Auto Express – August 07, 2019

ITsoundslikestatingtheobviousthatanaffordable
estatecarneedstooffervalueformoneyandplentyof
space.ButevenwiththeriseoftheSUV,thiskindofrelatively
low-pricedfamilywagonhascontinuedtodeveloptoapoint
where,today,yourchoiceisbroaderthanever.
We’veassembledthreegreatexamples:thenewKia
CeedSportswagon,theRenaultMéganeSportTourerand
theSkodaOctaviaEstate.We’vepreviouslytestedtheCeed
inhatchbackform,soweknowhowgoodthisplatform
is,andnowit’stheturnofthepracticalCeedestateto

earnitsstripes.We’retestingitinpopularmid-spec‘3’

turbopetrolform.Infact,allthreeofthesecarsarecovered

byjust£760,sothey’reverycloselymatchedonprice.

TheMéganeSportTourercertainlyhasthestyle

tochallengetheCeed–aswellasanewengine,

withtheTCe140unitwe’retestingtomatchtheKia.

However,bothwillhavetoovercomethetalentsof

theSkodaOctaviaEstate.It’sfreshfromyetanother

winatourAutoExpressNewCarAwardsandboasts

plentyofabilityinallareas.Thiswillbeatoughtest.

Testers’ notes

“Allthreeofthesecarsareavailablewith

anautomaticgearboxforjustover£1,000

extra.Butgiventhey’reaboutaffordability,

wewouldn’tbother.Stickwiththemanual

transmissionandsavesomecashtospend

onafewoptionsyoumightwant.”

Sean CarsonSe Chiefreviewer

MERCEDES G-CLASS

Lifeinthelimelighthas

drawntoaclose,aswe

sayfarewelltobigSUV

HYUNDAI SANTAFE

Ourmanpondersthe

positivesandnegatives

ofSUVownership

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