estates vs saloons

Setting aside which precise car (it could be a BMW 3 or 5 series, or an Audi A4 or A6, or a Volvo V50, or whatever), is it ever worth going for a saloon?

As mentioned in about 50 recent threads, I am in the market, and while I originally wanted an estate, the possibility of getting a better specced car for the money increases exponentially if I open up searches to saloons.

I have almost always driven estates or vans, but I would have thought that, with roof rails, I can always throw my bikes on top of the car. And other things should be able to fit in the boot, oughtn’t they?

So what do you think? Should I persevere and stick with looking for an estate until I find one that I really like? Or should I consider saloons as well in order to increase my options?

The problem with roof racks is the bikes can fall off if something fails or isn’t quite right, height barriers, muddy crap dripping all over the car, theft,
I’ve seen all the above happen over the years, I prefer a tarp with the bike inside the car personally.

I’m about to switch back from an estate to a saloon. Even with the estate I put the bikes on the roof, because I don’t want to get the car full of mud.

My new car only comes in a saloon, so it was a fairly easy choice.

Best of both worlds is a Mondeo style hatch. Has the looks of a saloon, but some of the versatility of an estate. But more limit choice.

Saloons have a small boot opening compared to an estate, a hatchback would be more useful. Saloons tend to be stiffer at the back than a hatchback so can handle a bit better. Also watch out that some saloons you can’t fold the rear seats down unless specified as an extra.

I’ve always driven hatchbacks or estate but looked at a couple of saloons before buying my current car.

The volume of the boot was usually reasonable, the big issue for me was that the boot opening was generally too small to be practical for transporting things that aren’t packed into suitcases or bags.

Also, I found that it was often difficult to react to the front of the boot area, the bit directly behind the rear seats, without actually climbing into the boot (I’m 6’2″ so would think that shorter folks would have even more difficulty with this).

Some of them didn’t have folding rear seats so shifting long or bulky items would be an issue.

IMO they’re fine if you don’t need to transport very much or if you have access to a more practical vehicle for shifting awkward items (like bikes or garden waste).

I’m sticking with hatch/estate cars.

I’ve just bought my first ever saloon. Like you was looking at an estate, but the saloon was £2k+ cheaper for the same model/age/milage.

So far I’ve not missed the hatch, changing from a focus to a 3 series the boot it loads bigger anyway. Opening is a bit small, but I’ve not found anything that I could fit in the focus that wont go in this. Obviously if I was changing from a mondeo hatch I’d feel it. But then that would be daft.

I’ve got two young kids, so booster seats are always in the back, bikes go on the roof and I think I folded the rear seats twice in 2 years in the focus. The new ones dont fold (2nd had, previous driver ticked no options) so if I really need the space it’ll be lashed to the roof or I’ll stick a blanket on the seats. Come to think of it. It was only for taking bike boxes to the tip, and It’ll be a while before I can afford another one.

I’ve got an estate, the bikes still go on the roof for a couple of reasons. It’s not a massive estate, ironically the saloon as a bigger boot in litres, but the bike will go in, but it’s front wheel off, faffy and invariably means chain lube on the roof linning and removing the baby seat – it’s much easier to chuck them on the roof.

I’ve got an estate because I prefer the look of them, it’s easier throw in all the stuff the baby needed and it makes for a nice bench to sit on when I’m putting my riding shoes on/off with a rain cover.

A big part of it is what else you do with the car I suppose… I have my car permanently with the seats down and a tarp in it, if you can do that then estate = win basically, you get some security unlike racks, you can jump in the back and get changed, or sit on the boot under the tailgate and stay dry (assuming it has a proper flat entrance…). I still get van envy mind.

In many cases the saloon looks better than an estate, and there are many fastback style estates that are designed for looks and stop being so practical

I love estates though! I’ve owned 1 saloon in my life, rest have been hatchbacks or estates

I find estates far more practical – loading kit/bags, being able to sit in the boot, having more height

I also have 2 dogs so saloons are no longer an option…

A big part of it is what else you do with the car I suppose… I have my car permanently with the seats down and a tarp in it, if you can do that then estate = win basically, you get some security unlike racks, you can jump in the back and get changed, or sit on the boot under the tailgate and stay dry (assuming it has a proper flat entrance…). I still get van envy mind.

Ditto, my rear seats actually see seat duty about twice a year.
Recently took 2 bike bags, 2 suitcases and 2 carryons to the airport – good luck doing that in a saloon.

fastback style estates might be an option

I’ve got a CLS Mercedes Shooting Break at the moment – no where near as practical as an E Class Estate but kinda blurs the lines between a Coupe/Saloon/Estate. With the rear seats down I can put my XL 29ER in with the front wheel off or my GT Grade in complete.

Plush, fast, economical and S/H prices starting to come in quite reasonable. Way more useful than an saloon IMHO.

I have my car permanently with the seats down and a tarp in it, if you can do that then estate = win basically

Isn’t that basically a van with extra (redundant) windows and doors? Struggling to see any advantage at all if you never use the back seats as seats?

is it ever worth going for a saloon

– They are much cheaper
– You can still put bikes on the roof even without rails
– You can of course fit a towbar or rack mounting and use a rear rack.
– You can also put bikes in the car – most have seats that fold down, and my road bike fits clean in the boot of my Passat with seats up – but it’s not as convenient of course.

Recently took 2 bike bags, 2 suitcases and 2 carryons to the airport – good luck doing that in a saloon.

Perfectly possible, just less convenient. I put my bike bag on the roof, and three big bags in the boot.

I don’t want to get the car full of mud.

Can’t imagine caring this much about a car! Tarp in the boot. And mud brushes off anyway. My bike is more important than my car so gets to ride inside.

Saloon car = Golf club.

edlong – Member

Isn’t that basically a van with extra (redundant) windows and doors? Struggling to see any advantage at all if you never use the back seats as seats?

TBH the advantage is, it’s a car not a van. Drives like a car, cost as much a a car, taxes and insures like a car. There’s some things it does less well than a van obviously but I don’t want to live with a van day to day. It does have the capacity to carry passengers too if need be (actually did this yesterday for the first time in ages), it’s just that my default is seats down.

CaptainFlashheart – Member
Saloon car = Golf club

This is oddly true, I haven’t golfed in years, but within a week of getting a saloon I had an overwhelming desire to go to the driving range. I only haven’t because I haven’t had time yet, but with the nights drawing in and strictly being on 4 hours a day it won’t be long.

Another consideration when we bought ours (only small admittedly) was VED, saloon was £20 PA Estate was £110. Every little helps.

I`ve had a couple of saloons, e39 530i and a 850 T5, and found them a PITA, unless you get one that the back window lifts like a Octavia saloon the opening with just a boot lid is useless.

i’ve never owned an estate. tried ot buy one 3 years ago but the wife wasnt having it.
previous car was a 5 door Nissan Almera hatch and with the wheels off and the seats down could easily accommodate 2 bikes and kit. the 3 dorr Civic we had before that was a struggle to get 1 bike in.
ive never been a big fan of owning roof racks.
previous car to that was an audi a6 saloon. wih the seats down there was enough space to fit 2 single mattresses in so getting 2 bikes in with just the front wheel off was a piece of cake.
current car is a c-max and is an absolute pain to use for bike transport. both wheel need to be off and then its always a squeeze trying to get 2 bikes in the back with the seats down/up
anyone who has owned one of these cars will know what i mean about the back seats
a friend has an old a4 estate…we’ve managed to easily get a huge 12 man tent, 2 bikes and both our kits and food for the weekend in there…all this went in the back even though there was a massive 15″ subwoofer box bolted to the boot floor
our next car will definitely be an estate

Since getting a long(ish) travel 29er with wide bars, lobbing bike in the boot isn’t quite as easy as it was. I’ve been considering going back to a Mondeo.

at my end of the market (wouldn’t even get xt level hardtail for that)

the price difference can be marked. roughly 50% on some older bmws (estates being more).

Got a dog or 2, then you won’t have this problem 😀

benp1 – Member

In many cases the saloon looks better than an estate,

This has never happened. I’m right. You are wrong. It’s not up for debate 😆

I went from a Golf estate to a Passat saloon. Do occasionally miss the ease of loading of the estate (especially for tip runs and the like) but in day to day use we’re managing just fine. I have roof bars and a tow bar mind, so plenty of options for carrying extra stuff when necessary.

Saloon (IMO) is quieter as the boot space is better isolated from the rest of the car. Loading the boot can be a little trickier as it is a narrower opening, but that’s only for awkward shaped stuff anyway (like bikes).

Whatever it is, it’ll have to be big for you and your massive brood S_R!

Many moons ago we camped on skye and all the tents were blown away/over/ripped to shreds. We ended up sleeping in the boot of a volvo estate. 3 kids and my mum.

A month ago in skye i spent the evening in the back of a vw golf estate as the rain poured down. After a m soggy soggy day boot went up waterproofa were removed and we climbed through into the dru section.

Are you planning to visit skye soon?

I spent my early years being carted around the country in a Vauxhall Viva van. Then after that, a Viva van *with seats in the back*. Cortina estate, Granada estate, Mondeo estate, a couple of Carlton estates. Then I flew the nest and since then I’ve had several 3-Series estates, a 5-Series, an X5, a Mazda 6, a couple of Fronteras and a couple of Land Rovers. Currently a Passat estate and a T4.

I can’t imagine not having an estate. They’re just good for stuff. If your life doesn’t involve stuff then I’m sure a saloon is fine.

Do you own T-Cut?

Yes… saloon
No…. estate

The estate will be worth more when the time comes to sell it. Up your budget and get a better specification estate.

I’m sure there are some people who think saloons look better than estates. I mean they’re wrong*, obviously, but they must exist because otherwise why would there even be a market for saloons? Estates have the same economy, more versatility, better looks. What’s not to love?

*With one exception – the Honda Civic Tourer: Ewww!

Just picked up a C estate yesterday, which seems quite nice, replacing a Focus2 estate, which in its turn replaced a Berlingo Multispace. All practical cars, just quieter inside than the previous ones. A saloon just doesn’t really do it for us – although I was thinking about a Fiat 124 spider

Our last car was a saloon, based on the idea that once the kids were out of pushchairs we wouldn’t need the same amount of load space. This was a mistake.

Estate FTW

Saloons are more refined to drive and probably a bit cheaper to buy/run, but the practicality of an estate, esp. a big one, wins every time for me.

Whatever it is, it’ll have to be big for you and your massive brood S_R!

This will be a second vehicle. We have a minibus for the brood! 😀

I currently have an estate and had it for 2.5 years. BMW 3 series

Before that had a Hatchback Mondeo, and from Wednesday will have a BMW 3 series saloon.

To be honest I haven’t found the estate a big advantage. Apart from it having roof rails already in place, and from maybe once a year when we have gone camping and you can fill it to the roof line, and not need to take the roof box.

Maybe in a few months I will regret the saloon, but at the moment I can not see that I will.

Do you own T-Cut?

Yes… saloon
No…. estate

Whoosh!
Anyone?

I’d struggle to get my drum kit in a saloon car. Doable but would struggle, especially if I also had a 4×12 guitar cab to fit in

I’ve a 3 series touring. I like:

• that I can sit in the boot with the lid up and put my shoes/boots on.

• like the rear glass opens when the boot lid is closed for quick access, or to cram more stuff in while the boot is closed.

• pull-up mesh that separates boot space from passenger area, useful if you’ve a full boot.

• seats down, there’s enough space for my tip runs, I’ve had a washing machine fit in there.

• prefer the look of the touring vs saloon.

Well my dad bought an estate C class. He didn’t need to but he has my kids/his grandkids every now and then and figured it would be helpful for that and the odd practical thing like airport runs

I borrowed it a while ago as my car was poorly, took it on hols, got the dog in that fine (only had 1 dog at the time).

I have an E class estate now, it’s HUUUUUUGE. Biggest estate around. I love estates, saloons more popular though

last 2 cars have been estates and just ordered another. Had a 3 series, currently a 5, ordered an A6. With 2 boys, aged 10 and 13, bikes go on the roof and the boot area very quickly is filled up if away for a weekend or longer of outdoor pursuits. Put seats down and bike in back if it’s just me, or me and a mate and have carbon road bike, or track bike in.

Had an old carpet and washing machine in it one night last week going to the tip 🙂

• that I can sit in the boot with the lid up and put my shoes/boots on.

This. Bit of shelter when it rains too.

Little thing, but it sways it for me.

I have an estate and don’t tend to put my bike in the car more than a few times a year but it is useful to have that option if I need it. Every now and again I know I am going to need to stop on the way to or from a ride and it is either put the bike in the car or take it off the rack and into the pub/cafe/services with me. I wont leave it on the rack, even locked.