<li>Strong and efficient engines</li>
	<li>High quality interior</li>
</ul>

<h3>Cons</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Four-cylinder diesels can sound gruff</li>
	<li>Some rivals offer more boot space</li>
	<li>Offset pedals in the manual versions</li>
</ul>

Audi is a brand that sets the standard for interior quality, and this, combined with its vast and ever-growing model line-up, has helped it become one of the ‘big three’ German prestige car makers, along with BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

The A3 hatchback, A4 executive saloon and Q7 SUV have all won their classes at the What Car? Car of the Year Awards in recent years, while the TT coupé is the most decorated car in the history of the ceremony.

At least some of Audi's success over the past 30 years can be attributed to the growth in sales of vehicles with four-wheel drive; the company arguably led the way in bringing 4x4 technology into the mainstream, with its Quattro coupé in the early 1980s.

Today, most Audis are available with at least the option of four-wheel drive, while the list of SUVs from the brand includes the Q2, Q3, Q5 and Q7.

AUDI

Despite its age, the previous-generation Audi A6 Avant&nbsp;actually has a better infotainment system than&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/a6/estate/review/n17864">the current car</a>, with a rotary&nbsp;controller&nbsp;rather than touchscreens. That means you're not only saving money by going used&nbsp;but also making your life easier. Look for an SE or SE Executive for plenty of kit and a more supple ride than S line versions with bigger wheels. The 2.0 TDI Ultra diesel is a very&nbsp;efficient option.&nbsp;

We found:&nbsp;2018&nbsp;Audi A6 Avant 2.0 TDI Ultra SE Executive S tronic, 43,000&nbsp;miles, £19,000&nbsp;

Shop for a used one&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/audi/a6?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true&amp;postCode=tw1%203sp&amp;sort=asc&amp;sortBy=distance">here</a>&nbsp;

9: Audi A6 Avant

<h3>Pros</h3>

<ul>
	<li>High-quality interior</li>
	<li>Strong engines</li>
	<li>Well equipped</li>
</ul>

<h3>Cons</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Some rivals are more practical</li>
	<li>Not much fun to drive</li>
</ul>

Volvo is now a true rival to the likes of Audi, BMW, Jaguar and Mercedes-Benz, offering an alternative take on premium executive cars to a rapidly growing fanbase.

After a string of strong launches – notably with the Mk2 XC90 and XC60 SUVs – it struck gold in early 2018 when it launched its smallest SUV, the XC40. When our testers compared the car with its rivals, they concluded that it was the best launch of the previous 12 months, earning it our coveted overall Car of the Year Award.

The good news is that, like many car makers, Volvo now uses the same structure underneath most of its cars – so if they get it right on one model, it usually bodes well for the rest. That’s the case here, with Volvo’s subsequent saloon and estate launches complementing the SUVs and making for a generally extremely appealing line-up.

VOLVO

Volvo has often been seen as synonymous with boxy estate cars, but the V90 is&nbsp;a really rather stylish thing. It also has one of the most handsome interiors fitted to car at this price point, plus many versions come packed with all the latest active safety technology. The 2.0-litre D4 and D5 diesels are good to drive and make the most sense.

We found:&nbsp;2018&nbsp;Volvo V90 D4 Momentum, 62,000&nbsp;miles, £18,990

Shop for a used one&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/volvo/v90?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true&amp;postCode=tw1%203sp&amp;sort=asc&amp;sortBy=distance">here</a>&nbsp;

8: Volvo V90

<h3>Pros</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Spacious rear room</li>
	<li>Generous standard kit</li>
	<li>High-quality interior</li>
</ul>

<h3>Cons</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Dull handling on standard suspension</li>
	<li>Distracting infotainment system</li>
	<li>Lethargic gearbox</li>
</ul>

The VW Group famously spends more money on research and development than any rival – and as a result, perhaps it should be no surprise that our testers rate its cars so consistently highly.

The fact that many of those cars use the same underpinnings also helps, because it means that if they get it right once, they have the foundations to keep on getting it right.

However, the Volkswagen brand faces plenty of tough competition, often from within, because the rapidly rising Seat and Skoda brands that are also part of the group have access to the same technology.

VOLKSWAGEN

GOLF

How do you improve on a&nbsp;car that's often described as all the vehicle you'll ever need? Make it an estate. The Mk7&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/golf/hatchback/used-review/n776">Volkswagen Golf</a>&nbsp;is a great all-rounder, but if you need a bit more fridge-carrying capability, you’ll need the estate version. It’s a very pleasant car to drive&nbsp;and a very relaxing motorway cruiser.

We found:&nbsp;2019&nbsp;Volkswagen Golf Estate 1.5&nbsp;TSI EVO Match, 10,000&nbsp;miles, £17,500

Shop for a used one&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/volkswagen/golf?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true&amp;postCode=tw1%203sp&amp;sort=asc&amp;sortBy=distance">here</a>&nbsp;

7: Volkswagen Golf Estate

<h3>Pros</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Huge boot</li>
	<li>Great interior design</li>
	<li>Wide range of engines</li>
</ul>

<h3>Cons</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Expensive to buy</li>
	<li>Some rivals are bigger still</li>
	<li>Limited petrol choice</li>
</ul>

You’d think that the battle between the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/3-series/estate/used-review/n803">BMW 3 Series Touring</a>&nbsp;and the Audi A4 Avant would be a lot closer, but the A4 Avant is a far better estate car&nbsp;because of its longer load area and more uniform boot shape. Match that with&nbsp;a better driving position and a classier interior and you have a very fine estate car indeed.

We found:&nbsp;2018&nbsp;Audi A4 Avant 1.4 FSI S Line, 21,000&nbsp;miles, £18,900

Shop for a used one&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/audi/a4?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true&amp;postCode=tw1%203sp&amp;sort=asc&amp;sortBy=distance">here</a>&nbsp;

6: Audi A4 Avant

<h3>Pros</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Refined engines</li>
	<li>Smooth ride on Comfort suspension</li>
	<li>Superb interior quality</li>
</ul>

<h3>Cons</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Not as much fun to drive as some rivals</li>
	<li>More practical estates are available</li>
	<li>Economy not outstanding</li>
</ul>

One of the greatest success stories in the car world of recent decades is Skoda’s rise to become a hugely credible mainstream maker of good-value, good-sense cars.

Central to that success has been its place within the VW Group, alongside the Volkswagen brand itself, plus the likes of Seat and Audi. That has given it access to exactly the same underpinnings for its cars as the other brands, and it has complemented this by adding its own developments, from the way the cars drive and ride through to the features they have and the pricing.

The result is a range that extends from a city car to a large executive saloon, with family and large seven-seat SUVs too. There’s a wide variety of petrol and diesel engines, all of which are competitive for the class.

As a result, Skoda has a range of cars that is almost entirely class-leading or among the class leaders, and it has enjoyed long-time success at the What Car? Awards as a result.

SKODA

SUPERB

If you disregard your desire for a premium badge for one moment and consider the square-footage of car you could get instead, you’ll be looking at the Skoda Superb Estate. It does almost everything the equivalent&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/e-class/estate/used-review/n915">Mercedes E-Class Estate</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/5-series/estate/used-review/n17983">BMW 5 Series Touring</a>&nbsp;manages but for a fraction of the price. In short, it's huge inside. Great value, too.&nbsp;

We found:&nbsp;2018&nbsp;Skoda Superb Estate 1.5 TSI&nbsp;SE, 19,000&nbsp;miles, £18,990

Shop for a used one&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/skoda/superb?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true&amp;postCode=tw1%203sp&amp;sort=asc&amp;sortBy=distance">here</a>&nbsp;

5: Skoda Superb Estate

<h3>Pros</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Class-leading space</li>
	<li>High-quality interior</li>
	<li>Excellent value used</li>
</ul>

<h3>Cons</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Diesels sound a bit gruff</li>
	<li>Some rivals are more fun to drive</li>
	<li>2.0-litre petrols are quick, but rather thirsty</li>
</ul>

Today, the resurgent Seat brand is selling better cars than at any time in its history.

In large part, that’s because it is one of the brands owned by the VW Group. Underneath, all of the cars it sells are strongly related to similar models sold by Volkswagen itself, or the likes of Skoda and even Audi. If you are buying a Leon, for example, the hardware will be similar to that of the Golf, Octavia and A3.

But while Seat makes the most of this tie-up to offer everything from city, small and family cars, including estates, through to a full range of SUVs, it also adds in its own slice of character, both with its distinctive styling approach and because its engineers generally tune the cars to deliver sportier handling.

While all of its cars are decent, it is the SUVs that stand out. The Arona and Ateca are among the class leaders and have enjoyed triumphs at the What Car? Awards.

SEAT

LEON

The terrific Seat Leon ST proves that you can still have fun while driving a practical car. The Leon shares plenty of mechanical and technical&nbsp;bits and pieces with the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/golf/estate/used-review/n783">Golf</a>&nbsp;and Octavia, but it feels very different because it has quicker steering and firmer suspension to better resist body roll. That means you have to be a bit careful about the size of wheels (preferably no bigger than 17in), otherwise you might find the ride to be a bit hard. A few of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/seat/leon/estate/used-review/n23602">post-2020, new-generation versions</a>&nbsp;can now be had for just under our £20k limit.&nbsp;

We found:&nbsp;2020 Seat Leon ST 1.5 TSI Evo FR, 2500 miles, £18,995

Shop for a used one<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/seat/leon?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true&amp;postCode=tw1%203sp&amp;sort=asc&amp;sortBy=distance">&nbsp;here</a>&nbsp;

4: Seat Leon ST

<h3>Pros</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Outstanding value</li>
	<li>Easy to use infotainment system</li>
	<li>Sporty drive</li>
</ul>

<h3>Cons</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Firm ride</li>
	<li>Diesels a bit noisy</li>
	<li>Bland interior</li>
</ul>

OCTAVIA

You might be wondering why the smaller Octavia is higher up this list than its bigger stablemate, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/superb/estate/used-review/n916">Skoda Superb</a>. Well, even though it's smaller, it still has a massive boot and lots of rear leg room, so it’s not as if you’ll be missing out on much practicality. The smaller exterior dimensions also mean it’s far easier to park, plus you can find a slightly newer example for less money. Shop around and you may even find one of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/octavia/estate/used-review/n23576">latest-generation, post-2020 cars</a>&nbsp;sneaking under our budget.&nbsp;

We found:&nbsp;2020&nbsp;Skoda Octavia Estate 2.0 TDI SE L auto, 20,500&nbsp;miles, £19,000

Shop for a used one&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/skoda/octavia?postCode=tw1%203sp&amp;sort=asc&amp;sortBy=distance&amp;nearlynew=true&amp;used=true">here</a>&nbsp;

&nbsp;

3: Skoda Octavia Estate

<h3>Pros</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Huge load space</li>
	<li>Well equipped</li>
	<li>Some great-value options</li>
</ul>

<h3>Cons</h3>

<ul>
	<li>So-so refinement</li>
	<li>Choppy low-speed ride</li>
	<li>Some versions are expensive</li>
</ul>

5 SERIES

The previous-generation BMW 5 Series Touring still feels wonderfully modern.&nbsp;Its iDrive infotainment system&nbsp;is one of the best around and its efficient diesel engines hold up against newer alternatives. It's&nbsp;good to&nbsp;drive,&nbsp;refined and best sampled with its&nbsp;smooth-shifting automatic gearbox. Look for a car fitted with adaptive dampers if you want an M Sport model as it will allow you to put the suspension in Comfort mode over rough roads.&nbsp;

We found:&nbsp;2017&nbsp;BMW 5 Series Touring 520d M Sport auto,&nbsp;45,000&nbsp;miles, £17,995

Shop for a used one&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/bmw/5-series?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true&amp;postCode=tw1%203sp&amp;sort=asc&amp;sortBy=distance">here</a>&nbsp;

2: BMW 5 Series Touring

<h3>Pros</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Excellent performance</li>
	<li>High-quality interior</li>
	<li>Tidy handling</li>
</ul>

<h3>Cons</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Not the roomiest</li>
	<li>Some reliability problems</li>
	<li>Rear suspension expensive to repair</li>
</ul>

PASSAT

The Volkswagen Passat&nbsp;looks smart, drives nicely, is delightfully efficient and comes with all the equipment you’d expect of a premium vehicle. It's highly practical, too, with no loss of refinement over the regular version. There's an impressive amount of space for all passengers, a boot big enough for even the plumpest of sofas and it's decently priced. Go for a sensible 2.0-litre diesel engine for the best combination of performance and fuel economy.&nbsp;

We found:&nbsp;2019 Volkswagen Passat Estate 2.0 TDI EVO SE Nav, 13,700&nbsp;miles, £19,990&nbsp;

Shop for a used one&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/volkswagen/passat?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true&amp;postCode=tw1%203sp&amp;sort=asc&amp;sortBy=distance">here</a>&nbsp;

1: Volkswagen Passat Estate

Saloon

<h3>Pros</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Good range of engines</li>
	<li>Spacious interior and boot</li>
	<li>Classy interior</li>
</ul>

<h3>Cons</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Slightly unsettled ride</li>
	<li>Base S trim misses out on some kit</li>
</ul>

<hr />
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<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/best-estate-cars-2022/n16998">Read more: Best estate cars 2022 &gt;&gt;</a>

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Huge boot and excellent practicality</li> <li>Plenty of interior space so you can carry passengers as well as luggage </li> <li>Strong engines to pull a heavily laden car</li> <li>Comfortable ride, especially on the motorway</li> <li>Low running costs for company car drivers</li></ul>

If you’re after bags of space but you don’t want to commit to the van-like dimensions and styling of an MPV, there are some great estate cars on offer that should do the job.

Tricks to look out for include an electric tailgate&nbsp;that opens automatically when you wave your foot under the rear bumper; this is&nbsp;particularly handy if you’re trying to load in a heavy or&nbsp;bulky item. You should also look for handles in the side of the boot itself that can drop down the rear seats; these are much more convenient than having to walk around the side of the car to do it.

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