Is the estate making a comeback?

Once upon a time, estate cars were the cars to have. Sensible, practical, and not all drab looking.

However, in the last decade or so they've dropped in desirability as more and more manufacturers roll out cookie-cutter SUVs and crossovers which serve a similar purpose.

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Now according to new figures from Auto Trader big-booted 'wagons' are set for a comeback tour, with the two best-selling used cars of last month being estates.

The 2012 Ford Focus Estate, with a petrol engine and manual gearbox took on average just 18 days to leave forecourts, while the diesel-powered 2017 Skoda Superb Estate took an average of 21 days to find a new home.

Only three SUVs made it onto the list, with the Kia Sorento, Ford Kuga, and Seat Ateca all featuring. 

Across the country Ford was the best-selling manufacturer on the used market. It took top spot in East England (2016 Ford Kuga diesel manual – 28 days), East Midlands (2012 Ford Fiesta petrol manual – 23 days), North East (2016 Ford Kuga diesel manual – 23 days), Northern Ireland (2016 Ford Kuga diesel manual – 26 days), South East (2018 Ford EcoSport diesel manual – 17 days), Wales (2016 Ford Kuga diesel manual – 31 days) and Yorkshire (2013 Ford Focus petrol manual – 25 days).

"It’s easy to overlook estates in the wake of the surging popularity of SUVs over the last few years, but it shouldn’t come as any surprise to see them take the top spot; they’ve come a long way from the uninspiring models that prioritised functionality over style," said Karolina Edwards-Smajda, Auto Trader’s Director of Commercial Products. "Many of today’s estates offer elegant styling, excellent efficiency, and plenty of practicality that can often outperform an equivalent SUV in the real-world."

"The dominance of estates this month highlights just how fluid the market is. The ability to track emerging trends through data management can ensure your forecourt reflects consumer tastes and demands, helping to increase turn of sale and ultimately maximise profits."

The UK’s top 10 fastest selling used cars in May 2019: