As the number of really good electric cars has increased, so too has the number of different types of electric vehicle (EV). A few years ago you’d have found hardly any electric estate cars available – now the best electric estates offer a choice to suit every budget.
Here at Parkers we’ve driven and evaluated every one of the current crop and have intel you can trust on the forthcoming models.
Read on and you’ll find our expert guidance on what makes one electric estate better than another, things to consider before buying or leasing, and learn which car we consider the best choice for most people. But whether you want the cheapest option, the fastest, or the best compromise between petrol and electric we’re here to help.
Check out how we test cars to understand more about the way we’ve reached these conclusions.
The best electric estate cars on sale now
It’s pretty close to being the perfect electric estate car
It’s a family car you’d want to buy, rather than feel like you need to buy. We love that the selection of electric estate cars is now growing, which is so important in the EV world. The ID.7 is also a genuinely practical choice with a big boot and lots of rear-seat space. It also has a very long driving range, especially in Pro S form, and the comfort and refinement are among the best of any electric car. How long? In the summer, and driven gently, 400 miles will be well within your grasp.
To find out more, read our full Volkswagen ID.7 Tourer review
Pros
- Very comfortable
- Long driving range
- Spacious interior
Cons
- Over-reliance on touchscreen
- GTX version not worth the premium
Classy estate car with impeccable long-distance credentials
But it's not perfect, because while the Avant is more spacious than the A6 Sportback, we’d have hoped for a bigger boot and a little more rear seat space. It’s a similar story with the BMW i5 so maybe that's the premium way, but the cheaper Volkswagen ID.7 Tourer is the most practical electric estate you can buy right now. But that doesn't detract from the A6's desirability – and thanks to that super long driving range, we'd put it at the top of our list if you're a motorway regular.
To find out more, read our full Audi A6 Avant E-Tron review
Pros
- Impressive driving range
- Rides and handles well
- More space than the A6 Sportback
Cons
- Rear seat space could be better
- Boot space a bit disappointing
Vauxhall's keen pricing make this a good estate car for most people
It’s based on the same EV technology as the Peugeot E-308 SW (and a lot of other electric cars built by the Stellantis family of companies) but costs slightly less while giving you a more conventional interior design, which we’ve found more people are comfortable with. The Peugeot has a slightly bigger boot, but the electric Astra estate still offers 516 litres of room (1,553 litres with the rear seats folded), and its 256-mile official WLTP combined driving range is a couple of miles greater than the e-308’s. Both will be impacted by how much you’re carrying and how you drive, though.
To find out more, read our full Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer Electric review
Pros
- EV technology is used in lots of other cars, is well proven and can be very efficient
- It’s a practical design that also comes with lots of standard equipment
- The infotainment system is easy to use (which isn’t always the case these days)
Cons
- Going for the EV gives you a smaller boot than the equivalent petrol model
- Peugeot e-308 SW is a little bigger, MG 5 EV estate is a lot cheaper
| Starting price | £39,995 |
| Best leasing deal (per month) | £201.80 |
| Maximum combined driving range (WLTP) | 256 miles per charge |
| Insurance group | 26 |
| Boot space | 516-1,553 litres |
| Performance | 156hp, 9.2sec 0-62mph |
The best electric estate car for performance and prestige
However. What you do get is some very comfortable air suspension – which can be boosted further with a super-clever Active Ride system that turns the Taycan into a wild blend of luxury and high performance. Even the entry-level rear-wheel drive model does 0-62mph in 4.8 seconds; the range-topping four-wheel drive Turbo S has 952hp now, exactly halving that 0-62 time. The steering is sensationally good, comfort is outstanding, charging is fast, and if you don’t drive flat to the floor everywhere, it’s also very efficient; add the optional Performance Plus Battery to that basic version and the official range is 405 miles. We’ve found it’s easily possibly to halve that if you’re in a hurry, though…
To find out more, read our full Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo review
Pros
- Recently updated Taycan estate is now even faster and more efficient
- Very good to drive, and capable of recharging very fast
- First-class comfort thanks to impressive quality, huge range of options and clever suspension
Cons
- More of a shooting brake than a conventional estate car, so load space isn’t brilliant
- For the money it costs you might expect more standard equipment
| Starting price | £96,800 |
| Best leasing deal (per month) | 1,246.92 |
| Maximum combined driving range (WLTP) | 381 miles per charge |
| Insurance group | 50 |
| Boot space | 446+84-1,212 litres |
| Performance | 435-952hp 4.7-2.4sec 0-62mph |
The best electric estate car to travel long distances
It's a good chunk cheaper, goes farther on a single charge and still accelerates briskly enough. At 570-litres, its boot is about the same size as the Astra and e-308, yet you get a longer load area and a far higher quality interior. If you're after posh pooch transport with an eye on the environment/company car tax bills, it's a fantastic choice.
To find out more, read our full BMW i5 Touring review
Pros
- Range of 340 miles-plus from eDrive40 model
- Spacious for four adults, and all their stuff fits in the boot
- Will make a long day on the road a pleasurable experience
Cons
- Options can really ramp up the purchase price
- Its sheer size can make town driving tricky
| Starting price | £69,945 |
| Best leasing deal (per month) | £665.87 |
| Maximum combined driving range (WLTP) | 339 miles per charge |
| Insurance group | 43-50 |
| Boot space | 570-1,700 |
| Performance | 340-442hp, 6.1-3.9sec 0-62mph |
The best electric estate car if you want heaps of style on a more affordable budget
Its efficiency is pretty good, too. Using the exact same drivetrain components as the Astra Sport Tourer Electric, we’ve found the E-308 capable of as much as 5mpk around town and 4mpk in regular driving – as long as you’re not going too fast on the motorway. The official driving range is 254 miles per charge overall, and we’ve managed to get quite close to this. However, the i-Cockpit interior design with its tiny steering wheel and high-set wheels means many drivers will have to compromise on their preferred driving position.
To find out more, read our full Peugeot E-308 SW review
Pros
- Same efficient EV technology as the Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer Electric
- Despite the more glamorous looks, the Peugeot also has a bigger boot
- Rather nice to drive – it’s undemanding but also pretty good in the corners
Cons
- The i-Cockpit interior design looks smart but can be uncomfortable for some drivers
- Performance is a little underwhelming for a car that costs over £40,000
| Starting price | £40,050 |
| Best leasing deal (per month) | £414.40 |
| Maximum combined driving range (WLTP) | 254 miles per charge |
| Insurance group | 24-25 |
| Boot space | 548-1,574 litres |
| Performance | 156hp, 9.9sec 0-62mph |
A value-focused, battery-powered load-lugger
Top that off with MG's generous seven-year warranty, and a decent reliability record, with the taxi trade taking it to their hearts, and it looks pretty good for this unassuming-looking wagon. However, it isn’t perfect, mind – the boot size is unimpressive for an estate car at 578 litres, and there’s a big drop from the opening down to the boot floor. But, when compared to similarly priced electric hatchback rivals, the rear looks like an aircraft hanger.
To find out more, read our full MG5 EV review
Pros
- Lots of standard kit
- Sensible real-world range
- Agreeable ride quality
Cons
- Uncomfortable seats
- Slightly impractical boot
Should you choose a fully electric or plug-in hybrid for your next estate car?
Combining a conventional combustion engine with a small battery pack allows plug-in hybrids to mix between fully electric running – usually best at lower speeds around town, but increasingly possible for longer distances and higher speeds as well – and using the petrol or diesel engine when more performance is needed. Or when the battery is empty. This certainly makes them a good choice if you want maximum flexibility, and peace of mind.
Refueling is just like a conventional car. So no need to worry about getting stuck at a charger for hours – or worse, arriving at a planned stop to find every charge-point occupied, or out of order. This makes them a wise choice for those who regularly drive longer distances, too.
Battery electric vehicle (BEV) estates have no conventional engine at all, relying instead upon an electric motor or two, mated to a larger battery pack. Typically, BEVs have a smaller overall driving range than PHEVs, but a much longer pure-electric one. This means much lower emissions (zero in motion, but perhaps some from the electricity grid, depending on where the juice is sourced), and being electric-only means they can prove far cheaper to run. Electric car tax is historically less, but even if this changes as planned in 2025, electricity tariffs aimed at electric car owners can make a big difference compared with petrol and diesel costs.
If you are able to charge at home, the convenience of always arriving at a ‘full’ car every time you want to use it quickly becomes very comforting – and many buyers appreciate never having to visit a petrol station again. Plus servicing costs are often cheaper due to the reduced number of moving parts. However, they do take longer to recharge than a typical splash and dash at a forecourt.
CJ Hubbard leads Bauer’s Digital Automotive Hub, writing and reviewing for Parkers and CAR. His Bauer career started as Associate Editor of CAR magazine in 2014, but he’s been a professional motoring journalist since 2006, and written for titles including Which?, the Sunday Times, Auto Express and Pistonheads.
Just so you know, we may receive a commission or other compensation from the links on this website - read why you should trust us.
