27 Jan 09
4. Subaru Legacy Sports Tourer
The Legacy's a bit of an oddball, but its roomy Sports Tourer estate is a great drive and exceedingly practical: just ask the many farmers, horsey types and country-dwellers who own one.
The four-wheel-drive system is more biased towards on-road grip than extreme off-roading, but these things are strong and tough, offering a lifespan of 200,000 miles-plus.
The Legacy's also great value for money: the 2.0-litre petrol and excellent new 2.0-litre diesel both start from just £20,995, a steal compared to other upmarket family cars - and brokers can do £2,000 discounts. Don't bother paying extra for the Outback and don't expect to find a good second-hand one cheaply: the Legacy is a long-term purchase and rarely comes on the market before the end of its useful life.
5. Volvo V70
The archetype of the family estate car and still one of the most desirable.
The V70 may not, these days, be the most practical estate around - its sporty tail end, modern-day safety equipment and plush seats all encroach on the load bay - but it's certainly one of the more comfortable. It's super-safe, too.
Running costs aren't the cheapest, but the 2.4D diesel does 43.5mpg, and you can console yourself with the good resale values. And while list prices can be scary, there are good discounts available if you are prepared to haggle; we've seen a broker offering over £3,000 off brand-new, unregistered examples.
