Skoda Octavia Estate vs Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer: which practical wagon is best? 

You don’t have to buy an SUV if you need a practical family runaround, the humble estate car is a great-value alternative which offers just as much space, if not more, for less cash.

Cars like the Skoda Octavia Estate and the Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer are great examples, but which is best? To find out we’re going to compare these two cars side by side to see which offers the most for your money.

Skoda Octavia Estate: no-nonsense practicality

Skoda has a long-standing reputation for making insanely practical cars, and the Octavia Estate is testament to this. You get a massive 640-litre boot, acres of rear legroom and plenty of interior storage to keep your bits and bobs from flying around.

You also get Skoda’s full range of “simply clever” features, including an umbrella in the door, an ice scraper behind the fuel filler cap and some handy grippers in the cupholders so you can twist your bottle cap off one-handed.

Powering the Octavia is a range of efficient engines. You can choose from petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid options, but the best all-rounder is the 1.5-litre petrol with 150hp because it offers a great blend of performance and economy.

Out on the road the Octavia Estate is a comfortable motorway cruiser, and it’s easy to drive in town. The suspension is a bit jiggly over bumps at low speed though, and there’s not much fun to be had on a country road.

It’s also not the most exciting thing to look at. The design is inoffensive but dull, and the same can be said for the interior. At least the cabin is very nicely made though, and you get plenty of tech as standard. All cars get a 10.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, cruise control, a reversing camera and rear parking sensors.

Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer: Sporty looks and great value

If you’re after a more stylish estate car, the Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer looks way more exciting than the Octavia. The sleek headlights and angular nose help it stand out, while at the back you get a big spoiler to make it look a bit more aggressive.

The interior however is less interesting. It all feels solid enough, although not quite as plush as the Skoda’s, but it’s just as bland. At least the storage spaces are plentiful, with a big central cubby and some handy cupholders.

It’s not as spacious as the Octavia in the rear seats though, and the boot is around 40 litres smaller as well. It’s a nice square shape so it’s easy to load, but you won’t be able to carry as much stuff as the Octavia.

The Astra does impress with its standard equipment though. All cars get two 10.0-inch screens, LED headlights and automatic climate control. MId-spec cars and up also get adaptive cruise control and a 360-degree reversing camera, which is impressive seeing as this model costs almost exactly the same as a base-spec Octavia.

To drive the Astra Sports Tourer doesn’t do anything special, but it’s a perfectly adequate cruiser. It’s slightly firmer than the Octavia Estate, and it’s not quite as refined on the motorway either, but it’s still a very easy car to drive.

You can also get the Astra Sports Tourer as an electric car, something which the Octavia doesn’t offer. This could make it ideal for company car drivers as you can enjoy much lower benefit-in-kind rates. There is also a punchy and efficient 1.2-litre petrol, as well as a plug-in hybrid.

Skoda Octavia Estate vs Vauxhall Astra Sports tourer: prices and savings

The Skoda Octavia Estate starts from around £28,500, however through Carwow you can get one for £26,700 at the time of writing. The biggest savings can be found on the diesel Sportline version, with up to £5,500 off that car.

The Astra Sports Tourer has exactly the same starting price as the Octavia, however at the time of writing you can get one for £25,000 through Carwow. The best-value option though is the GS, which you can get for just over £27,000 through Carwow.

Skoda Octavia Estate vs Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer: which is best?

The Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer represents great value for money thanks to its generous list of standard equipment, and it’s a more stylish estate car than the Skoda Octavia. The option of an electric version may also be a deciding factor for you.

However, the Octavia is more practical, nicer to drive and has a more premium-feeling cabin, making it a more appealing overall package. Either of these cars will serve you well as a family wagon, but it’s the Octavia which wins this test.

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Looking for a new set of wheels? With Carwow you can sell your car quickly and for a fair price – as well as find great offers on your next one. Whether you’re looking to buy a car brand new, are after something used or you want to explore car leasing options, Carwow is your one stop shop for new car deals.

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