Three very ine used estates from Mercedes, BMW and Audi
Soaring SUV popularity is great news for canny buyers: overlooked estates have never been better value
FROM AVANT TO WAGON, via Shooting Brake and Touring, the proliferation of euphemisms for ‘estate car’ might suggest the manufacturers have lost confidence in this once unchallenged part of the car market. But what’s wrong with the simple silhouettes, the versatility that makes an SUV seem overblown, the mischief in going fast in something so boxy? The finest estates make a much better option than an SUV for the car enthusiast who needs to carry people, dogs and luggage.
We’ve assembled three of the best, each with a different take on the formula, covering different budgets. Take the Mercedes W124 estate. Built with an absolute focus on no-bull functionality and good for mileages to embarrass Elon Musk’s reusable space rockets, they’re now cult daily classics. The example we’ve borrowed is an 180k-miler with a sweet straight-six and seats for seven.
The previous-generation BMW 5-series Touring takes us firmly into the modern era. Good to drive, still sharp to behold, the oldest are now turning eight and yours from £6k. Owners of four-pot diesels claim 50mpg+.
But if performance trumps fuel bills, check out the Audi RS6. It combines the thump of a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 with quattro all-wheel drive and a set of fat arches to make you go weak at the knees. Still on sale new, but you can pick up early models from £45k. Turn the page to find out more…
The Mercedes W124 estate was built with a focus on no-bull
functionality