Compare the best fast estate cars
High-quality fast estate cars from rated and reviewed dealers
Best fast estate cars of 2024
Estate cars are the thinking man’s SUV. They’re often just as practical, while typically being more rewarding to drive. When it comes to fast estate cars, there are some superb options out there, as at home on the school run as they are spearing up a mountain pass.
If that sounds like the kind of car for you then take a look at some of the fastest estate cars you can currently buy, hand-picked by our carwow team to make sure you don’t settle for anything but the best.
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It has finally happened. BMW has built an M3 Touring. It gets the same 510hp 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged engine found in the saloon, but the estate body shape means there’s a slightly bigger boot and more rear seat space. It’s a bit jiggly around town but comfortable enough to drive everyday. Then you switch to its more aggressive drive modes and tear up corners like an agile sports car. All the car you’ll ever need? Maybe.
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M3 Touring a bit too hardcore for you? May we present the BMW M340i xDrive Touring. It accelerates like a two-seater sports car, packs in as much luggage as an SUV and measures just 34mpg in combined driving. It's a bit more comfortable and a lot less expensive to buy and run than the M3 wagon, but still incredibly capable and fun to drive.
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If you need to get the kids to school two hours early every day, then the Mercedes-AMG E63 S Estate is one to shortlist. It is the quickest estate car on our list, and thanks to all-wheel-drive, you can actually use the power on offer. Well, most of it anyway. Sure, the vastly cheaper E53 is still indecently quick – and far more fuel efficient – but there’s no substitute for the E63’s glorious V8 and surfeit of power. And it’ll take 640 litres of luggage which is better than most alternatives.
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The RS6 takes the fast estate car recipe and adds twin-turbo V8 power into the mix which makes it a formidable family-friendly sportscar. Matching the 23mpg fuel economy rating is going to be tough when you have 591hp at your disposal, but few cars offer such a beguiling combination of accessible performance, practicality and luxury. And it looks so good, too.
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Audi has offered a fast estate car in its range ever since the seminal 311hp RS 2 arrived on the scene in 1994. The latest RS 4 follows the same formula of turbocharged engine and all-wheel-drive grip, but in this case it develops 444hp from its 2.9-litre turbocharged V6 which rockets it from 0-62mph in just 4.1-seconds. It’ll swallow 495 litres of luggage (1,495-litres with the rear seats down), too, and has a beautifully crafted interior.
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It’s not a fire-breathing machine like some of Jaguar’s V8-powered offerings, but the P300 XF Sportbrake mixes everyday practicalities with a potent 300hp turbocharged 2.0-litre engine which is quick and fuel efficient. It looks stunning inside and out, and the cabin is finished in some high-quality materials although the boot isn’t the biggest in its class. Plenty of luxuries and standard all-wheel-drive make this a perfect year-round sporty estate car.
Battery range up to 43 miles
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There’s a lot to like about the latest Skoda Octavia, it’s rather plush inside and has acres of passenger and boot space. In hot vRS trim it gets a 242hp turbocharged engine and comes with that rarest of devices – a six-speed manual gearbox. You will struggle to find more space and pace for the money, and it comes very well-equipped, too. There’s even a plug-in hybrid vRS which delivers great fuel economy and very similar performance to the turbocharged petrol model.
Volvo’s V60 is a great estate car with some typical Scandinavian design touches that help it stand out from the crowd. Fitted with the top T6 plug-in hybrid engine, it adds a healthy dose of speed to the equation. It’s superbly practical too, with 519-litres of boot space behind the rear seats, and the ability to do up to 54.1-miles using electric power. Just don’t forget to plug it in.
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The Volkswagen Arteon is a stylish alternative to the VW Passat and in Shooting Brake (estate) guise, it matches up to the Audi Avant and BMW’s Touring models. Its swish exterior is complemented by an equally smart cabin, while the turbocharged 320hp 2.0-litre motor delivers strong acceleration. The huge boot and standard all-wheel-drive make the Arteon the perfect alternative to yet another hulking SUV.
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Peugeot opted for plug-in hybrid power when designing the performance-oriantated 508 SW PSE (Peugeot Sport Engineered), with a turbocharged 1.6-litre petrol engine and two electric motors putting out a combined 360hp. The result is a 0-62mph time of just 5.2 seconds, all wrapped up in one of the best-looking estate bodies on the market. The boot offers 530-litres with the rear seats up, and a cavernous 1,780-litres with them down.
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