Do you have a job that requires you to carry around a lot of equipment? Perhaps you work with furniture, tools, and bags full of bits and pieces that really need to be transported from A to B. Or, alternatively, perhaps you are into camping in the great outdoors. You have a tent that you always take with you, and maybe a camping stove and even a collection of mattresses and sleeping bags and other such adventurous equipments. Even if this isnt the cas,e you may have a big family, or a dog, or any other myriad of needs that could cause you to want (or need) an estate car in order ot be able to transport everything and fit it all in.

If this sounds like you, then there is no need to worry. There are lots of cars and options on the market that are suitable for you, not least the huge range of spacious and functional estate cars that every car manufacturer and car brand seems to have on their books. Estates are great because they are low down like a normal car, whilst generally still having a big engine and huge amount of extensive and flexible boot space. The only hard decision, therefore, is choosing which estate car is perfect for you.

As I have already said, there are lots of options, so knowing the top runners before you start your search for your next car is always good advice. The best estate brands in my humble opinion generally consist of Volvo (known for their safety conscious gorgeous goliaths), Saab (purveyors of reliable and visually attractive estates) and Mercedes (which cost a lot but have plenty of space). If you want to drive a tank then by all means opt for a Volvo, but I personally think that your best bet both for performance and value is to go for a used Saab estate above the rest.

Specifically, I recommend that you search your local Saab dealers for a reasonably young Saab 9-5 estate. Never buy new, it just doesnt make sense, but do always ensure that you get a 9-5 that hasnt been bashed and battered, otherwise the used Saab saving won[t be worthwhile.

This car comes with a 1.9 litre TiD engine as standard, although you can upgrade to 2.0 litre Biopower engine or a 2.3 Turbo edition. All of them are power, with great performance when carting around yet another heavy load. Fuel consumption isnt particularly great, but generally you cant expect this in a heavy and somewhat cumbersome estate car of any description. What I did enjoy when I was in the 9-5 estate last was the acceleration. Technically it can do 0-60 MPH in 10.1 seconds in the basic 1.9 litre model, and this was a pleasure to experience in a car that usually would be significantly slower due to its drive. Essentially this speed and the great quality Saab engine made it a pleasure to drive even though it was an estate!