Audi A4 Avant estate (2011-2015)

The Audi A4 Avant competes with executive estates such as the BMW 3 Series Touring, Mercedes C-Class, Volvo V60 and – to a lesser extent – the Volkswagen Passat estate and Mazda6 Tourer. The Avant provides the same quality feel you get in the Audi A4 saloon, but offers a bigger boot that’s a better shape for carrying large items.

There’s 490 litres of space available with the rear seats upright, but fold them down and that expands to 1,430 litres. Bigger estates are available, but the A4 is about on par with its rivals for room.

The A4 Avant’s interior is one of the best in its class. It’s exceptionally well built with high-quality materials as well as being very quiet and refined – arguably more so than rivals, which helps to make it an excellent motorway cruiser. The exterior is also smart, and although the A4’s looks are more conservative than rivals’, it’s still very classy and the Audi badge is a big draw.

The most economical engine in the range is the 2.0-litre TDI Ultra model (Ultra is Audi’s name for its most efficient cars), which returns 64.2mpg and has CO2 emissions of 114g/km, so road tax costs £30 a year.

Buyers are spoiled for choice with diesel engines, though, and there are plenty more on offer, many of which are more powerful and almost as economical. There aren’t quite so many petrols available, but the 1.8-litres are better than the diesels for low-mileage drivers and fairly economical in their own right.

The basic SE model includes equipment such as climate control, a 10-speaker stereo, driver fatigue detection, cruise control and Bluetooth phone connectivity. Moving up the range brings standard items such as a leather interior and sat nav, which are befitting of the A4 Avant’s executive status. Working your way up the range – and adding individual options – can make your A4 very expensive, though.