Top 10 cars with plenty of boot space
Motors which do their bit inside and out
WHETHER you need plenty of room for your shopping, golf clubs or taking the dogs for a walk, we’ve got you covered.
The ideal car should be practical enough for long motorway business trips and driving the family round at weekends. The motors we’ve selected not only have maximum boot space, but also drive well and won’t be too hard on the wallet.
Roomy... The best cars for loading up
So here is our top ten cars with plenty of boot space.
1. SKODA OCTAVIA ESTATE - BUY USED FROM £1,290. READ THE FULL ROAD TEST
Impressive... Bags of space and tonnes of drive
Not only does the Octavia have a huge boot, it’s a great drive too. We gave it top marks when we test drove it in 2013. With the seats down you’ve got 1,580 litres worth of space, and an impressive 590 litres with the rear seats upright. That's a whole lot of space when you consider the average size bath tub is 270 litres in size. It’s great value for money too – the 1.6 and 2litre diesels are good for between 58 and 62mpg on the 2013 models. Not to mention it’s five-star Euro NCAP rating.
2. CITROEN C5 TOURER ESTATE - BUY USED FROM £1,295.
Eco-friendly... The C5 is a big motor but won't be guzzling gas
C5s may only be available in diesel engines but they return an impressive 62.4mpg and were awarded a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating. The boot offers 505 litres of space, which can be enlarged to 1,462 with the seats folded down. Loading and unloading heavy items is no problem thanks to the low load lip. In terms of performance, the Tourer manages 0-60mph in 9.3 seconds (2.0-litre HDi model). It's best suited for long straight motorway journeys with a heavy load, as narrow bendy roads are much more of a struggle.
3. VAUXHALL INSIGNIA HATCHBACK - BUY USED FROM £4,195. READ THE FULL ROAD TEST
Heavy loader... The Insignia will happily take on all weather conditions
Insignias have a large and very accessible boot, making it ideal for carrying big loads. It has space for 530 litres, expanding to 1,470 litres with the rear seats down. The Insignia won European Car of the Year in 2009, thanks to its cheap running costs (the ecoFLEX diesels can return as much as 76.3mpg) and five-star Euro NCAP award for safety. All Insignias come well equipped with 16-inch alloy wheels, a digital radio and Bluetooth phone connection. Perhaps the only downside is the low headroom, which is the price paid for a better-looking shape.
4. MAZDA6 TOURER ESTATE - BUY USED FROM £990. READ THE FULL ROAD TEST
Safety... The Mazda6 scored very well in the Euro NCAP testing
Like the Octavia, The Mazda6 comes with a five-star Euro NCAP rating and it’s a great drive. If you’re looking to save money opt for the 2.2litre diesel, which will give you 68.9mpg and has emissions of 108g/km. From 2013 the boot space was reduced to 506 litres, which should be big enough for all your needs. Compared to rivals, the Tourer may seem more expensive but even the basic SE model comes with a 5.8-inch touchscreen, as well as cruise control , 17-inch alloy wheels, Bluetooth connection, USB connectivity and electric mirrors. Not bad at all.
5. SKODA SUPERB ESTATE - BUY USED FROM £2,891.
Superb... Skoda has maximised all the available space on the inside
If you’re always cramming your car full of stuff have a look at the Superb estate. There’s so much room inside you’ll struggle to fill it. You've 633 litres of boot space to play with, which becomes a whopping 1,865 with the rear seats down – making it the biggest in its class. Plenty of nifty hooks stop your shopping bags going all over the place too. It’s a very relaxing drive and won’t break the bank to keep on the road either. The 1.6-litre diesel GreenLine III model can deliver a cool 67.3mpg.
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6. HYUNDAI I40 ESTATE - BUY USED FROM £9,488. READ THE FULL ROAD TEST
Luxury... Whether you're in the front or back, you'll have more than enough room to enjoy the i40
Built more for comfort than anything else, the i40 will carry you and your passengers – and any luggage - in complete comfort thanks to the spacious interior. Reclining rear seats and air conditioning mean you’ll be travelling in luxury no matter where you’re going. The i40 is yet another estate to come with a five-star Euro NCAP rating, and you can expect 66mpg. With the rear seats down the i40 offers 1,719 litres of boot space – 533 litres with them upright.
7. VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT SALOON - BUY USED FROM £795. READ THE FULL ROAD TEST
Sensible... The Passat is near the top of its class
With 565 litres of baggage space the Passat may not be the biggest on the market, but family cars don’t come much better than this. Newer models are very well equipped and even allow you to open the boot by waving your foot under the rear bumper – handy if you’ve two hands full of shopping. For more room, the rear seats fold down at the touch of a button. 69.9mpg can be achieved with the diesel engines.
8. FORD MONDEO HATCHBACK - BUY USED FROM £388. READ THE FULL ROAD TEST
Favourite... The new Mondeo
This is one of the more fun cars to drive in the saloon category. Mondeos have long been family favourites – and it’s easy to see why. They’re comfortable, safe (rated five-star by Euro NCAP back in 2007) and reliable. The most economical Mondeo can return 57.6mpg. The boot is more than big enough, and so is the cabin – the only thing that may put you off is the dated look, but don’t be fooled by appearance - Mondeos are as reliable as they come.
9. AUDI A6 - BUY USED FROM £2,186. READ THE FULL (AVANT) ROAD TEST
Classy... The A6 looks the part and finds enough room for a big load, no problem.
The A6 has the same 530 litre boot space as the Vauxhall Insignia, which is half the size of a family paddling pool, funny enough. It's still a bigger offering than that of the BMW 5 series and there’s also loads of room for the car’s occupants as well. With the rear seats down the boot increases in size to 995 litres, which is smaller than others on our list but it’s still a decent size. If you need more room, look at opting for the Audi A6 Avant estate. Overall the A6 is a reliable, safe and high-performing car.
10. KIA OPTIMA SALOON - BUY USED FROM £10,000. READ THE FULL ROAD TEST
Big hit... Over 200,000 Optimas have been sold in Korea alone
Unlike most of the others in our top ten, the Kia doesn’t come with a range of engines. The Optima is only available with a 1.7 litre diesel engine, which although noisy returns 57.6mpg. It’s a comfortable ride, but doesn’t have the biggest boot in its class – however, there is plenty of room elsewhere in the vehicle. Still, 505 litres of boot should be big enough for your needs, and it’s competitively priced, new and used.