Don’t fancy an MPV or an SUV, but still need something eminently practical? Never fear — there is no shortage of excellent estate cars on the used car market, and even with a budget of £5,000 you can still pick up a cracker.
They come in all shapes and sizes and offer something to suit a range of tastes, although all give you a large, practical boot space. Whether you need an automatic gearbox, rock-solid reliability or fancy something fun to drive with heaps of equipment, our list of recommendations has you covered.
The Best Estate Cars Under £5,000 in 2025
- Ford Mondeo (2007-2013)
- Seat Ibiza ST (2008-2016)
- Vauxhall Astra Sport Tourer (2009-2014)
- BMW 3 Series Touring (2006-2011)
- Kia Ceed SW (2012-2018)
- Volkswagen Passat (2010-2014)
- Toyota Avensis Estate (2009-2018)
- Skoda Octavia (2004-2012)
- Volvo V60 (2010-2018)
- Ford Focus (2011-2018)
- Peugeot 308 SW (2013-2021)
Ford Mondeo (2007-2013)
There was a time when the Ford Mondeo was one of the UK’s most popular new cars. Add to that almost 30 years in production and there is an absolute glut of second-hand examples to choose from.
Every Mondeo is spacious and good to drive, and never more so than in the case of the version that was sold new in the UK between 2007 and 2013. It's a very large car, even by today's standards, and in the estate model that translates into vast interior and boot space. Despite its size it feels agile and responsive on the road, yet it's also a smooth and comfortable motorway cruiser.
A budget of £5,000 will bag you an early 2010s estate with circa 100,000 miles on the clock. And bear in mind that the Mondeo was a big hit with company car drivers, so that kind of mileage is really not a lot for a car of that age. It will likely be a 2.0-litre diesel model, because that was the most common engine, and if you can find one in Titanium or Titanium X spec, you will not want for equipment.
Ford Mondeo Review
Seat Ibiza ST (2008-2016)
The Seat Ibiza ST is the Spanish brand’s version of the Skoda Fabia so the estate version shares a similar cabin and load carrying abilities as its cousin, and the Ibiza’s sharper looks and handling make it our choice of the two.
A large boot lid reveals the ST’s generous load space. It’s a long, wide, rectangular shape, with a couple of useful netted pockets on the sides. For added practicality, the two sections that make up the rear seats fold down to create a surprisingly big cargo bay for such a compact car.
The fact that it’s small by estate car standards makes it ideal for dealing with tightly packed city streets and the light steering renders parking a doddle. On faster roads, the Seat’s composed ride and nimble handling also impress. It’s great value, too, and a 2014 Ibiza ST with less than 70,000 miles and the fine 1.2-litre petrol turbo engine can be yours for around £5,000.
Seat Ibiza Review
Vauxhall Astra Sport Tourer (2009-2014)
The sixth-generation Vauxhall Astra estate (known as Astra Sport Tourer) makes a compelling case for those who favour comfort thanks to its super-smooth ride. It’s the ideal vehicle for hauling delicate cargo, such as dogs, and it’s also quiet on the move.
With the rear seats in place, the Astra offers one of the biggest load bays in its segment, and even has a greater capacity than some cars from the class above. Tipping the rear seats is simple, and it frees up a vast amount of luggage room. While the interior design looks bland and rather dated by modern standards, it feels solidly built and you get some decent tech features.
For £5,000 you can get a well-specced car with sensible mileage. The seventh-generation Astra estate that went on sale in 2015 is an option at this price, too, but only if you go for a higher-mileage example.
Vauxhall Astra Mk6 Review
BMW 3 Series Touring (2006-2011)
The BMW 3 Series Touring has always brought a sporting edge with its practical credentials. This model is no different, but it also has more space than the previous 3 Series wagon, thanks to a bigger boot and rear seats that fold down more easily. There are also neat touches, such as a rear window that opens separately from the main tailgate to provide quick access to items in the boot.
A Volkswagen Passat may be more roomy inside, but no rival can better the BMW when it comes to driving. The steering, suspension, brakes and handling are all wonderfully precise, giving it a very satisfying, reassuring feel. Go for the SE model over the M Sport version for a more comfortable ride, although we can understand why you’d be drawn to the M-Sport’s natty design details. In either case, we’d urge caution with the diesel engines, which can suffer from costly timing chain failures, and instead find a good petrol-engined car, even though they’re rarer and harder to find.
BMW 3 Series E91 Review
Kia Ceed SW (2012-2018)
If ever there were an example of a fine all-round estate car for sensible money, the Kia Ceed SW is it. In SW (estate) form, the Ceed is even better than the hatchback version, because it has a more spacious boot than an equivalent Ford Focus or Volkswagen Golf, whether the back seats are up or down. The high roofline means bigger boxes are easily accommodated, and there’s also masses of head space for taller passengers in the back, along with plentiful knee room.
Kia didn’t hold back on the equipment for the Ceed SW, although we’d head for the very generous '2' or '3' trims if they’re available. The best petrol engine is the 1.4, which is quiet and willing, while the 1.6-litre diesel is ideal if you cover bigger miles or carry lots of kit.
Kia Ceed Review
Volkswagen Passat (2010-2014)
This generation of Volkswagen’s Passat estate had the biggest boot in its class when it was new. That means you get a massive load space that makes it easy to pack bags, shopping, dogs and anything else you care to throw in. Fold down the rear seats, and it could double as a removal van.
There’s also a lot of space for both front and rear passengers, and the whole car is solidly made and comfortable, which underscores the Passat’s ability both as a great family wagon and a long-distance companion. It’s easy to drive in town, and the suspension does a sound job of levelling out gnarly road surfaces. Petrol engines are available, but most Passat estates of this era were fitted with a 2.0-litre TDI diesel engine, many with VW’s ‘DSG’ automatic transmission. You’ll be looking at cars with a shade under 100,000 miles on the clock for this money, but this is a car that wear that kind of mileage well.
Volkswagen Passat Review
Toyota Avensis Estate (2009-2018)
It isn’t the most exciting estate car on our list, but it’s highly unlikely that a Toyota Avensis will let you down. Low running costs, exceptional reliability, and solid build quality are what it’s all about.
Expect a 2009-2012 Avensis at this price, fitted with Toyota’s unexceptional but bulletproof 1.8-litre petrol engine. In TR trim, which comes with a good few luxuries, you can expect to pay £5,000 for one with around 90,000 miles on the clock and a lot of life left in it. Automatic versions use a CVT gearbox, which should be reliable but won’t be as nice to drive.
This third-generation Avensis has clean lines that have stood the test of time and, while the cockpit is rather bland, it’s screwed together incredibly well. You’ll also have more than enough room for you and the family, and there’s plenty of safety kit as standard. Opening the boot reveals a sizeable load bay. Tip the back seats down and there’s a completely flat cargo floor, although the rear suspension pinches in a little on the sides.
Skoda Octavia (2004-2012)
The second-generation Skoda Octavia is a cracking estate car, and its clean styling hides a cavernous boot that puts many bigger cars to shame — and is almost as capacious as that of its big brother, the Skoda Superb. The boot itself has a series of additional practicality features, such as recesses in the sides to store small items, and a ski hatch in the fold-down back seats. You also get hooks on the side to keep shopping bags from spilling.
The Octavia is particularly comfortable; the ride is smooth and the TSI petrol and TDI diesel engines relatively quiet. And if you fancy something a little more engaging, there’s always the speedy vRS version, which is available in both petrol and diesel forms. The standard car is the best all-rounder, though, and you get a choice between an excellent range of petrol and turbo diesel engines.
Our budget will bag you an Octavia Estate in high-spec Elegance trim, with a service history and a very reasonable mileage of around 80,000.
Skoda Octavia Review
Volvo V60 (2010-2018)
It’s almost impossible to discuss used estate cars without mentioning Volvo. In this case, it’s the small executive V60 that gets our attention, because it’s a great rival to the Audi A4 Avant or the Mercedes-Benz C-Class.
As with its German rivals, the Volvo’s boot is smaller than a Ford Mondeo's, but it makes up for this with a large tailgate opening and a low sill, which make it easy to feed in large items. The cargo space is still more generous than most hatchback cars you might consider and, with the rear seats folded down, there’s a long flat floor. There are other good reasons to choose the Volvo, not least its long list of standard safety kit. You also get a comfortable, spacious cabin and a smooth and refined ride. Volvo offered a wide selection of engines with the V60, and the diesel versions are especially fuel-efficient.
Volvo V60 review
Ford Focus (2011-2018)
The Ford Focus edges out competition from the Seat Leon ST and Volkswagen Golf Estate for a number of reasons. First, it’s brilliant to drive; it’s fun and alert, even on a quick trip to the shops, but it will also canter along all day on the motorway with cruise control engaged.
Another great reason is the large number of cars to choose from. It makes it easier to find a specification to suit your needs, although we’d stick to the mid-sized petrol or diesel motors depending on the sort of mileage you cover (diesels are less desirable, but will cost less and you get better MPG figures).
For £5,000, you can buy Focus Estate in top-of-the-range Titanium X trim, with less than 100,000 miles on the clock. Given that the Focus was, for many years, the UK’s best-selling car, it is also easy enough to pick up an older or less plush version if you’re on a tighter budget and want to save a few pennies.
Ford Focus Review
Peugeot 308 SW (2013-2021)
The second-generation Peugeot 308 SW (which stands for 'Station Wagon') is one of the smaller estate cars on our list, but it has one of the biggest boots. Lift the tailgate, and you'll find a whopping 660 litres of loadspace, which includes the 70-litres of hidden storage under the boot floor. And when you need to maximise loadspace, you can use the handy levers to easily lower the 60/40 split/fold rear seat, which drops down to create a totally flat floor. This liberates a cavernous 1,775-litres of space, which is another very impressive figure.
You also get marginally more rear legroom than in the 308 hatchback - just as well, because that car's rear seats are pretty tight - and the cabin is smartly trimmed and well equipped. It's a comfortable car to drive, and some excellent engines are on offer. The popular 1.2-litre petrol engine is lively and gives amazing fuel economy, but check its been maintained properly because any timing belt-related faults can turn out to be costly to repair. The diesels are smooth and impressively fuel-efficient.
Peugeot 308 review
