The best used fast estate cars from £3k

You don’t need to opt for a low-powered wagon for the job. Many manufacturers now offer estate variants of their already high-octane cars allowing you to get the thrills you need while offering mountains of space — it may be best to go easy on the right foot with the Great Dane in the back, however. Here are some that we think will do the trick:

The boffins at Ford know exactly how to deliver performance cars and the Mondeo ST220 was certainly no different. A family car with a capacious 540-litre boot, attractive ST styling, and of course, a beating 3.0-litre V6 heart producing 223bhp and 210lb ft. Whether you opted for the saloon or estate, you got heated Recaro leather seats, 18in alloy wheels and a five-speed manual gearbox which was later replaced by a six-speed for 2003 cars.

Performance was exhilarating with the ST220 dispatching 0-62mph in a hot hatch-taunting 6.6sec — although the 20mpg figure can sound a bit daunting. ST220 estates start from just £3,000, but we spotted a cracker in desirable racing blue for £6,898.

What could possibly sound more appealing than a raucous 4.2-litre 414bhp V8 and quattro four-wheel drive — that’ll be the B7 RS4. The boot offered 442 litres and by dropping the rear seats that would extend to 1184 litres.

With an added benefit of being built like a battleship, the B7 RS4 has withstood the test of time with well looked after cars demanding quite a fair bit of cash. The end reward is well worth it, with the 0-62mph dash taking 4.9sec and given enough room it will barrel onto a limited top speed of 155mph. Upon its release in 2006, the Avant cost £51,825, and today prices start at £13,000 for a sub-140,000-mile car. We spotted a top spec car with 85,000 on the clock for £19,950.

The brawny E63 AMG estate could be considered a wild wagon pinnacle; it had storming performance, acres of boot space (540 litres) and a plethora of gadgets that are sought after even by today's standards. Large quad exhausts and stylish fins on the front bumper helped to differentiate the E63 AMG from its diesel siblings — oh, and not to mention the thundering soundtrack from the 6.2-litre V8 that offered 507bhp and 465lb ft.

0-62mph arrives in just 4.6sec and although electronically limited to 155mph, those who dare to remove the electronic limiter could see a supercar rivalling 190mph. You can have one on your driveway today for around £12,500, but we spotted a well-loved low-miler for £15,650.

There were few diesel estate cars in standard form that could worry some serious machinery, all while handling family excursions to the beach — the 535d Touring was certainly one. With the M Aerodynamic kit, it had M5-esque looks, a muscular twin-turbo 3.0-litre diesel engine and a colossal 1650 litres of boot space when the rear seats were folded down in a 60:40 split. A diesel car that’s fun to drive?

Certainly. The E61 535d could hammer on when required thanks to the 286bhp and 428lb ft torque at your disposal, making for effortless overtaking. Longer runs could see returns of 47mpg if you tread lightly on the right pedal. High-mileage motorway munchers can be found from £3250, but we spotted a cleaner example for £7490.

In 2006, Saab gave those who needed a bit more oomph than the turbocharged 2.0-litre variant another option — a turbocharged 2.8-litre V6 snatched from the Vauxhall Vectra VXR. Although the 247bhp on offer was fed through the front wheels, the 9-3 would make the traffic light grand prix easy by covering the 0-62mph sprint in 6.7sec — not bad for a 1600kg estate.

The 9-3's boot capacity was a reasonable 477 litres and it even had a fancy aeroplane-shaped handle that could be pulled to unveil another level of storage within the floor. Cars that need a bit of work can be found from around £1590, although we spotted a fully-specced 2009 car for £7495.

The build quality of a German-built tank — check. Generous boot — check. 260bhp — check. The Volvo V70 T5 is a bona fide fast estate car — the police even used them to pursue bad guys in motorway chases while carting police dogs in the boot. Comfortable leather seats held you cosily in place while the ultra-smooth five-cylinder engine hauled the 1600kg T5 V70 to 62mph in 6.8sec, and given all this performance, a rather frugal 29.7mpg could be achieved.

With the rear seats in place, you have 745 litres to fill up and with the rear seats down, this extends to 1641 litres — oh, and the reassuring solid thud as you close the tailgate is quite satisfying. Sub 200,000-mile cars can be had from £1495. We spotted a clean low-mile example for £6594.

The line of performance cars that Vauxhall brought us over the years has been extensive — from the Astra GSI to the mighty Monaro, and we even got a Zafira GSI for those on the school run. When it comes to estate cars, the Vectra VXR was a good option for those after something bigger. Then followed the Insignia VXR with its rather handsome styling — especially in Sports Tourer format.

A revised turbocharged 2.8-litre V6 powerplant meant 321bhp with a matching 321lb ft, allowing you to whisk your passengers down the autobahn at dizzying speeds. Boot space is generous at 540 litres, drop the rear seats and this extends to 1530 litres, and it also has a powered tailgate. If you’re lucky, you can pick up an Insignia VXR Sports Tourer from around £11,000. We clocked a nice 44,000-mile example for £14,499.

When it comes to modern-day performance cars, you often get gargantuan amounts of power and some counterfeit noise played back through the speakers that might impress your mates, but not here; its soundtrack is all real. The Golf R is a brutally quick, four-wheel drive estate that feels just as rapid as its hatch sibling, despite its ability to swallow 1.8m lengths of wood in its 605-litre boot with ease.

Power comes from the same turbocharged 296bhp 2.0-litre engine that’s in the hatch and will deliver all 280lb ft of its torque from 1800rpm 5500rpm. Hold your foot flat to the floor from a standstill for a whole 5.1sec and you’ll see 62mph. The classifieds are filled with options, but we spotted a clean 2016 car with 49,400 on the clock for £18,479.

When the Busso V6 first appeared in the 156 and 147 GTA, many people adored the noise, and of course, the shiny inlet tracts that were displayed whenever you opened the bonnet. And, although there were no shiny bits on the 159 3.2-litre V6 engine, the deep-chested noise still existed when you planted your right foot. Yes, the 159 Sportwagon was a chunky car weighing in at 1730kg, but the 256bhp and four-wheel drive helped cover ground rather quickly and 0-62mph was dispatched in 7.0sec.

If your holidays are approaching, you’ll not need to worry about suitcase capacity thanks to the 445-litre boot. The 159 Sportwagon was, and still is, a looker with its aggressive eyelids and pointy grille. With the 3.2-litre variants becoming quite the rarity, prices are certainly high, but we spotted a cracking 64,000-mile car for £10,495.

The XF S Sportbrake then was something of a delight. A twin-turbocharged six-cylinder diesel engine was Jaguar’s powerplant of choice, mated to an eight-speed automatic gearbox. This produced a hefty 443lb ft from just 2000rpm — perfect for carrying its 1810kg kerbweight, dogs and boats.

In a straight-line, the BMW 535d of the same era will quite happily walk away from the XF S but you’ll still have fun with the GTI-rivalling 6.4sec 0-62mph dash. 1675 litres are at your disposal when you pull on remote-fold levers to drop the rear seats in a 16/40 fashion. While browsing the classifieds, we found a fully-specced 2013 car for £13,490. Jaguar did actually make an estate version of the XFR-S in 2014 that boasted 542bhp; just 61 were made and sell for upwards of £34,000 today.

Fancy a classic supercar for everyday use but have family commitments? The C5 RS6 might just cut the mustard, and it’s achievable on a sub-£10,000 budget. There’s something special in the way the RS6’s five-spoke alloys fit snuggly under its swollen arches; these cars had real presence — especially in Avant form. Audi shoehorned the 4.2-litre V8 from an S6 and strapped two turbochargers to it, giving it a Porsche-baiting 444bhp and 413lb ft.

The C5 was the first car in Audi’s line-up to feature the Dynamic Ride Control (DRC) too, which used a pump to adjust pressure to each shock absorber in a bid to improve handling without sacrificing ride quality. C5 RS6s can be had from as little as £6,000, but we spotted a stunning low-mile car for £18,490.

If you can forget the head gasket horror stories that often haunt Rover-built cars, then you can grab yourself an excellent fast estate. And even if the head gasket had indeed gone, it’s most likely been fixed as they tend to go around the 40,000-mile mark. Rover described the MG ZT and ZT-T as ‘highly collectable’ when first released and out of the 883 that were made there are few still on British roads. Apart from the quadruple exhausts and the discreetly pinned-on ZT-T 260 badging, there weren’t major visual differences when parked beside a regular ZT-T.

Underneath, however, was a snarling bulldog. The 4.6-litre Ford Mustang-derived V8 produced 256bhp and 302lb ft — fed through the rear wheels — allowing the Brits to bite back at their German rivals. ZT-T 260s are becoming very hard to find (just 57 are still on the UK’s roads), but we found a nice 127,000-mile example for £10,000; proof that they’re holding value rather well.

Rain, ice or snow — the WRX Sport Wagon will have your back all-year round, and allow you to channel your inner Colin McRae. The WRX Sport Wagon’s exterior had the looks of a high-performance car, including a functional air scoop that channeled air directly onto the 221bhp 2.0-litre powerplant; four-wheel drive was also standard for maximum traction. 0-62mph arrived in a smidge over 6sec and would scuttle onto a 143mph top speed if given enough space.

Where the Impreza WRX Sport Wagon excelled as an all-year load-lugger, the 365-litre boot — which can be increased to 1266-litre by folding the rear seats — is a bit on the small side in comparison to its rivals. Finding an unmolested example might be a tad tricky, but the wait will be well worth it. We spotted a clean example for £3,985.

Volkswagen has built some rather special high-performance variants over the years, usually alongside more everyday models. The likes of the V10 Touareg, or the R32 Golf, are a pleasant reminder of times past. And, although the R36 Passat never quite took off as Volkswagen had hoped, it still sits snug in the special car bracket and is certainly a rare beast on today’s roads. When building the R36 Passat, Volkswagen whipped the 3.2-litre from the R32 Golf and upsized it to a 3.6-litre one, which in turn produced a hefty 296bhp — 50bhp more than its hot hatch sibling.

Power was channeled through the 4Motion four-wheel drive system, shoving it to 62mph from a standstill in just 5.6sec making it quicker than a modern-day Scirocco R. In terms of boot space, the R36 Passat does rather well at 513 litres, extending to 1641 litres with the rear seats folded down. We spotted a rough high-miler for sale for £8495, but after scouring the classifieds, we found a cracking 2009 example for £12,995.

This one’s scarcity will certainly turn heads for sure and it remains to be one of the best kept performance secrets to arise from Japan. Based loosely on the R33 Skyline GT-R, the turbocharged 2.5-litre 276bhp launched the 1650kg Stagea to 62mph in around 6sec and allowed it to comfortably hit 155mph; traction wasn’t an issue either with the four-wheel drive system.

Although they weren’t sold in Britain, they found their way over via specialist importers. 475 litres of boot space meant you could also cart luggage with ease. Although these are rare, they’re still out there. We spotted a well-cared for example with 84,000-miles on the clock for £8,995.

Other than the various V6 diesel and petrol variants that were mostly sold in Britain, the range-topping 425bhp 6.2-litre HEMI certainly set things apart from many fast estates on the road at the time. Bentley badges pinned to the front and rear by previous owners aside, the 300C touring can be a great buy — 630 litres of boot space, sat-nav and comfortable electric leather seats.

The bruiser HEMI V8 engine will get the 1969kg 300c touring to 62mph from a rest in 5.0sec, but that straight-line fun comes at a cost of 10mpg as discovered in a previous Autocar test. Interior trim quality was, and still is, questionable, but nonetheless, you can have one on your drive from around £19,000 – but you’ll need to find one first.

Fun and practicality meet once again in the vRS Octavia. It was described by many as a Golf GTI with a bigger boot and the reason for this was simple: it had the same turbocharged 2.0-litre engine that was in the Mk5 Golf GTI and even the chassis was based on that of the Golf, too. This, coupled with sporty bodywork, twin tailpipes, 17in alloys and a 12mm drop in ride-height over the standard Octavia, meant that it proved quite popular with speed freaks needing the extra room.

Although you could opt for a motorway-munching 167bhp diesel, the 197bhp petrol variant covers the 0-62mph dash in 7.2sec and will still swallow 605 litres of whatever you choose to put in its enormous boot. Rougher high-milers can be had from £1695. We spotted a cherished, two-owner car for £6495.

Practical and hot hatch these days aren’t often mentioned in the same sentence, enter the JCW Clubman. And, even with its stretched boot, you weren’t losing out in performance over its hatch sibling; the JCW Clubman is just as taut in its body control. Large amounts of grip pull you through corners at alarming speeds and the turbocharged 1.6-litre was fast with 0-62mph arriving in sub-seven seconds.

Although the twin opening doors only reveal a 260-litre boot space, by folding the seats flat, things quickly increase to 930 litres. Getting one on your drive shouldn’t be hard as we spotted a fine example with 92,000 miles for £5,495.

The eighth-generation Galant was seriously handsome, and it offered a thumping package in the range-topping VR4 variant. A twin-turbocharged 2.5-litre V6 — not the same as the one used in the 3000GT — hides under the bonnet and it will annoy many hot hatch fans in a dash from the traffic lights. 276bhp and four-wheel drive helps to propel the VR4 Galant to 62mph in just a smidge over five seconds and it will storm on to 150mph. It was also practical and offered enough space for a driver and four other passengers, with 420 litres of space in the boot.

Sporty body work, aggressive front lights and a fruity spoiler were the icing on the cake for the Galant VR4. If you fancy one, you’d better be quick as prices are on the rise with only 200 VR4s having been officially imported. Project cars start at around the £1200 mark, but we saw an exceptional example for £6,999.

Although Subaru gave us plenty of Impreza WRX and STI guises, they kept a high-octane, rally-bred performance model of their boxy family estate all for Japan — the STI Forester. Blistering performance — thanks to its STI Impreza running gear — combined with a family estate car, made the STI Forester an attractive package. Unfortunately, however, they were only sold in the Japanese market.

But yet again, many found themselves in shipping containers and headed for UK shores, giving us a chance to own one. The 2.5-litre produces a zesty 261bhp and is fed through all four wheels, allowing it to hit 62mph from a rest in 5.4sec making it quicker on paper than a Porsche Cayman (non PDK). Getting your hands on one might be tricky, but far from impossible. We spotted a spotless example for sale for £14,995.