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The Audi RS 4 Avant has managed to carve out a specific and profitable niche in the performance car market. Performance estates will always fire our imagination in a manner few other vehicle types can. From 2030, cars like this are expected to be legislated off-sale....

Model tested: Updated (2020) Audi RS4 Avant TFSI 450PS Vorsprung tiptronic (£83,845).

Current Audi RS4 Avant range priced from £65,025 (Jan/2021)

Current Audi A4 Avant range priced from £32,910 (in Technik trim).

Performance estates will always fire our imagination in a manner few other vehicle types can. When we think of them, as can understandably be quite often, it’s nigh impossible to prevent the Audi RS4 and RS6 siblings from gate crashing our frontal lobes.

The German automaker almost single-handedly created the rocket-ship, family-shifter genre and remains inextricably linked to them. There is something hugely attractive about that genuine usability combined with grin-inducing performance. Mind you, as much as we think about them, not many of us actually buy a super-quick estate – which is a pity, because they’re bloomin’ marvellous!

This week, I’ll be taking a closer look at the smaller of those two performance estates, the RS4 Avant. The original (designated ‘B5’) model arrived at the turn of the century. The current iteration is the 2018, fourth-generation ‘B9’ first shown at the Frankfurt Motor Show (remember motor shows?) in 2017. In late 2019, the B9 received a series of subtle updates for its 2020 model year.

Just four days into 2021, ‘KY70CSF’ arrived. It was an RS4 Avant TFSI 450PS tiptronic, presented in top-end Vorsprung spec and finished in metallic Tango Red paint (£675).

During its seventh and final day under my stewardship, I took it out for a final blast across the South Downs National Park before the bad man came to take it away. As I waited for the blood to return to my fingers and my eyeballs to fully rehome, I mentally construed a few notes…

As quick estates go, true rivals to the RS4 Avant are less common than Trump truths. The only likely ones are the Mercedes-AMG C 63 S Estate (£75,458) and (possibly) the Porsche Panamera 4S Sport Turismo, which at £96,130 is somewhat pricier, though.

If it’s all about performance and space and practicality aren’t a priority, there are a few non-estate super quicks to consider such as the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio Verde (a comparative bargain at £67,195) and BMW’s M3 Saloon / M4 Coupe Competition pairing (at £74,755 and £76,055 respectively) which share the same 3.0-litre, in-line six powertrain and eight-cog auto’box.

Further down, I’ll pit the Audi RS4 Avant Vorsprung against these four rivals in a Technical Head-to-Head.

The current RS4 Avant received no new sheet metal, but the bumpers received a fair bit of Botox and swelled in their proportions resulting in front air intakes big enough to swallow oncoming traffic while the exhaust pipe finishers are the diameter of Johannesburg storm drains.

The 2020 model gets a wider and flatter single-frame grille, similar in style to the version found on the current RS6 Avant. It is filled with three-dimensional honeycomb in gloss black, typical of RS models. The RS4 adopted the regular A4’s most recent head and tail lights.

The side profile remains unchanged. The wheel arches are 30 mm wider at the front and rear compared to the regular A4 Avant. At the rear, a new twilight design should make it clear to the rest of the world that you are driving the latest and greatest. New air vents next to the oversized tailpipes are also evident. Otherwise, everything else appears untouched.

Inside little has changed except some updates to the infotainment system, while Audi removed some weight and tweaked the engine and transmission to produce better economy and emissions figures. It did so without changing the 444bhp output, or the 600Nm of torque that the 2.9-litre twin turbo V6 engine develops. It’s the same engine as deployed in the Porsche Panamera 4S Sport Turismo, mentioned above and below in our Technical Head-to-Head.

In recent years, Audi has gained an enviable reputation in design, quality and fit for its interiors and that of the RS4 is no exception.

The 2020 upgrade introduced aluminium highlights, soft Nappa leather and so on. It definitely feels better screwed together than the Alfa Romeo Giulia QV or Merc-AMG C 63 S Estate.

Exterior visibility is good – even via those Picanto-bearing hips at the rear – and what you miss during parking will be picked up by the standard front and rear parking sensors and rear-view camera. You also get Audi's adaptive Matrix LED headlights included, which are always on high beam, except to traffic in either direction and provide superb night time vision. 

Apart from the slightly offset pedals, the driving position is impeccable – almost on a par with the Alfa Romeo Giulia QV. The RS Sport seats are enveloping and there’s plenty of powered adjustment, including four-way lumbar adjustment and variable-action massaging facility. The steering wheel adjusts in all directions by a decent amount, too.

As with the regular A4s, the RS4 comes with Audi’s Virtual Cockpit as standard, replacing traditional analogue dials with a 12.3in screen. Its graphics are bespoke with extra RS-specific displays available such as boost pressure, tyre pressures, power and torque output, and a G-force meter – which is probably the last thing you should be looking at while you’re cornering with any kind of meaningful G.

In fact, there’s so much information positioned just below your sightline that it makes the optional head-up display (standard on Vorsprung trim as tested) pretty much redundant, although I do prefer an HUD for essential info such as speed, speed limit, cruise control and those orange symbols of ‘disabled-because-irritating-in-an-urban-environment’ safety kit such as lane-keep assist, etc.

Slap in the middle of the dashboard is the stand-alone 10.1-inch infotainment screen, which houses car, system and other settings, the DAB/multi-band radio, navigation and smartphone links such as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which are standard. Just below that sits the climate controls and a few frequently enjoyed convenience features.

Both units provide haptic feedback to confirm when you’ve touched an icon, but you still have to glance away from the road to hit them in the first place. BMW’s iDrive system is so much easier to use while you’re driving, thanks to its physical rotary control and shortcut buttons.

However, on a more positive note, wireless phone charging is standard across the RS4 Avant range, and the standard 10-speaker stereo can be upgraded to a B&O system with 19 speakers.

The RS4 is as practical as the standard Audi A4 Avant estate, making it a tempting choice for those who regularly need to transport family, cargo or both but don’t want to sacrifice speed or the outright pleasure of owning a performance car to do so.

Both head and leg room is good all round and even at the rear, two six-footers will be content even if the front is occupied by people who are equally as tall, and three people will feel less crushed than in a Mercedes-AMG C 63 S estate or a BMW M3.

At the very rear there’s a wide powered tailgate and a low load lip to take the strain out of loading heavy items, and even at its narrowest point, the boot is still one metre wide which could prove a boon if you’re on an Ikea or I-need-a-new-shed run.

Folding the rear seats is the same process as in the A4 Avant and is simply a case of pulling levers that are positioned by the tailgate opening and the backrests fold in one action. It’s a 40/20/40 split arrangement, giving you more options when you need to carry long loads and people in back.

With row two in place, the 495-litre boot is one of the biggest in its class, slightly beating the 490-litres on offer in the Mercedes-AMG C 63 S estate. Drop row two and a useful 1,495 litres of flat load space appears (Merc 1,500 litres).

The RS4 estate is currently available in three trims; the ‘regular’ Avant (£65,025), the ‘Carbon Black’ edition (£71,425) and the top-spec ‘Vorsprung’ as tested here (£83,170). There was a Bronze Edition released early 2020, but this was limited to just 1,250 units and has since sold out.

As you can imagine, being the top of the A4 estate range, all three RS4 Avant models carry significantly deep toy chests.

The standard RS4 Avant comes with sports exhaust, sports suspension, Audi’s Sport rear differential and 19-inch wheels. On top of this is a host of convenience features such as Matrix LED headlights, Nappa leather sports seats, full navigation and a virtual cockpit. All it really lacks is Audi’s Comfort and Sound Package for about £1,400 which brings advanced functions on the keyless go system, a 360 degree parking camera, LED interior lighting and a Bang & Olufsen 3D sound system. If you want your RS4 to sound as good outside as it does inside with that package then the RS Sport Exhaust is an absolute must, indeed, we’d be amazed if any are ordered without a tick in that box. 

The Carbon Black model adds a lot of, well, carbon and black, for about £7,000. Carbon fibre is liberally applied to sections within the front and rear bumpers, side skirts and interior trim finishes. The window surrounds, badges, mirror caps and roof rails are themselves finished in black for the full stealth look, set off with a set of black-painted 20-inch wheels.

Vorsprung adds 20-inch wheels and gloss black exterior trim, upgraded suspension with Dynamic Ride Control, RS Sports exhaust, Bang & Olufsen stereo, three-zone climate control, heated rear (outer) seats, powered tailgate, adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition, blind spot recognition, 360-degree cameras, head-up display, panoramic sunroof and a top speed derestriction from 155mph to 174mph.

If you’d like your RS4 Avant presented in Nardo Grey, it will cost you nothing extra. However, opt for any of the seven metallic or pearlescent paint finishes and you’ll need to find a further £675, which, considering it’s a big car needing a lot of paint, is quite reasonable. A choice from a further nine ‘exclusive’ colours is available for £2,400.

The Vorsprung variant of the Audi RS4 Avant is so loaded with kit – as you would expect for almost £84k – that the options list contains very few items; There’s a ‘Storage Pack’ for £195, which includes handy things like a net on each of the front seat backrests to catch magazines and toys, plus an extra storage compartment on the driver's side and a lockable glovebox in which to store your valuables.

High gloss red brake calipers with an RS logo are available for £460, while a full set of ceramic brakes will set you back a whopping £6,150. To be fair, they’re not really needed as the standard-fit steelies do a great job of stopping the car.

The accessories list is expansive, but a more useful one includes a folding towbar for £995. It folds away mechanically when not in use, so you don't need to worry about it when you're reversing or parking up, or removing layers of skin from your shins when rummaging around in the boot.

Since 1999, there have been a few RS4s to get us to this current one, with each model all offering the same thing – performance, speed and space.

However, Audi hasn’t stuck to an engine type, with Mk1 (B5) having a 2.7-litre twin turbo V6. In the Mk2 and Mk3 (B7 & B8), a thunderous 4.2-litre, naturally-aspirated V8 was shoehorned into the front. Today, thanks to emissions and economy regulations, the Mk4 (B9) offers a super-efficient and omnipotent 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6.

This move gave initial cause for concern among V8 purists, but most were silenced by the fact that it produces the same 444bhp as its predecessor and actually has more pulling power. For its 2020 model year, the engine software was revised and the shapely RS4 load shifter continues to feel incredibly fast.

The Porsche-sourced V6 motor is paired to an eight-speed, ZF-sourced tiptronic automatic transmission dividing its 444 bhp power and 600Nm of torque between both axles – but with a 60/40 bias towards the rear under normal conditions.

When you eventually ‘fire up the quattro’ having appreciated its classy interior, there are few clues that this isn't a regular, petrol-powered A4 estate. Only when you stomp on the accelerator does the RS4's potential come to light. There's a little hesitation as the turbochargers spool up, but it can cover cross-country routes with an incredibly indecent pace.

Stick the Drive Select into Dynamic mode (you can also choose from Comfort, Auto and Individual settings), and the accelerator response sharpens and holds each of the eight gears for optimal performance. It's a dual-clutch automatic box and does a very fast, smooth job of changing gears. If you think you can do a better job, there are steering-wheel paddle-shifters fitted that fall easily to your fingers. I rarely used them except, of course, to show off.

If you stick the Drive Select to Comfort, the suspension softens, the exhaust quietens down and the shifts of the automatic gearbox become more smooth, making the Audi RS4 Avant easy to drive in town and impressively comfortable over bumps.

The steering is sharp and precise, but sadly has very little feel. Fortunately, the lateral forces that the RS4's sheer grip cause make up for the lack of sensation at the wheel and the four-wheel-drive system grabs the tarmac and launches you out of corners. Don't expect to playfully unstick the rear wheels though – the RS4 is more about security than showboating. 

Even with its standard steel brakes fitted, huge discs ensure speed can be wiped off at a startling rate. Carbon-ceramic brakes are also offered as a £6,000 option and reduce the weight of the car by 32kg. The brakes also boost agility, with the torque-vectoring helping to turn the car in corners via gentle application to the inside wheels.

Acceleration from 0-62mph takes just 4.1 seconds – slightly less than the Merc’s V8 – and the lighter engine means less weight in the nose of the car, which has made a difference to how the RS4 Avant responds when chucked into a corner. Where the old car would run wide, the latest model has far more bite when you turn the wheel. Corners can be dismissed with a flick of the wrist instead of a laboured pull at the wheel.

With standard quattro four-wheel drive, the RS4 Avant doesn't have quite the handling of the BMW M3 saloon, and although it can produce a sonorous soundtrack if pushed hard, it can't match the V8 in the Mercedes-AMG C 63 S for sheer aural drama. It's a very easy car to just get in and drive fast, though – it behaves in a benign way that instils confidence even in 'normal' drivers.

During the test week, I spent a total of 11:46 hours piloting KY70CSF over a total of 333 mixed-road miles at an average speed of 29 mph. The average fuel consumption was recorded at 28.6 mpg, which was a fraction better than the official 28.2 mpg (combined WLTP data) given by Audi for the RS4 Avant Vorsprung derivative.

Note: During all my road tests, no attempt is made or conscious effort given to achieving an above-average mpg. However, I encourage the deployment of cruise/active cruise control at any given opportunity.

The regular Audi A4 saloon received a five-star safety rating from Euro NCAP and although it won’t be tested separately, it’s all but definite that the RS4 would achieve the same.

Standard kit includes pre sense city braking, multi-collision brake assist, Audi side assist, and parking system plus, while a Driver Assistance Pack is available as an option. This costs £1,200 and adds adaptive cruise control with traffic jam assist, automatic braking at higher speeds (up to 155mph), traffic sign recognition and lane keeping assistance.

Here’s a table of the things that matter most on the RS4 Avant Vorsprung versus the above-mentioned rivals. It excludes fuel consumption because in this category, that stat is largely redundant as all will be in the mid-twenties to thirties. There is additional info on the RS4 Avant detailed under ‘Key Facts’, below.

The Audi RS 4 Avant has managed to carve out a specific and profitable niche in the performance car market.

If you are so deep of pocket not to have to worry unduly about trifling matters like fuel bills, then it's the consummate all-rounder. It's crushingly fast, effortlessly discreet, beautifully finished and genuinely practical.

It'll do anything that a regular A4 Avant will and much more besides. It's as quick as a Porsche 911 yet it's good for both the school run and a kerb-hopping lap of the Nürburgring, should the mood so take you – and your insurance company let you.

Drive it and you'll experience a slightly guilty thrill as if something this much fun really couldn't be legal. From 2030, cars like this are expected to be legislated off-sale. In the meantime, enjoy this one – and others of its ilk – while you can.

Engine: Front-mounted 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 TFSI.

Power / torque: 444bhp @ 5,700 rpm / 600Nm @ 1,900 - 5,000 rpm.

Transmission: Eight-speed tiptronic automatic.

Fuel tank capacity: 58 litres (12.8 UK gallons).

The new Volkswagen Golf Estate is now in showrooms and available to order, with prices starting from £24,575.

The new Volkswagen Golf Estate is now in showrooms and available to order, with prices starting from £24,575. It features the same hi-tech interior and efficient powertrains as the Mk8 Golf hatchback, but offers a bigger boot than the previous estate.

The new Golf Estate will continue to rival less expensive estate variants of the Skoda Octavia (from £22,210), KIA Ceed (£19,855), SEAT Leon (£22,455), Renault Megan (£22,995) and Vauxhall Astra (£20,110).

There are few surprises in terms of styling; everything in front of the windscreen is carried over from the Golf hatchback, while a sloping roofline and a steeply raked rear windscreen give a sportier look than before. There’s a longer rear overhang and different rear lights to the hatchback, but they look similar to the last Golf Estate.

The new Golf Estate is offered in three main trim levels: Life, Style and R-Line. The range-entry Life model features LED lights, a 10-inch sat nav touchscreen, a configurable digital instrument cluster, lane assist and adaptive cruise control.

Style brings bigger alloy wheels, upgraded headlights, high-beam assist and three-zone air conditioning from £26,765, while R-Line starts at £28,075 and includes a sporty body kit, tinted rear windows, a heated leather steering wheel and sports suspension.

The Golf Estate’s front interior is shared with the hatchback and features two big screens as standard – one for the infotainment and one in front of the driver that replaces analogue dials. Unfortunately, like the new Golf hatchback, nearly all buttons are replaced by touch-sensitive panels with haptic feedback.

The Mk8 Volkswagen Golf Estate will be permanently online and will feature live traffic updates and Volkswagen’s Car2X software. This communicates with other cars equipped with the system and local infrastructure to warn you about local hazards like traffic jams and roadworks. Amazon Alexa, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity will all be available.

The new Golf Estate is 349mm longer than the car it replaces and the wheelbase has increased by 66mm. Boot size has increased by six litres to 611 and flipping the rear seats down using the boot-mounted levers means there are 1,642 litres to fill (22 more than before).

You’ll be able to choose most of the same engines as you can with the hatchback, including a 1.5-litre petrol engine with 128 or 148bhp and a 2.0-litre diesel with 113 or 148bhp. There will be mild-hybrid (MHEV) technology on all petrol engines with automatic gearboxes, while Volkswagen’s desire to reduce its total emissions output could suggest a Golf Estate plug-in hybrid (PHEV) is in the pipeline too, particularly as rivals such as the KIA Ceed Sportswagon and the Renault Megane Sport Tourer have recently gained PHEV powertrains.

Revealed alongside the new standard Golf Estate range last month was the new Alltrack Estate (grey model pictured). It’s a stand-alone model that offers higher ground clearance, SUV-like body cladding and exclusive interior features. Once again ‘4MOTION’ four-wheel drive comes as standard and the raised ride height will mean the Alltrack will be able to tackle rough trails with less risk of grounding itself.

Like the previous Golf Alltrack, the new model only comes with a strong 2.0-litre 197bhp diesel engine mated to an automatic gearbox. The same engine is deployed in the Golf GTD, so it’s not known whether there’ll be a GTD Estate this time around – which would seem superfluous.

Volkswagen has confirmed that the Golf Alltrack Estate will return almost 50mpg and will be able to tow up 2,000kg. It will sit atop the UK Golf Estate line-up and be priced from £35,560.

VOLKSWAGEN: Order books open for new Golf Estate

The launch of the all-new vRS completes Skoda’s introduction of the fourth-generation of its best-selling Octavia hatchback and estate, higher levels of safety, new driver assistance systems, more comfort and modern connectivity features.

The launch of the all-new vRS completes Skoda’s introduction of the fourth-generation of its best-selling Octavia hatchback and estate.

Across the range, the 2020 Skoda Octavia offers higher levels of safety, new driver assistance systems, more comfort and modern connectivity features. And, for the first time, the Octavia vRS is available with a choice of three powertrains.

On the outside, exclusive sporty black design details tease the Octavia vRS’ performance capabilities. Standard vRS features include full LED Matrix headlights and full LED tail lights with dynamic indicators, and an animated Coming/Leaving Home function.

Exclusive vRS logos on the radiator grille and tailgate are inspired by Skoda’s motorsport heritage. The striking black grille, front diffuser and air curtains located above the tinted LED fog lights are all designed in gloss black.

The wing mirror housings, the window frames, the estate’s roof rails and aeroflaps at the rear, as well as the diffuser on the rear apron, the ‘Skoda Octavia’ lettering on the tailgate and the hatchback’s vRS rear spoiler all come with a black finish. The estate’s roof spoiler is body-coloured.

All Octavia vRS models feature black 19-inch alloy wheels as standard, and the brake callipers are finished in contrasting red.

Inside, ergonomic sports seats with alcantara and leather upholstery are optional. A central airbag providing even higher levels of protection for driver and front passenger is making its Octavia vRS debut.

The Octavia vRS is equipped with a 10.25-inch Virtual Cockpit as standard, which features an additional Sport layout and a vRS-specific welcome logo. The infotainment systems feature new-generation technology from Volkswagen Group’s Modular Infotainment Matrix and sport a 10-inch central display. A permanent internet connection is provided by a built-in eSIM which enables the use of numerous mobile online services. Thanks to the digital assistant Laura, who also understands entire sentences, the infotainment systems can also be operated using voice command at any time.

The Octavia vRS iV – the Czech automaker’s first-ever vRS model to feature plug-in hybrid drive – is now followed by petrol and diesel. The 2.0 TDI diesel from the new EVO generation now produces 197 bhp and comes with either front- or all-wheel drive. The new EVO variant of the 2.0 TSI petrol has an output of 242 bhp, as does the Octavia vRS iV plug-in hybrid, and both are available in front-wheel drive configuration only.

With an impressive drag coefficient (cd) from 0.25, the Octavia vRS is particularly aerodynamic, resulting in lower CO2 emissions and fuel consumption. Many of its body parts have been aero-optimised, including the air curtains in the front bumper, the aeroflaps, the diffuser on the rear apron and the hatchback’s vRS rear spoiler. Its light alloy wheels also contribute to better aerodynamics.

The vRS-typical sports chassis, which comes as standard, lowers the car by 15 mm. Adaptive Dynamic Chassis Control is an optional extra and constantly adjusts the damping to enable a dynamic driving style in Sport mode.

In another first, the vRS uses slider controls in Driving Mode Select on the 10-inch central touchscreen, making it possible to adjust driving parameters such as damping, steering characteristics or the operation of the DSG (direct-shift gearbox).

The Octavia vRS can be ordered with any of the new technologies and innovative assistance systems the regular Octavia has to offer. Shift-by-wire technology to operate the car’s DSG is making its Octavia vRS debut and the car now also boasts Collision Avoidance Assist and Turn Assist, to increase active safety.

The Octavia vRS makes use of new shift-by-wire technology to operate its DSG. The gear selector is no longer connected to the gearbox mechanically. Instead, it relays which gear has been chosen electronically. This saves weight and space and offers new design options for the interior. The familiar DSG lever has been replaced with a new gear control module, housed in the centre console.

Mercedes-Benz was one of the earliest premium marques to embrace plug-in hybrid (PHEV) technology, so little wonder then that the Stuttgart manufacturer's current range offers more PHEV options than any other.

Tested: C 300 e plug-in hybrid (PHEV) estate, presented in ‘AMG Line Night Edition Premium Plus’.

C 300 e PHEV as tested: £51,155 (includes fitted options).

One of the first Mercedes-Benz model lines to get this technology was the evergreen C-Class and now that car features it in both C 300 e petrol form and an in C 300 de diesel guise.

The current, fourth-generation C-Class estate first arrived in 2015 and in late 2018 it received a facelift to keep it fresh against its competitors. I recently enjoyed an all-too-brief spell with KP70 LZD, a C 300 e PHEV petrol estate, presented in sporty ‘AMG Line Night Edition Premium Plus’ trim and finished in ‘Designo Hyacinth Red metallic’…

There are few visual giveaways to differentiate this PHEV variant over the regular C-Class. The lower-case ‘e’ in the C 300 e designation is a clue, as is the discreet ‘EQ Power’ badge on the trailing edges of the front wheel arches. There is also the additional flap to the lower right of the tailgate for the charging point.

Inside you'll find a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and the superior 'Comand Online' infotainment system which offers internet access, voice control, traffic information data and advanced hard disc 3D navigation.

Business drivers will particularly like the 'Comand Online' system's 'In-Car Office' feature, a Mercedes me connect service which allows drivers use of certain office functions directly in the vehicle and access to important data – almost as if they were in their office.

For example, it uses the locations of calendar entries and automatically transfers these to the car's navigation system. The user can also dial into a telephone conference on the basis of a calendar entry and the system will automatically detect the required PIN access code before simultaneously dialling it. All that's needed is an active data connection.

Elsewhere, it's business as usual for the executive estate, with a well-designed interior that treads a careful line between being stylish and functional. Trinkets include swish circular air vents and cool ambient lighting, while Artico leather seats and wooden trim remind you this is a cut above more mainstream models.

The C 300 e boasts plenty of room for adults in the front and rear seats, with more space between the front and rear wheels than any previous C-Class model. The standard C-Class estate has a 490-litre boot (with the rear seats up), stretching to 1,510 litres with them folded flat. For this plug-in hybrid model, those numbers are reduced by around 150-litres respectively, thanks to the PHEV tech located under the boot area.

Where SUVs can offer the usefulness of sliding and reclining rear seats, there’s less scope for such seating flexibility in this traditional estate. With the C-Class you get rear seats that simply split and fold in a 40/20/40 configuration to make extra room for luggage, but the front passenger seatback doesn’t fold flat for when you want to carry particularly long loads.

The standard electric tailgate gives easy access to the C-Class estate’s boot and the motorised luggage cover also rises automatically. There is also a low load lip and some useful under-floor storage.

AMG Line ‘Night Edition Premium Plus’ equipment

As you would expect of a German premium marque, the C-Class comes very well equipped as standard, with levels of kit rising exponentially as you do the range walk.

On the AMG Line ‘Night Edition Premium Plus’ model as tested, additional standard kit includes 19-inch black alloys, Multibeam LED headlights, full leather furniture, Active Park Assist with Parktronic 360o overhead view, electric tailgate, AMG Sports electric/heated seats, dual-zone climate control, Burmester 590W sound system, an eight-metre charging cable and keyless go.

Options fitted to this car included the Designo Hyacinth red metallic paint (£895), and a ‘Driving Assistance’ package (£1,695), which adds Active Blind Spot Assist, Active Braking Assist with cross-traffic function, Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC, Active Lane-change Assist, Active Lane Keeping Assist, Evasive Steering Assist, Route-based speed adaptation and Pre-Safe Plus.

The hybrid drive system in the C 300 e combines a 2.0-litre 211 bhp petrol engine with a 122 bhp electric motor. Intelligent technology, courtesy of the third-generation EQ Power hybrid transmission, makes for smooth gear changes.

As usual on a C-Class, the powertrain works through a standard nine-speed automatic gearbox which works with the usual 'Eco', 'Comfort' and 'Sport' driving modes that alter drive response, steering feel and ESP settings.

On a full charge, the C 300 e is capable of driving up to 34 miles before the petrol engine wakes up, and that includes the flexibility of an electric top speed of over 80mph, so it's not limited to town work.

That electric range unsurprisingly gives the C 300 e attractive efficiency figures, so while its 162 mpg maximum fuel economy should be taken with a pinch of salt, CO2 emissions of around 43g/km will be of most interest to company-car drivers, bringing down the cost of Benefit-in-Kind tax markedly.

If your commute is within the C-Class hybrid estate's electric range and you can keep the battery topped up with regular charging at work and at home, you may hardly use any petrol at all during routine day-to-day driving.

For the most part, driving around town in pure-electric mode is a serene, relaxing experience, although it can take a bit of practice to pull away from traffic lights smoothly given the electric motor's instant and seamless power delivery.

Progress is near-silent, with just a faint hint of motor and transmission whine to remind you of how the car is powered. Once it switches on, the C 300 e’s engine is barely noticeable on start-up.

If overall efficiency isn't a priority and, should the mood take you, the C 300 e can be a pretty rapid thing, thanks to quite a prodigious total system output of 320 bhp, enough to dispatch 62 mph from rest in 5.5 seconds en route to a limited 155 mph. There is 350 Nm of torque available from the engine and 440 Nm from the electric motor.

However, drive with a significant dollop of enthusiasm and its 1,870 kg kerb weight will become apparent – that’s about 200 kg more than the regular, non-hybrid C 300 petrol variant.

For those preferring a more absorbent ride, Mercedes’ Airmatic air suspension with adaptive damping system was standard on the test car and is rather desirable. 'Air Body Control', as Mercedes call it, promises a cosseting ride when you want luxury or more composed sports car-like handling when pressing on.

Underway, the Mercedes C 300 e estate will assist you in getting the best possible fuel-efficiency by suggesting when to lift off the throttle, factoring in an imminent change of speed limit or downhill stretch of road. When it comes to handling, the regular non-hybrid C-Class feels a tad sharper and quicker than the C 300 e, which is an unavoidable consequence of the weight added by the hybrid system.

As befits any Mercedes-Benz, the new C-Class is extremely safe, with a wealth of safety equipment and crash know-how poured into the popular model. It was awarded five stars from independent crash-test body Euro NCAP and, along with seven airbags, there are a multitude of systems designed to avoid or mitigate collisions.

The Mercedes C-Class is unique among plug-in hybrid estates in offering buyers a choice of petrol-electric or diesel-electric power. If diesel isn’t your thing, the petrol-electric C 300 e estate tested here makes for a sensible choice for the family or business executive mobility.

Would I get one? Surprisingly, there aren't many PHEV estate cars on offer, but I would undoubtedly shortlist it alongside the BMW 330e Touring, Volkswagen’s Passat GTE Estate or Arteon Shooting Brake eHybrid.

Key Facts as tested: Mercedes-Benz C 300 e PHEV estate

Engine: Front-mounted, 2.0-litre, 4-cyl / 16v in-line petrol.

Power output (combustion engine): 211 bhp @ 5,500 rpm.

Power output (electric motor): 122 bhp @ 2,500 rpm.

Maximum torque (combustion engine): 350 Nm @ 1,300 - 4,000 rpm.

Maximum torque (electric motor): 440 Nm @ 2,000 rpm.

Equivalent all-electric range: 29.8 - 34.1 miles (WLTP).

Combined electrical consumption: 2.55 – 2.26 kWh / km.

Charging time (0-100%): Domestic socket: 5 hrs / Wallbox: 1 hr 30 mins.

Transmission: 9G-TRONIC PLUS nine-speed automatic.

MPG (combined WLTP): 149 mpg, depending on options fitted.

Fuel tank capacity: 50 litres (11 Imperial gallons).

2020/21/22/23 BiK rate % (Benefit in Kind): 10% > 11% > 12%.

Towing weight kg (braked/unbraked): 1,800 / 750.

Service intervals: Every 12 months or 10,000 miles.

Warranty / roadside assistance: 3 years, unlimited miles / 3 years (pan-European).

Review: 2020 Mercedes-Benz C 300 e PHEV Estate

You might be paying a premium for the V90 Cross Country over the regular Volvo V90, but having lived with one for a couple of weeks, it certainly makes a compelling case for itself.

The formula to make large estates more appealing to an SUV-blinkered market isn't exactly rocket science.

Take a ‘regular’ estate – in this case the very likeable Volvo V90 – add a few centimetres of ground clearance (six and a half, actually), bolt on a tasteful helping of exterior plastic cladding in all the appropriate places, add a handsome pair of front and rear aluminium skid plates and, voila!, your estate is instantly more desirable.

It's a blueprint that Volvo has deployed for its Cross Country model line for more than 20 years and, after spending some time with the 2020 V90 Cross Country, I confess to be somewhat smitten.

In the intervening years, rival manufacturers have adopted that formula, including Audi’s A6 Allroad (from £54,360), Merc’s E-Class All-Terrain (from £65,945) and, perhaps, Subaru’s Outback (from £33,770) and e-Forester (from £36,335). The Volvo Cross Country is priced from £47,860.

I recently enjoyed a couple of weeks with KN69 WDO, much of which was spent pootling around southern and central Wales with the family and our rescue dogs. ‘WDO’ is a ‘D5 PowerPulse AWD Cross Country Plus’ variant, with a blond/charcoal leather-clad interior, finished in Maple Brown…

Three people are entirely responsible for Volvo's drive towards its current ultra-cool design look and feel. Thomas Ingenlath is Volvo's long-time chief design officer (and now CEO of the brand's EV subsidiary, Polestar), Robin Page is head of Volvo design, and Maximilian Missoni oversees exterior design.

In a rare case of healthy designer egos not getting in the way of a positive outcome, this trio has developed a classically simple, ‘Scandi-lite’ approach combining echoes of Volvos past, like the large grille, complete with 'Iron Mark' logo, and current signature elements including the dramatic 'Thor's Hammer' LED headlights and lengthy tail-light clusters.

The Cross Country brown-roady bit comes courtesy of charcoal grey wheel arch covers, with the same shade applied to the window glass surrounds, front air vents, side skirts and lower section of the rear bumper.

Volvo has got its interiors pretty much spot-on at the moment and the V90 Cross Country is no exception. Drop into one of the incredibly comfy seats and you’re wrapped in a welcoming mix of light colours and premium materials, including matte woods. It’s a very nice place to be, especially if you’ve got a long drive ahead of you. Rear visibility could be better, but rear parking sensors and camera are standard, and also comes with a handy 360-degree ‘overhead’ camera that’s a huge help when parking.

With a definite twist of Scandi design, the centre console is both smart and modern, and as in other new Volvos is dominated by a large, portrait-orientated nine-inch touchscreen display.

Pretty much every facet of the car is controlled from this display – even remotely dropping the rear seat headrests to aid rear visibility – and the overall user experience is excellent considering, with only a few minor niggles. For example, some controls or settings are slow to react (if at all) and require a couple of presses or a firmer finger press of the screen to access. The minimalist design also means there are no dedicated controls for climate control, and adjusting these settings requires a bit of a fiddly flicking of the touchscreen. 

There are Apple CarPlay and Android Auto options, with both integrating very well into the Volvo’s Sensus infotainment system, along with two USB ports. 

The V90 Cross Country sports a 14-speaker 600W sound system from Harman Kardon as standard, while for the serious music aficionado there’s a punchy 18-speaker Bowers & Wilkins system that delivers 1,400W – as fitted to ‘WDO’.

Adding to its credentials as a real alternative to a traditional SUV, the Volvo V90 Cross Country is a seriously practical machine. It matches the conventional V90 estate for load space – there are 560 litres for luggage, expanding to 1,526 litres if you fold the 60:40-split rear seats flat.

The size and practical nature of the boot means that most won’t need to drop the seats very often, and the Cross Country will comfortably accommodate a family of four, even if every member is six feet tall. There’s room for a fifth, too, in the centre rear seat, although there’s a hump in the floor that limits foot space, making this seat most comfortable for children.

Unlike the regular Volvo V90, the Cross Country exists as a top-end, standalone model. There are no trim levels, only an options list – and you shouldn’t need to raid that too extensively, either. All have a sophisticated infotainment system with interactive Bluetooth music streaming, together with satnav and LED headlamps. As per the regular V90, the Cross Country is in no way lacking safety kit or driver assistance tech.

There’s a £550 option to replace the black side cladding with body-coloured material, but I rather liked the robust looks of the Cross Country as it was. You’re better off putting your money into a road trip to make full use of what the Volvo can do. The same goes for the £950 optional rear air suspension, which cushions the ride admirably, but can't contain the sharp jolts that are sent through the car's structure when those big alloy wheels hit potholes or expansion joints. The Bowers and Wilkins sound system is good enough to be tempting, but you’d really need to be an audiophile to part with the £3,000 asked.

It could be argued that the V90 Cross Country makes a strong statement that you don’t need either the badge allure of the German premium brands or the eye-catching bulk of yet another SUV. The Volvo serves those who want practicality, luxury and safety in all conditions, while remaining understated.

The D5 diesel engine is punchy, responsive (0-62mph takes 7.5 seconds) and remarkably quiet. The extra power (235 bhp) compared to the lesser-powered D4 (197 bhp) was handy on more than one occasion – and beside, the fuel economy (WLTP 39.2 - 43.5 mpg) and CO2 emissions (146 g/km) are the same for both powerplants.

However, it falls short of appealing to enthusiastic drivers because of the rather frustrating lag between depressing the accelerator and the promised power being unleashed, with the eight-speed automatic gearbox hesitant to shift down when you want it to. On the other hand, at tick-over and when cruising, the D5 diesel engine is calm and enjoyably smooth.

The regular Volvo V90 isn’t quite as focused on delivering driver fulfilment as the BMW 5 Series Touring or Mercedes E-Class Estate and, to be honest, this is a rather refreshing decision on Volvo’s part. Like the regular car, the Cross Country indulges rather than entertains (which is as it should be), allowing motorway miles to g’zuder largely unnoticed.

This isn’t to say the Cross Country doesn’t handle well – it’s neat and tidy on twisty roads when pushed hard, although its raised height does lead to it leaning a little into bends – even with the optional rear air suspension fitted. The steering is perhaps too light and not especially forthcoming with information – even when ‘Polestar Engineered’ mode is selected – but guiding the car through corners is effortless.

Belying its bulk, you’re never short of grip, either – Volvo’s trusty all-wheel drive sees to that. It will by default send power to the front wheels but summoning the rears when conditions or driver input demands. When I tested the car on regular tyres through a spot of light Welsh mud, its all-weather capabilities really came to the fore.

The V90 Cross Country offers proper off-road pedigree thanks to a legacy that dates back to 1997 and the launch of the original Volvo V70 XC – the car that initiated raised everyday estates that can venture off road.

It should be of no surprise, then, that a company with more than 20 years' experience in this sector has produced a car claiming an impressive breadth of abilities both on and off road. Intelligent four-wheel drive as standard generates surefooted grip in adverse conditions, 65mm of added ground clearance gets you over rougher ground and various drive modes let you to tailor the Cross Country’s on and off-road driving characteristics.

During the fortnight’s test, a total of 832 miles were driven over mixed English and Welsh roads at an average speed of 26 mph (lots of sightseeing). The average fuel consumption was recorded at 37.8 mpg, which failed to even reach the ‘Low-High’ WLTP band of 39.2 - 43.5 mpg. Allowances may be made for the car being loaded up to the gunwales for many of those miles.

It’s a Volvo, so safety isn’t in question. The regular V90 was awarded five stars when independent crash safety experts Euro NCAP evaluated it in 2017, scoring an excellent 95% for adult occupant protection and 80% for the way it looks after children.

The Cross Country incorporates City Safety, with automatic emergency braking if a hazard is detected, as well as a semi-autonomous Pilot Assist system. This combines the car’s active cruise control with readings from various cameras, lasers and sensors to control speed, acceleration and braking in certain traffic conditions up to a certain speed. You can even set your Cross Country up to communicate with other Volvos for advance warning of hazards ahead.

You might be paying a premium for the V90 Cross Country over the regular Volvo V90, but having lived with one for a couple of weeks, it certainly makes a compelling case for itself. Delivering the best of both worlds, the V90 Cross Country is a large and comfy estate with real-life off-road credentials to match – indeed, even exceed – many cars that call themselves SUVs.

2020: February: Updates to S90 and V90 models announced. Coronavirus-interruptus.

2020: July: First deliveries to UK customers.

Key Facts: V90 Cross Country D5 PowerPulse AWD

Engine: Front-mounted 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbocharged diesel.

Power /torque: 235hp @ 4,000rpm / 480Nm @ 1,750-2,250rpm.

Transmission: Eight-speed conventional automatic gearbox.

Fuel tank capacity: 60 litres (13.2 Imperial gallons).

Emissions/EURO Class: 146 CO₂/km (EURO 6).

First year VED: £1,305, thereafter £475.

Warranty & roadside assistance: 3 years / unlimited miles.

Tag: estate

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Review: Volvo V90 Cross Country

Tag: estate

Review: Audi RS4 Avant Vorsprung

VOLKSWAGEN: Order books open for new Golf Estate

SKODA: The all-new Octavia vRS

Review: 2020 Mercedes-Benz C 300 e PHEV Estate

Review: Volvo V90 Cross Country

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