Top 3 performance estates: keeping your inner racer alive

Feeling young at heart? Look no further than our top three sporty estates: blending family friendliness with performance to keep your inner racer alive.

After some fun for all the family? Or at least fun with all the family? We’ve got you covered. Packing five seats, ample boot space, and hundreds of horses, our top three performance estates are ideal for hauling the family around — without letting things get boring. 

Think family, think safety. Whether purely recreational, or during the school run, the following picks can all be partnered up with the Continental SportContact 7 to harness their power, and deliver high-end performance with safety you can trust. Oh, and as winner of DriverReviews’ 'Best tyres for large family cars' award, the SportContact 7 has the public vote too.

3. Skoda Octavia vRS Estate

Now, the Skoda Octavia vRS Estate may be a bit of a sleeper looks-wise, but thanks to its sloped styling, large frame, and mildly aggressive façade, it still hints that it’s concealing something a little bit exciting.

The vRS Estate is far from the most powerful on the list, but there are still 261 ponies under the bonnet courtesy of its 2.0-litre engine, so it’s no slouch: jumping from 0-62 mph in just 6.5 seconds. And, thanks to its technological crossover with the Golf R, there is some engaging handling to be found as well — although the overall vehicle size is evident at times.

But, its true strength lies in another area: practicality. With 40.4 mpg, it sure is economical for what it is. Fancy maximising this endurance with a matching tyre? Enter the SportContact 7, using an extra-soft BlackChili compound combined with an extra-stiff pattern to provide performance which can last.

Spoiler alert: this is also the cheapest option on our list, coming in at a somewhat family friendly £40,390 price point. This is evident in the interior which, while sporty, is somewhat stripped back. It’s comfy enough though, and with 640 litres of boot space, there’s plenty of room for the family’s gear. +1 point for practicality.

2. Volkswagen Arteon R Shooting Brake

Honestly, call anything a ‘Shooting Brake’, and we’re immediately listening. It’s simply a compelling name, and by trading in some of the previous entry’s sharp design cues for sleekness, the Volkswagen Arteon R Shooting Brake presents an outwardly slippery and sporty aesthetic.

Backing this up is a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine offering 315 bhp and 420 Nm of torque, creating VW’s most powerful estate model. Ever. From the driver’s seat you can watch 0-62 mph disappear in 4.9 seconds which is pretty nippy, but not an issue if you’re strapped into a set of SportContact 7. Whether accelerating your estate through wet or dry conditions — all the way up to the Arteon R’s 155 mph peak — the rubber’s adaptive pattern can adapt, keeping precious cargo and passengers safe without impinging on enjoyment. 

Speaking of passengers, the interior (or ‘active living room’ according to VW) packs plenty of spacious comfort for the family. The adjustable sports seats bring an ergonomic focus and crisp Nappa leather elements, while the 590-litre boot means nothing needs to be left behind. 

And how much for all this? You’ll find Shooting Brakes new from a mid-£40,000 price points these days, which is a tad cheaper than our next pick.

1. Audi RS6 Avant Performance

Ok, ready for some real fun? With a 4.0-litre twin turbo engine pumping out no less than 621 bhp, the Audi RS6 Avant Performance undeniably brings some exhilaration to the table. But it doesn’t stop there. With Audi’s quattro all-wheel drive system delivering this considerable chunk of power to the to the tarmac, 0-62 mph is gone in just 3.4 seconds.

Combine this with handling backed by four-wheel steering, and we reckon you’re into ultra-high-performance territory — certain to put any tyres through their paces. But fear not, as an ‘Ultra-Ultra-High Performance’ tested tyre, the RS6 Avant Performance is well within the SportContact 7 repertoire.

Let’s not forget though, this is still an estate car, and somehow Audi have made this racer practical for the family too. Maybe not quite a match for the engine stats, but there is still a roomy 565-litre boot strapped onto the back. The interior is of notable quality as well, bringing comfy supportive seats, dual-touchscreens, and rock-solid build quality. And if you want to add an element of tranquillity into this mix, the SportContact 7’s ContiSilent tech can reduce road noise by up to 9 dB(A). Or perhaps you just want to hear that engine roar more clearly.

Cards on the table, this potent blend of performance, comfort, and practicality does come at a cost. It’s £117,420 to have one of these on the road, to be precise. But, when the only glaring weakness (for us at least) is the low 20s mpg, and when there is a certain tyre to maximise that… The RS6 Avant Performance has to be our number one.

So, even as the number of occupants in your car increases, there are at least three ways to keep your inner racer alive — for you, and maybe even for the whole family.