LONG BEFORE THE SUV explosion, estates were the go-to cars for families who prioritised comfort and interior room, but whose lifestyles required greater practicality than the usual saloon could offer.

The demise of the family estate appears to have been exaggerated. Volvo, having flirted with killing the format off, is back in the game; the German premium clique, plus Peugeot and Skoda among others

FOR its ninth generation, the Volkswagen Passat was launched exclusively as an estate car to satisfy the needs of buyers wanting a practical family model with carrying capacity to spare. There’s a hyb

In 2024, the fourth-gen Skoda Superb scored a rare five-star road test verdict. It was one of just three cars to achieve the feat during that year, along with the Porsche 911 S/T and Hyundai Ioniq 5 N

£254,200 OTR/£282,000 as tested/£5,077 pcm WHY IT’S HERE: What has a hybrid makeover – and Mulliner buffing – added to the world’s best grand tourer? DRIVER: Ollie Kew TOPGEAR’S BENTLEY CONTINENTAL GT

Lots of small changes bring out the inner Essex of Skoda’s supermini