Choosing a winner in this class wasn’t straightforward, as the Skoda Octavia Estate ran the Nissan Qashqai a very close race.

Like the Nissan, the Skoda is very stable at motorway speeds, with the driver’s subjective impressions backed up by data from the Al-Ko ATC system. Only in windy conditions did the driver need to make any steering corrections, and in the lane-change test the Octavia performed well, only sliding at the rear on high-speed runs.

A firm pull on the handbrake was needed to keep car and caravan still on a 1-in-6 slope, but otherwise the Octavia had no trouble pulling to the top of the hill. Our tests took place in dry weather, but the Octavia’s 4×4 system would have come into its own in the wet.

Go for the 4×4 and you’ll pay £1450 more than for the front-wheel-drive estate. Fuel economy worsens to 57.6mpg according to the official combined figure, but these compromises could be worth making if you often stay at out-of-the-way campsites or tour in all weathers.

Boot space is the same for the front- and four-wheel-drive models: 610 litres with the rear seats upright. That’s easily enough for the typical load of holiday luggage the practicality testers tried to fit into every car.

2019
Category Winners
2019 Up to 1400kg

Škoda Octavia

Hatch 1.5 TSI 150PS SE L DSG

2019 1400-1549kg

Seat Ateca

2.0 TSI 190PS FR DSG

2019 1550-1699kg

Volkswagen Arteon

2.0 TDI 150PS Elegance DSG

2019 1700-1899kg

BMW 520d

Touring xDrive M Sport

2019 1900kg+

Land Rover Discovery

3.0 SDV6 HSE

2019 Best Budget 4x4

Dacia Duster

1.5 dCi Ambiance 4x4

2019 Best Plug-In Hybrid

Land Rover Range Rover Sport

P400e HSE Dynamic

2019 Best Ultralight Tow Car

Seat Arona

1.0 TSI 115 FR

2019 Fuel Economy Award

Ford Focus Estate

1.5 EcoBlue 120PS Titanium X

Previous Winners
2018
1700-1899kg

BMW 520d

Touring xDrive M Sport

2017
1900kg+

Land Rover Discovery

3.0 Td6 HSE*

2016
1400-1549kg

Skoda Superb Hatch

2.0 TDI 150PS SE Business

2015
1400-1549kg

Volkswagen Passat Estate

2.0 TDI BMT 150PS SE Business DSG

2014
1400-1549kg

Nissan Qashqai

1.6 dCi (130PS) Stop/Start System Acenta Premium

2013
Up to 1424kg

Skoda Octavia

2.0 TDI CR 150PS Elegance

2012
1725–1899kg

Jaguar XF

2.2D Premium Luxury

2011
1425-1574kg

Volkswagen Passat Estate

2.0 TDI 170 Bluemotion Sport

2010
1900kg+

Land Rover Discovery 4

3.0 TDV6 XS

2009
1900kg+

Volvo XC60

D5 SE Geartronic

2008
1575-1724kg

Ford Mondeo Estate

2.0 TDCi Titanium auto

2007
1575-1724kg

Volkswagen Passat Estate

2.0 TDI Sport 4Motion

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