Estate car’s riding high as sleek contender to heavyweight SUV

Tempted by a high-riding SUV but wondering whether there’s an alternative? Here’s how the humble estate car proves its worth.

It’s hard to ignore the meteoric rise of the SUV. Step into any new car dealership and you’ll find a forecourt awash with high-riding vehicles of all shapes and sizes. People simply can’t get enough of them.

But is there another type of car which can do everything that an SUV can do – but better? Well, we think the humble estate car is just such a vehicle. Here are five reasons why... 1. Driver involvement

An SUV may deliver the high-riding, king-of-the-road driving position that many people love, but they can’t offer the same level of driver involvement that you’ll get from an estate car. Find your favourite twisty b-road, and it’s highly likely that you’ll have more fun on it driving a wagon rather than a fourwheel-drive.

2. Space

Many SUVs give drivers the option of seven seats, and though on the odd occasion an estate car has also been able to seat seven, they aren’t best suited to this use.

However, where a wagon can usually match an SUV is load area. Because of the way they’re packaged, it’s likely an estate will offer more than enough boot space for most occasions and, should you need more, almost all have the option to fold the rear seats flat.

3. Looks

The imposing looks of an SUV can be appealing, but there’s something about the way an estate car is designed – particularly when it’s hiding more performance than you’d expect. Of course, thoughts about a car’s appearance are down to individual taste.

4. Efficiency

SUVs are becoming more efficient and, for the most part, the time of big, thirsty four-wheel-drives is behind us. Off the bat, though, estates are more efficient, with a lower profile and therefore a better drag coefficient. Plus, because they’re lugging around less weight, estate cars will often use up less fuel than an equivalent SUV. There are exceptions, of course.

5. Variety

They say variety is the spice of life and, when it comes to estates, that’s certainly the case.

Though nearly every manufacturer does an SUV these days, they also tend to offer a wagon – so there’s plenty to choose from.

They’re not all huge, load-lugging leviathans either.

There are plenty of compact estates on the market for those who want a little more practicality, but without a huge increase in size.