Distribution firms such as Amazon, FedEx, and DHL spend vast sums of money figuring out how to speed up deliveries. Perhaps they should just equip themselves with a fleet of fast estate cars like these and have done with it.
The Cupra Leon and Volkswagen Golf R wagons are every bit as rapid as their hot hatch equivalents. In fact, in estate form, the Leon gets an extra 10bhp and four-wheel drive over its hatchback sibling. And even if you go for top VZ3 trim, it still costs less to buy than the Golf R Estate.
However, the Golf also has four-wheel drive and packs even more power than the Leon, so perhaps it justifies its price? Let's find out.
DRIVING
Performance, ride, handling, refinement
We should take a moment to appreciate that these fast estates are every bit as quick as a Ferrari F355 from the mid-1990s a remarkable achievement, considering the two-seat Ferrari was a full-blown supercar with barely any room for luggage.
Against the clock, the Golf edges the Leon, though. It rockets from 0-60mph in 4.4sec to the Leon's 4.6sec. That isn't surprising, given that the Golf is more powerful and (slightly) lighter, but looking at the 30-50mph and 50-70mph times, which are more representative markers of overtaking ability, there's only a 0.1sec difference in favour of the Golf.
Denne historien er fra June 2022-utgaven av What Car? UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra June 2022-utgaven av What Car? UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Lexus RZ 450e+ Takumi Bi-tone
Greater stamina and a lower price would have enhanced our opinion of this upmarket electric SUV
Audi A6 Avant 45 TFSI quattro Sport
Our new posh estate has to deal with a mega-miles commute and an older sibling. How will it get on?
Renault Clio 1.0 TCe 90 Evolution
It's our reigning Small Car of the Year, but will the latest Clio continue to impress in daily use? We're finding out
ALL POSHED UP
Looking to buy an upmarket SUV? For around £35,000, you could have a new Lexus LBX or a used BMW X1. Let's see where your money should go
JOINING UP THE TOTS
Small, cheap cars bring numerous benefits, especially if most of your driving is around town. We take three leading examples on a road trip to see which of them paints the most complete picture
GRIPPING STUFF
Tyre choice can make a huge difference to how your car behaves in changeable weather. We search for the best
Audi A6 e-tron
BMW i5 rival uses the same tech as the Q6 e-tron SUV for serious pace and range On sale Late 2024 Price from £62,000 (est)
Renault Symbioz
Slightly smaller than Renault's existing Austral, this new hybrid family SUV has its sights set firmly on the popular Nissan Qashqai On sale Now Price from £29,295
Volkswagen Golf
Family car celebrates its 50th birthday with an update, including much-improved infotainment On sale Now Price from £27,035
Hyundai Tucson
Update for Hyundai's family SUV includes a redesigned interior and a revised engine line-up On sale Now Price from £32,000