Hi Everyone,

I’m on the lookout for a new car, ideally a large diesel estate.

The main criteria is to be able to fit, with the seats up, 3 adult sized bikes with wheels/seat posts off along with a childs bike, and still have space for camping gear/luggage etc.

I’m thinking A6 or Mondeo over Skoda Octavias and Vauxhall Insignias for space and boot opening.

Has anyone managed to fit a full holiday load in the back without any probs?

Cheers folks!

mate had an 03 A6 estate and boot was no bigger than the 09 Mondeo saloon I had for a while – Mondeos are vast. Same guy now has a Superb Estate though, which is a lot bigger than the Audi was in the back

You wont get all that in any estate. I have an 04 mondeo and vast as it is 3 bikes+ riding gear + maybe the childs bike is about what will go in the boot. We use a roof box for the rest. If it has to go inside you need a large people carrier unless your idea of camping gear is ultra lightweight.

Oh and the mondeo estate much bigger than the a6. I was sad enough to take a tape measure out when i looked at both these cars a few years back.

With the seats up the load capacity of the A6 is 565 litres, the mondeo is 549 Litres….. A6 is bigger.

Capacity does not equal usable size.

Mondeo wins.

Not comparing apples with apples here. The old A6 estate was pretty poor load space wise. The more recent model is a much bigger car inside, with a huge load space.

Mondeo’s have always had a large load space though, even going back to the original Mondeo Estates they still had a big old boot on em.

CaptainFlashheart – Member
Capacity does not equal usable size.

Mondeo wins.

very true..

MPV

I’m thinking A6 or Mondeo over Skoda Octavias and Vauxhall Insignias for space and boot opening.

Octavias are bigger than you think.
Insignias are rubbish for load space, they’re very much lifestyle etsate/sportwagon type cars rather than proper estates.
A4 and A6 like the Insignia but not quite as bad.

Mondeo or Vectra for massive space.

@Crazy-legs, funny you should say Vectra – This one is a Hatchback, not estate..

I do have a roofbox, but it would be nice to fit the bikes in the boot too. I got 4 on half the roof 🙂 (btw the boot was full of camping gear!)

Octavia estate boot is considerably smaller than the Mondeo Estate. Couldn’t get my brother Fat Possum (with upside down forks) in the Octavia’s boot without folding half the split seats forward.

The Mondeo estate, we managed four adult full sussers plus assorted crap in the boot (they did need to be packed in rather than stacked – wheels, pedals and seatposts off, one mech unbolted and strapped to the frame, and on one bike I removed the mech hanger as it looked vulnerable.

We used a roofbox for the bags. I also added a can of tyre repair foam stuff, as I didn’t fancy spending two hours on the hard shoulder, trying to repack the boot after getting to the spare wheel 🙂

052 by Ollie and Sally, on Flickr

would I be asking too much to be able to want to be able to see traffic through the rear mirror! 😀

Like the tyre foam can idea!!!!

would I be asking too much to be able to want to be able to see traffic through the rear mirror!

The main criteria is to be able to fit, with the seats up, 3 adult sized bikes with wheels/seat posts off along with a childs bike, and still have space for camping gear/luggage etc.

Yes, you would 🙂

Boot space will not be so vital if you get a towbar rack, three bikes on that and the kiddy bike in the boot. Much easier! Plus some of the decent towbar racks slide properly out the way so you can still load the boot without struggling.

Id struggle to get that wish list inside my van never mind an estate car !

Two adults, four bikes, two weeks holiday stuff and two dogs into the e-class estate, but with a towbar rack. Even had some space. Make life easy for yourself and get a rack then any estate will do. Otherwise the biggest are e-class or V70.

hmmm, i’d not thought of an e-class… Might check one out.

Tbh I think the summer holiday will involve going to a site with the tent provided, so that will save space.

Cheers for your input folks.

loving the tyre-weld idea! just need to make sure it’s not packed under everything!

I have a mondeo estate and it’s huge internally though I cannot compare with the A6 avant – never owned one. but you won’t be dissapointed with the Mondy!

crazy-legs – Member

Octavias are bigger than you think.

They are, and there’s a reason people think they’re smaller than they are- the shape means you get far less use out of the space than you should.

The E-Class has a superb boot. But, check the insurance premiums first. Can be very high.
V70? The “reference” estate, IMO. Massive, and not just in volume but in usable space.
Mondeo? Well, it’s loosely based on a V70. Impressive vehicle.

Beyond vans and 4x4s, I believe these three are the best estate cars if load lugging is your main aim.

Beyond that?
A6, Passat, etc, etc, etc. Not as good for bikes.

I have a 56 A6 and although I don’t put my bike in it, I’ve found the boot to be huge. Our old A4 struggled with anything more than a pushchair, but the A6 will take everything but the kitchen sink. We love the car and would happily have another one. FYI, I tried the 2L and found it under powered. I brought the 2.7 and it has plenty of power.

I have a Pug 406 Estate – the boot on that is pretty comparable to a Mondeo (which is what I’ll probably replace it with sometime this year). With family stuff for a holiday (staying in static caravan or cottage) I have managed to fit 2 of my bikes in the back with seats up, however not with a kiddy bike as well – more recently just one of my bikes and a kiddy bike. Can’t imagine how you’d fit in 3 adult bikes and a kiddy bike with family holiday stuff. For my next car I’m either looking at something bigger to fit holiday stuff in, or more likely a towbar mount bike rack (not worth getting a towbar fitted to my current heap).

some of the decent towbar racks slide properly out the way so you can still load the boot without struggling.

Thanks for the tip – that sounds like just what I want. Which models are good for that? Am definitely coming round to the idea that whilst it would be nice to have a big MPV to fit all the holiday stuff in, most of the time I don’t need that, and can cope with sticking bikes on the back when I need to.

Had an Octavia as my last car and the boot was actually very big, very deep too and we could stack more in vertically than our current E Class below the glass line, but above the glass line is very restricted with the sloping window. Having used it for family camping with all the kit of two kids under 4 it’s a great car. The E Class, which we have now is HUGE though (biggest litre volume of any estate I think, certainly up there with the best) and will swallow mountains of kit. Very pleased with it. I’m always perplexed why VAG group estates tend to have quite sloping rear windows, seems to waste what could be an enormous boot.

I’ve just sold a Thule 9403 which has got a tilt mech but it’s a complete pain to use and replaced it with a Thule 943 which has a super easy to use (sliding bar above the number plate) mechanism.

A4 and A6 like the Insignia but not quite as bad.

Don’t agree that the A6 could be classed anything like ‘lifestyle’ estate – a very square boot / boot opening, no lip on bumper, removable privacy cover and safety net for when you have a very full load.

Not sure the OP will get all that in one though.

As others have said, doubt you will get 3 bikes in any car with seats up, let alone all the other stuff…Mondeo is clearly bigger in absolute space and useful space than A6.

Went to measure up some cars last weekend – might be useful to you

Audi A4 (11 plate so current model; the previous one is much, much smaller)
– boot floor with seats up – 97 wide by 103 deep by 70 high; full height 55cm forward from sill
– seats down 170 long by max 120ish wide between doors; height at least 70 for most of length, seats don’t go completely flat

Audi A6 (this was an 11 plate so the very last of the previous shape)
– Boot floor area with seats up – 104 wide by 114 deep; height approx 70; full height starts 40 forward from boot sill.
– seats down 180 sill to end of seat backs; max width approx 130; seats don’t fold completely flat, height approx 70 for full length of boot

Mondeo (brand new car)
– seats down boot floor basically a rectangle 175 long by 110 wide by 80 high
– didn’t measure width between doors on Mondeo, nor length of boot with seats up
– seats go completely flat, no real slope at rear window)

Passat (previous shape – 07 plate – but the newer ones are really just a minor facelift)
– seats up 100 wide (didn’t measure length) x 78 high
– seats down 125 between doors x 175 long – at least 75 high for length of car; no real slope at rear window.

Octavia was visibly smaller than Passat so didn’t bother measuring. Superb will be similar to Passat as IIRC it’s the same platform/ bodyshell.

I need to look at E-class and maybe V70s soon.

I think Mondeo with a rear mounted rack for the bikes is the best option.

Liked the look of the Merc, but the fuel economy isn’t good enough for the 70 mile a day commute I do.

Cheers guys, that’s helped with the decision making process!

(on the A6) seats don’t fold completely flat

This is a good point – very odd for such an estate. Doesn’t bother me as I have two child seats in ours permanently anyway.

Latest Mondeo estates seem to have a squarer boot space than previous versions. With the seats up I couldn’t fit my bike with wheels out flat, whereas it goes in easy in my 04 plate. The wheel arches eat all the space – this one had massive tyres but I would assume that they’d keep the wheel arches the same on all specs?

Matt

Honda Accord estates are very big too (not current model the one before 2003-2008 ish)
definitely worth considering but insurance groups are high but are super reliable and hold value well

elshalimo is on it – i saw one the other day and was very impressed , only issue i have is it is very low – you might not think thats a problem but i have a mk4 golf and standard height and its a royal pain in the hoop ….. sumps out on small bumps and a minor stone in my van in the road presents a major problem for me in the mrs car !