Compact estate cars never put much of a dent in the public consciousness and as neatly finished as this Golf Estate is, one suspects it's always going to remain a minority interest item. No hurriedly cobbled together conversion, this estate is properly practical with up to 1,550 litres of load space available.

Given that estates are designed to haul a hefty amount of gear around, the concept of a compact estate at first seems one destined to crash and burn. And so it has proved. No matter which hugely successful product line you choose - Volkswagen Golf, Ford Focus, Vauxhall Astra or Renault Megane - its estate variant has added but a nominal amount to the overall sales figures. Accept that this is the way it is - and is destined to stay - and it's easier to get to grips with this latest Golf Estate.

There have been Golf Estates before and in the more Byzantine days of the Volkswagen empire, the company was even selling Golf and Jetta estates alongside each other in some markets but this time round it has sorted its product portfolio a lot more sensibly. Sold alongside the Golf three and five door hatches and the longer wheelbase Golf Plus, the Golf Estate offers another alternative for those not quite prepared to step up to a Touran mini-MPV. Prices start at £14,505, a premium of around £600 over the equivalent Golf hatch.

One of the more interesting things about the Golf Estate is the range of engines offered. Realising that this is a relatively high-end vehicle that's likely to be used for hauling gear, Volkswagen has given it some firepower. Yes, there are entry-level powerplants like the 1.6-litre 100bhp petrol engine and the 103bhp 1.9 TDI PD diesel but there's also some more purposeful tackle. The 138bhp 2.0-litre TDI engine certainly isn't short of punch. If economy and emissions are of more importance, there's also the option of ordering the 1.9 TDI diesel version in frugal BlueMotion guise, where it returns emissions of just 119g/km and a combined fuel figure of 61.4mpg. On all models, handling is assured courtesy of a body eighty per cent stiffer than its predecessor and trick multi-link rear suspension.

"The largest loadspace of any Golf to date."

With the largest load space of any Golf to date, this estate extends the versatility of the Golf range. As well as a sleek look to the rear of the car, the Golf Estate benefits from fresh styling at the front, together with several practical and dynamic touches. Three mainstream trim levels are available - S, SE and Sportline - plus the economical BlueMotion model based on the 1.9-litre diesel engine.

The nose has been thoroughly revised with a distinctive chrome grille section framed by a set of deep front air dams. This lends the Golf Estate an imposing look that isn't dissimilar to the Phaeton. The major changes occur from the B-pillar backwards. The tailgate section is designed to maximise boot space without compromising style and intersects a set of big rear lights. Finishing off the look are a set of roof rails and a subtle aerodynamic spoiler mounted on the trailing edge of the rear window. It's a very neat styling job accentuated by the rising sill line below the doors.

The expanded load space is accessed through a wide tailgate aperture incorporating a low load lip. To aid practicality the rear seats fold flat into the floor to reveal fully 1,550-litres of boot space complete with multiple load hooks. Loadspace is 505 litres with the rear seats in place. A 12V socket plus stowage beneath the boot floor are useful additions, along with heating elements built into the rear windows. As is the case with any Golf, it all feels built to last this century and the next.

Volkswagen can produce figures that show that the company has shifted over 1.2million Golf Estates throughout Europe since the model's launch in 1993 but it is less forthcoming with exactly what slice of the pie is accounted for by British customers. I'd wager that figure would be less than ten per cent, whereas with something like Golf GTI, it would nudge forty per cent. Still, you can't fault Volkswagen's effort.

Although this is a car that campaigns at the very top of its class, it's still desirable for the sort of customer who might have been tempted by something altogether more proletarian. Standard equipment includes no fewer than six airbags, alloy wheels, Climatic semi-automatic air conditioning, anti-lock brakes and a CD stereo.

As with all Golfs, once you've got over the initial purchase price, the story keeps on getting better. Servicing is surprisingly modestly priced and the three year/60,000 mile warranty should cover most eventualities. Residual values have always worked strongly in the Golf's favour, outstripping everything this side of an Audi. Likewise, the range of engines all offer very good economy. The diesels you'd expect to perform well but the 1.6-litre 100bhp petrol engine also does extremely well, making it an reasonable choice for company car user choosers and anyone with a slightly green-tinged environmental conscience. Opt for this powerplant and you'll achieve a combined fuel consumption figure of around 38mpg. On the top 2.0 TDI 140 variant, you can also opt for Volkswagen's clever DSG semi-automatic gearbox. Insurance is affordable, reflecting the mature ownership profile of small estate cars.

Other than offer a long wheelbase version, it's hard to see how Volkswagen could have done a lot more with the Golf Estate. It's neatly styled, cherrypicks some of the best engines from the mainstream Golf range and looks to have the practicalities nailed down too. All of which would seem to make it a guaranteed success were it not for the British public's selective myopia when it comes to this sort of car. Part of the Golf's challenge will be to convince buyers that it offers something significant over a Skoda Octavia wagon. Estate buyers are a notoriously pragmatic bunch and may not be swayed by the lifestyle and image argument.

I can't help but feel that there's more to come from the Golf Estate range. A 1.8T version using the engine from the Golf GTI would certainly grab some attention, as would a rugged all-wheel drive model. For the time being at least, I'll play the waiting game.

TOP 5 GOLF DEALS

The results below show the top GOLF deals on buyacar

	Volkswagen Golf 1.6 S FSI 5dr Estate
	ETR	Mthly £241	Saving £1,371	Price £13,154
	Volkswagen Golf 1.6 Sportline FSI 5dr Estate
	ETR	Mthly £279	Saving £1,255	Price £14,960
	Volkswagen Golf 1.9 S TDI 5dr Estate
	ETR	Mthly £268	Saving £1,214	Price £14,536
	Volkswagen Golf 1.9 SE TDI 5dr Estate
	ETR	Mthly £283	Saving £1,305	Price £15,355
	Volkswagen Golf 1.6 SE FSI 5dr Estate
	ETR	Mthly £265	Saving £1,177	Price £14,253

typical 12.19% APR

PCP finance quote over 48 months,  10,000 miles pa,  deposit of £1000