All-season all-stars: top 3 fast estates for British weather

They might look unassuming, but these covert wagons hide a few secret weapons. From twin-turbocharged powerplants to pioneering new Michelin tyres, find out why they make the ultimate all-season driving machines.

Estate cars and all-season tyres: it doesn’t exactly sound like a combo destined to deliver driving thrills. However, as the old adage goes, you shouldn’t judge them by their cover… 

Packing over 300 bhp and channeling it through ruthlessly efficient all-wheel drive systems, these three subtly-styled family estates boast a turn of speed that could put a Porsche Boxster to shame — on any road, in all conditions. 

And, if these high-powered sleepers are designed to deliver practical performance year-round, it only makes sense to fit tyres that can maximise that all-season ability. Handily, Michelin’s new CrossClimate 3 Sport offers just such a blend of agile handling and engaging feel, with the security of a true 3PMSF-certification come winter.  

Has the time come to trade your garage queen (and those winter wheels) for a performance car and tyres which perform 24/7, 365 on our British shores? Take a look at our top three fast estates, to find out.

3. Mercedes-AMG CLA 35 4MATIC Shooting Brake

We kick things off with a somewhat left-field choice: the Mercedes-AMG CLA 35 4MATIC Shooting Brake. That’s quite a mouthful, but it’s that last part (Shooting Braking) which might have you confused. Unlike more traditional estates which simply bolt a big boot to the back of a regular saloon, the Shooting Brake tries hard to retain the CLA’s coupe-esque lines, whilst also offering a much more practical load bay. 

So it’s win-win as far as styling is concerned, but the Shooting Brake doesn’t make this list for its handsome looks. It’s the baby estate’s exceptionally versatile performance, which bags it a bronze medal. Just like the regular CLA 35, the estate houses a 302-bhp 2.0-litre turbocharged four-pot which, when hooked up to Mercedes’ 4MATIC all-wheel drive, can dispatch the 0-60 mph sprint in less than five seconds. 

Then there’s the pin-sharp handling. Compared to the regular CLA, the 35 model boasts fully overhauled suspension, plus a new steering rack, and added chassis stiffening. Combine that with CrossClimate 3 Sport’s superb feedback and confidence-inspiring wet grip, and you have a performance car that can be enjoyed in even the most dismal conditions. 

Oh, and as an added bonus, it’ll even muster a respectable 31 mpg. What’s not to like?

2. BMW M340i xDrive Touring

Upping the size and the ante, BMW’s hot 3 Series estate brings even more power and practicality. For starters, it’s two cylinders and around 70 bhp up on the Mercedes. That means that despite its capacious 500-litre boot and generous rear legroom, it can rocket from 0-60 mph in a scant 4.4 seconds. 

Plus, like every good performance BMW, there’s no shortage of fun to be had when things get twisty. On a dry road or track, that famed rear-biased handling balance is just as prevalent here as it is in the M340 saloon. However, while you might expect an all-season tyre to compromise the feel and feedback of that finely-honed chassis, the CrossClimate 3 Sport’s Dynamic Response Technology was engineered with spirited driving in mind. 

Then, when the heavens open, BMW’s ingenious xDrive and Michelin’s Adaptive Tread Compound 2.0, provide rock-solid security and roadholding. Sure, the M340 might be getting little long in the tooth, but in this configuration it’s still hard to beat as daily drivable performance car.

1. Audi S5 Avant 

As early champions of all-wheel drive with their legendary Quattro system, fast Audi’s have long been a top choice for all-season thrills. Thankfully, the all-new S5 is no different.

Confusing naming structure aside — this S5 Avant is actually a direct replacement for the old S4 Avant — there’s plenty to get excited about here. The looks, for one, strike an appealing balance between subtlety and aggression — with an added sprinkling of modernity which makes the S5 feel visually much fresher than the ageing BMW M340 Touring. 

And it’s got all the hallmarks of a hot Audi when you get down to the mechanicals. Despite an accelerating industry trend towards engine downsizing and reduced cylinder counts, the S5 sports a growling 362-bhp, 3.0-litre turbocharged V6. Granted, there is a 24-bhp mild hybrid system crammed in there too, but that only bolsters the S5’s prodigious (406 lb ft) of low-down torque. In the real world, that means that while it’s fractionally slower than the BMW to 60 mph, the in-gear punch will make the Audi feel more responsive. 

What’s more, you’ll be able to deploy all that grunt regardless of the road conditions and weather. Where BMW wrote the book on dynamic handling, Audi’s Quattro-equipped rally cars get the credit for pioneering all-wheel drive. As such, in the cold and wet, the S5 offers effortless cross-country pace when equipped with CrossClimate 3 Sport tyres.  

Then, when you’re ready to settle into a cruise, the S5’s stellar cabin refinement and Michelin’s Piano Acoustic Tuning Technology, mean you barely need to raise your voice when travelling at the national speed limit. 

So there you have it, our top three sporty estates for British weather. But do you agree with our top pick? And, has Michelin’s new sporty all-season tyre made you reconsider whether you need that spare set of winter wheels cluttering up the garage? 

Hero image credit:  © M 93 Wikimedia Commons