Which Premium Estate?

[Stanleysdad]

Got £30k to spend, needs to be dog friendly. Looking at 2019/20 XF Jag shooting brakes, 2018/19 E Class estates and maybe 530m estate. Which would you recommend (if any)? Is there anything else I should be looking at?

[Andy665]

Volvo V90, Audi A6 and if you can look beyond the badge and judge the car on its actual quality and practicality then the Skoda Superb should be looked at too

[Ntv]

Stanleysdad said:

Got £30k to spend, needs to be dog friendly. Looking at 2019/20 XF Jag shooting brakes, 2018/19 E Class estates and maybe 530m estate. Which would you recommend (if any)? Is there anything else I should be looking at?

As an estate that does what an estate should, the E Class is head and shoulders above the others, which are more lifestyle estates. Boot is huge and wide. Comfort and space levels are high. Interior IMO is nicer than the other two.

The V90 is very nice and a fine looking car, but again, the boot is on the smaller side. Likewise the A6.

If you really want the space, then there is only one big premium estate - the E Class.

Re the Superb, although it's great value, it's not in the league of the A6/EClass/5 series in terms of trim, spec, interior experience.

[Scrump]

E class gets my vote.

[HocusPocus]

E class estate is the ultimate practical family plus labrador transport. Heavily discounted on broker sites, last one I bought was about 20% off list, so just above 33k with a few extras fitted.

[Tannedbaldhead]

E Class is an incredibly well thought out well developed comfortable load carrier,

5 series is the better drive.

No experience of the XF but the motoring press speak well of it and I can see the appeal. Should you end up in one I wouldn't feel sorry for you.

[ZX10R NIN]

The E Class is the pick if you do the miles is the E400d

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202010275...

[Trustmeimadoctor]

I'm in the same spot and really like the look of the c8 A6 not many out with the tech pack though

My worry with all these is trying to minimise depreciation losses

You can get a decent 2017 S4 Avant for these prices and they do seem to hold on better looking at previous generations

[quinny100]

I went for the E Class having looked at all the options provided you go for one in the right spec - Premium Plus, 360 camera and Widescreen cockpit are all worth having, as is the Driving Assistance Plus pack. You need some good luck finding a car with all of those options on though! There's a certain laid back zen about the way it drives which makes it brilliant on long trips. It's also surprisingly easily manoeuvrable for a barge.

5 Series didn't do it for me - nothing significantly wrong with it, perhaps the ride was a bit firm. It certainly drives well but the overall package left me a bit cold.

I fancied a V90 but having looked at a number of used examples I concluded that whilst the interiors look great new they don't wear as well as the competition. They weren't falling apart or anything, but there were lots of little scuffs, scrapes and marks even on low mileage examples - they all looked used. Big benefit of the V90 is they don't need options - the base specs include more or less everything you need.

The interior on the XF is way behind all of the above both in quality and technology and the boot is nowhere near as practical.

Current A6 was out of my budget when I bought last year so didn't try one. Interior looks very nice though.

[Trustmeimadoctor]

The current A6 does look very nice inside I agree but lack of buttons could be an issue

[Spudmaster]

Just moved from V90 D5 (CC) to 12m Old 4.5k Mile E400d and no regrets. Much, much better drive. Interiors on a par though Merc infotainment a step above the Volvo. We have a big dog and young family and Merc boot certainly noticeably bigger with more convenient’shape’.
Biggest surprise is the getting better economy from the Merc despite 50% more cylinders and 50% more power. Quite handy to find out for 25k pa.
Tried the XF - lovely to drive; but knew infotainment would age very quickly and do my nut in.
530d x drive was originally my target; but found I could get more car for my budget with MB.
Audi just didn’t appeal really.