Small(ish), quick estate cars.

[Robmarriott]

I can think of 2 which are a 'hot hatch' with luggage room. Why aren't there any more?

Surely there is a market for them, anyone with dogs or children and petrol coursing through their veins, for example.

On sale today, there are 2. The Focus ST and the Octavia vRS, that's all I can think of. Both similar money, you can get an ex-demo for £18-22k

There's nothing from Vauxhall (Insignia is massive), Mazda, Renault, Honda, VW (R36 Passat was dropped and is probably too big). The Audi S4 is too much money, BMW and Mercedes don't offer anything which you could class as sporty... what am I missing?

[matthias73]

BMW don't offer anything sporty? What do you call a large engined 3 series touring with sports suspension then?

[kambites]

I suppose the market just isn't there. Hot hatches tend to be marketed at relatively young people who don't like the image of, or need the practicality of, estate cars.

[kambites]

matthias73 said:

BMW don't offer anything sporty? What do you call a large engined 3 series touring with sports suspension then?

The 335i is certainly fairly quick, but is it really much cheaper than an S4 (which the OP discounted as too expensive)?

[Matt UK]

Don't Subaru have a WRX wagon?

[hornetrider]

matthias73 said:

BMW don't offer anything sporty? What do you call a large engined 3 series touring with sports suspension then?

Virtually the same size as the last generation 5 series!

[ohtari]

Matt UK said:

Don't Subaru have a WRX wagon?

They did, I have one. But they dropped it from their line up in 2009, and the impreza entirely in 2012.

Edited by ohtari on Tuesday 7th January 20:16

[Vladimir]

Audi S3 Sportback? The rather odd BMW 3 GT? Current generation F31 3 series is a bit big. Merc C class estate is small.

[Robmarriott]

matthias73 said:

BMW don't offer anything sporty? What do you call a large engined 3 series touring with sports suspension then?

BMW's idea of sports suspension is horrific, it's too stiff and too uncomfortable. They drive well but you've missed my point, BMW don't offer a 'hot' version of the 3 series which also is available with a boot.

[Robmarriott]

Vladimir said:

Audi S3 Sportback? The rather odd BMW 3 GT? Current generation F31 3 series is a bit big. Merc C class estate is small.

S3 Sportback isn't an estate, 3 series GT isn't either.

[kambites]

Robmarriott said:

BMW don't offer a 'hot' version of the 3 series which also is available with a boot.

That depends rather what you mean by "hot". As far as I can see there is little conceptual difference between an S4 and a 335i M-Sport.

[Vladimir]

Robmarriott said:

BMW's idea of sports suspension is horrific, it's too stiff and too uncomfortable. They drive well but you've missed my point, BMW don't offer a 'hot' version of the 3 series which also is available with a boot.

The biggest engined 3 GT is rapid and has a big boot. I'm not sure if you mean a hatch or an estate? If an Octy estate isn't an estate, my name is Norma.

[Northernchimp]

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/seat/leon/84995/seat-...

[kambites]

What about the Volvo V60 D6 and/or T5/6? Or is that too big?

Edited by kambites on Tuesday 7th January 20:35

[Robmarriott]

Vladimir said:

The biggest engined 3 GT is rapid and has a big boot. I'm not sure if you mean a hatch or an estate? If an Octy estate isn't an estate, my name is Norma.

I'm confused, the title says estate, the 3 series GT isn't an estate. I don't understand your post.

[Vladimir]

Robmarriott said:

I'm confused, the title says estate, the 3 series GT isn't an estate. I don't understand your post.

I think you're confused; you say "big booted hatches" and list the ST estate. The Octavia is a saloon so the estate isn't a "big booted hatch". The 3 GT is basically a big hatch/estate.

[Mave]

Robmarriott said:

Vladimir said:

The biggest engined 3 GT is rapid and has a big boot. I'm not sure if you mean a hatch or an estate? If an Octy estate isn't an estate, my name is Norma.

I'm confused, the title says estate, the 3 series GT isn't an estate. I don't understand your post.

Well, its not clear what you're after. You said you wanted an estate; but then later said that you can't get a hot 3 series with a boot (which implies a saloon or coupe?). You can get hot 3-series in coupe, estate, or saloon form....

[kambites]

He meant estate versions of hot hatches, or at least "sporty" estates of that sort of size.

[hornetrider]

Robmarriott said:

you've missed my point, BMW don't offer a 'hot' version of the 3 series which also is available with a boot.

What?

335i not quick enough for you? Given the context of the OP using Focus ST & vRS as examples??

[Robmarriott]

Vladimir said:

I think you're confused; you say "big booted hatches" and list the ST estate. The Octavia is a saloon so the estate isn't a "big booted hatch". The 3 GT is basically a big hatch/estate.

Not at all confused Sir.

The Focus ST Estate is an estate version of the Focus ST hatchback
The Octavia vRS Kombi is an estate version of the Octavia vRS hatchback

The 3 series GT is not an estate, it's a weird looking hatchback thing, like a compressed X6. I don't even know what it is but if you can't buy a dog guard for it, it's definitely not an estate!

I don't think the 335i is a 'hot' car, it's a quick small executive saloon, the estate version is a quick small executive estate but it's no M3 touring, is it?

What I'm saying is both Ford and Skoda (and evidently soon SEAT) offer a true estate version of their top of the range sporty hatchback, nobody else seems to.