30 classic three-door estate cars

Wagons with only two passenger doors

Most estate cars come with four passenger doors, but there are those that have only two plus a tailgate.

Here’s our pick of the best, and the not so good, of wagons built with fewer doors than you’d usually expect.

From the sporting to the slovenly, we’ve presented these classic estates in chronological order.

1. Morris Minor Traveller (1953)

The Traveller proved a very useful addition to the Morris Minor range both for practicality and sales.

With its twin rear doors opening on to a large boot area, the Traveller was perfect for growing families, plus it had a dash of style with its exterior wood.

That wood is structural, which meant Travellers could become rotten quite quickly if the wood became damp.

The Traveller also came with a lower rear differential ratio to the saloon’s, so the engine could be quite busy at higher speeds. However, it didn’t stop 215,331 people from choosing a Minor as their new car.

2. Hillman Husky (1955)

Hillman spotted an opportunity to get on terms with the rival Morris Minor Traveller by turning the Commer Express van into an estate by fitting some rear windows and seats.

Basic it may have been, but it did offer decent space and low running costs.

An improved version of the Husky arrived in 1958, with the same engine as the Minx and an extra 4in in length to improve space.

More workhorse than show pony, the Husky never sold in the same numbers as its Morris competitor.

3. Wartburg 311 (1956)

Compared to many other estate cars with only two passenger doors, the Wartburg 311’s styling was more cohesive.

Its longer wheelbase helped here and created plenty of room for luggage in the boot, and the large one-piece tailgate hinged at the top so it opened to reveal a big aperture.

On other fronts, the 311 Kombi estate was less impressive. Its three-cylinder 901cc two-stroke engine, which later grew to 992cc, was barely up to the job.

Nor was the handling, although it didn’t stop Wartburg from entering 311 saloons in rallying.

4. Austin A35 Countryman (1957)

If your ears could cope with the reverberations inside the A35 Countryman, you would find it was a handy small estate before the Mini arrived a few years down the line.

Such was the affordability and appeal of the A35 estate, it lasted in production until 1962 so it sat alongside the Mini estate models for a couple of years.

Based on the Austin A35 van, the Countryman was basic, but its 948cc A-series engine offered better performance than a Hillman Husky.

The Countryman also handled better than most similar cars, with the exception of the Morris Minor Traveller, which was an altogether bigger estate car.

5. Austin A40 Farina Countryman (1959)

A year after the Austin A40 Farina was launched, the Countryman joined the range in 1959.

It offered more versatility thanks to its split tailgate design, with the lower half hinged at the bottom and the top section swinging up when opened to reveal a reasonable luggage compartment.

While not as big or practical as the Triumph Herald Estate, the Countryman added another string to the bow of the A40 Farina line-up.

The larger 1098cc engine was fitted from late 1962, which improved performance.

6. Saab 95 (1959)

Saab could fit up to seven people in its compact 95 estate model thanks to a pair of rear-facing seats in the boot.

This clever use of space was backed up by the Swedish firm’s engineering that meant the 95 was good to drive and handled well.

The 841cc two-stroke three-cylinder engine had its work cut out to haul the 95 when loaded with seven people.

This was addressed in 1966 when the company fitted the 1.5-litre V4 engine, at which point the 95 also received the same styling updates as the 96 saloon that kept this compact wagon in production until 1978.

7. Ford Anglia (1961)

Ford was a bit slow out of the blocks when it came to launching an estate version of the Anglia 105E.

Before it had a chance to introduce its own wagon, both Friary Motors and then ED Abbott offered an estate conversion based on Ford’s nimble, fun small car.

When Ford did get in on the act, it came with a top-hinged tailgate that opened to reveal a decent size of boot for a compact car.

You could also fold down the back seat to leave a flat load floor, which was lined with linoleum to make it harder wearing than normal carpet.

8. Škoda Octavia Combi (1961)

In keeping with its Iron Curtain origins, the Škoda Octavia Combi was an austere estate car whose main attraction for buyers on the western side of the divide was its low price.

For the money, you did get a very practical small estate with a split tailgate that allowed fine access to the boot.

A 47bhp 1.2-litre engine did its best to power the Octavia Combi, but it wasn’t helped by a vague column gearshift.

Production of the Combi lasted until 1971, but imports to the UK ended in 1969. Škoda built a total of 50,193 of this particular model.

9. Triumph Herald Estate (1961)

The Herald Estate arrived shortly after Triumph updated its small saloon to the 1200, so all wagon models started out with this larger engine over the earlier 948cc motor.

Michelotti’s handsome, sharp lines for the Herald lent themselves to the Estate, and the Courier van that used the same body.

When you opened the rear hatch, the Herald Estate offered a pleasingly large boot and, with the rear seats folded down, it was a very practical load hauler.

Triumph continued with the Estate as the Herald became the 13/60, but it’s shame this body wasn’t offered with the more powerful Vitesse.

10. Volkswagen Variant (1961)

Volkswagen extended its range with the introduction of the Variant, which was based on the Beetle floorpan as with other models in the line-up.

More practical than the Beetle, the Variant estate still had the engine in the rear, but with the engine’s cooling system altered to lower the boot floor.

The Variant might not have had the instant appeal of the Beetle, but it sold well and drivers appreciated the improved transverse torsion-bar front suspension for its handling and comfort benefits.

A 1500S version offered more power and an 85mph top speed.

11. Austin 1100/1300 (1966)

Offered as both an Austin and Morris, the 1100 and 1300 estates were not the most gainly wagons to look at, but they were handy for carrying plenty of kit.

Only ever sold with two passenger doors and a lift-up tailgate, the estates arrived in March 1966.

The Austin model outsold the Morris version, and there were no MG, Riley, Wolseley or Vanden Plas variants.

In keeping with tradition, the Austin model was known as the Countryman and the Morris used the Traveller name.

12. Hillman Imp Husky (1967)

The Rootes Group revived the Hillman Husky name in 1967 with another van-based estate.

This time, it was the Commer Imp commercial that provided the base and the recipe was much the same as before, fitting windows and rear seats to deliver a utilitarian estate car.

The Imp’s rear-engined design meant the boot floor was higher than many rivals, but this was countered by the Husky’s high roofline.

This didn’t do the styling any favours, but the Husky could carry plenty of luggage. However, sales were slow and the Husky only lasted in production until 1970.

13. Ford Escort (1968)

Ford had already offered an Escort and Squire small estate with two passenger doors between 1956 and 1960, but the all-new Escort range of 1968 was an altogether better effort.

Like its predecessors, the new Escort Estate shared its outer panel work with the van model, but there were long single-piece rear windows to give an airy feel inside.

The estate was not offered with more potent sporting engines, so buyers had a choice of 1.1- and 1.3-litre motors.

However, there was a range of options to make the estate a little more opulent. More importantly, it came with a big boot to make it a very useful load lugger.

14. Fiat 128 Estate (1969)

Way better to drive than its humdrum looks would suggest, the Fiat 128 was an early flag bearer for the new breed of supermini.

This extended to the estate version, with its two passenger doors and a top-hinged tailgate that swung up to give access to a cavernous boot.

Fiat 128 Estate buyers could choose from 1116cc or 1290cc four-cylinder engines for zippy performance, while all-independent suspension gave a supple ride and fine handling.

The only downside for the 128 Estate is Fiat didn’t offer the car with four passenger doors.

15. Mini Clubman (1969)

The Clubman was the natural successor to the earlier Austin Countryman and Morris Traveller, which came with cute but non-structural wood on the outside.

For the Clubman, there was a more business-like plain metal exterior, though a fake wooden plastic strip down the side made a nod to the previous cars. A bluff front end also marked out the Clubman, which was shared with the 1275GT.

It may have been small, but the Clubman was popular as a compact family wagon and as a small van for many, and it went on to notch up an impressive 413,154 sales by the time it ended production in 1982.

16. Reliant Scimitar GTE (1969)

Rightly credited with kick-starting the sporting estate genre, the Reliant Scimitar GTE’s success can be judged by the number of rivals it spawned that were all keen for a slice of this market.

The genius of Ogle’s restyle of the Scimitar GT coupé was extending the roofline and adding an all-glass hatch to make a four-seat sports car that could also carry plenty of kit and caboodle.

Adding to the GTE’s useful ability were the two individual rear seats that folded forwards to leave a long, flat load bay.

There was even a clever cantilever mechanism for the rear armrest to fold down out of the way, underlining the GTE’s trendsetting credentials.

17. Range Rover (1970)

Is the original Range Rover an estate car? Given the whole SUV segment didn’t exist and almost all other 4x4s were basic in the extreme, the revolutionary British machine found itself in competition with the likes of the Triumph 2.5PI estate and Volvo 145.

However, neither of these wagons could offer the Range Rover’s supreme all-weather, go-anywhere talents.

The split tailgate of this original Range Rover became a key design feature for following generations thanks to its versatility.

Whether it was lugging a bale of hay or swinging your legs from it while sipping a drink at the races, the Range Rover’s drop-down lower boot half proved a huge hit with buyers.

18. BMW 2002 Touring (1971)

It took BMW until three years after the launch of the 2002 saloon to add the Touring estate. Even then, the Touring looked like a halfway house between estate and hatchback.

However, it proved an effective model in the range and was popular with those who needed more room and versatility than the ’02 saloon could muster.

There was no turbocharged 2002 Touring, which would have been an exceptional Q car. There were also 1602 and 1802 Touring models offered.

19. Gilbern Invader Estate (1971)

Gilbern unveiled the Invader Estate at the 1970 British motor show, but it wasn’t until the following year that cars started to flow out of the Welsh factory.

When they did, customers enjoyed a square-shouldered rival to the Scimitar GTE, and the Invader used the same 3.0 V6 from the Ford Capri as the Reliant.

However, the Gilbern didn’t enjoy the same success as the Scimitar GTE – and even an updated version launched in 1972 couldn’t help.

In the end, the Estate accounted for 104 cars out of a total of around 600 Invaders built between 1969 and 1974.

20. Lotus Elanbulance (1971)

It barely qualifies as a production model, but the Lotus Elan estate made by London dealer Hexagon shows what was possible on the Elan chassis.

Dubbed the ‘Elanbulance’ when it was shown in 1972, it was hoped that 50 cars would be built, but only two were finished.

The styling of the Elanbulance was a success and the long side rear windows showed there was plenty of room behind the two-seater cabin.

Unlike the Reliant Scimitar GTE, the Lotus had a tailgate that extended down between the rear lights to offer easier loading.

21. Volvo P1800ES (1971)

Perhaps it was inevitable that Volvo would build an estate version of its P1800 coupé, but the resulting sports wagon was undoubtedly good looking.

A clear rival for the Reliant Scimitar GTE and Ford Capri, the P1800ES came with a decent boot and seating for four in its stylish cabin.

Under the bonnet was a fuel-injected 2.0-litre engine with 120bhp, so the ES had the pace to match its competitors.

However, it was a pricey model and only 8078 were built between its ’71 launch and demise in 1973.

22. Reliant Robin (1973)

Reliant had offered small estates with three and four wheels before and after the Robin, such as the Rebel and Kitten, but it’s this three-wheeler that’s most remembered.

The rounded styling of the Mk1 stuck with a simple glass hatch to access the boot space, so it was not the most practical of compact estates.

The Mk2 that arrived in 1989 revived the Robin name and brought a much better full tailgate design.

This was followed by the more rounded styling of the Mk3 in 1999, but affordable city cars and superminis spelt the end for the Robin long before production ceased in 2001 for this defiantly left-field small estate.

23. Austin Allegro Estate (1975)

Two years after Austin introduced its Allegro, an estate model was added to the range in 1975.

It mixed the rounded looks of the hatch with a squared-off rear end to maximise load space inside. As a compact carrier, the Allegro Estate was a solid rival to the Ford Escort or Vauxhall Chevette.

Austin offered the Allegro Estate with either the 1300 or 1500 engines, but not the base 1100 or top line 1750, so it was intended very much as a workhorse.

Unusually for the time, the Allegro Estate came with a rear wash-wiper set-up, making it one of the first estates to feature this.

24. Jensen GT (1975)

Based on the Jensen-Healey convertible, the Jensen GT was made when Healey was no longer involved and tried to offer 2+2 seating where previously there had only been room for two. It resulted in cramped rear quarters and a small boot.

What the Jensen GT did have going for it was that the Lotus-sourced 2.0-litre engine was by then reliable.

Performance was also good and the GT handled well. However, the company closed the following year and only 473 GTs were produced in total.

25. Lancia Beta HPE (1975)

The Beta HPE was a clever mix of the best bits of this Lancia model range.

It had the coupé’s front end but the saloon’s longer-wheelbase platform, while at the rear was a unique estate body.

The HPE name stood for High Performance Estate, though the 1600 model struggled with first part of that name.

For those wanting something fun, the 122bhp 2.0-litre was good, but the 135bhp supercharged Volumex was the best.

The roomy cabin for four and decent boot made the HPE a very useful car. During its lifetime, 71,258 were sold.

26. Vauxhall Sportshatch (1975)

Vauxhall had been offering an estate version of the Viva for many years, going all the way back the Bedford Beagle that was based on the Viva HA.

However, the Sportshatch was a very different take on the theme and used the Magnum Estate as its starting point.

What made this wagon different was the Firenza Droopsnoot front end, which gave the Sportshatch a very distinctive look.

Only 197 Sportshatch models were built in 1975, all with the 110bhp 2.3-litre slant-four engine from the Magnum rather than the Firenza Droopsnoot’s 131bhp motor

 Even so, the Sportshatch made for a rapid load hauler that looked good and handled well.

27. Volvo 66 Estate (1975)

It’s no coincidence the Volvo 66 Estate shares much of its looks and mechanical layout with the DAF 66 and its predecessors, because the Volvo was simply a warmed-over version of the Dutch machine.

Its standout feature was the continuously variable transmission that used rubber bands, but it was also a handy small wagon.

When pitted against rivals such as the Ford Escort, the Volvo fell short on driver appeal. As a result, only 28,500 66 Estates were produced, though Volvo did shift 77,637 of the saloon model.

28. Vauxhall Chevette Estate (1976)

A direct rival for the popular Ford Escort Estate, the Vauxhall Chevette Estate followed a similar design layout as its key rival.

It was only ever offered in estate form with two passenger doors and the tailgate that lifted up to allow access to a roomy boot.

The Chevette was the UK’s best-selling car between 1975 and 1978, and the Estate that arrived in ’76 helped this position.

However, Vauxhall didn’t broaden the engine range, so the Estate was only ever available with the 1256cc unit that gave a mere 56bhp.

29. Lynx Eventer (1982)

Jaguar was in no rush to offer variations on the XJ-S theme, which left the door open to Lynx to offer the handmade Eventer estate version of the British sports car.

The result was a model that many thought was better looking than the original – and the quality of the workmanship was superb.

The Eventer provided good access through a large tailgate, and the Jag’s rear seat was redesigned to 50:50 split and fold 50:50 for greater load versatility.

Any XJ-S could be converted by Lynx which produced a total of 67 Eventers, and the company beat Jaguar to a full XJ-S convertible with its Spyder model.

30. BMW Z3M Coupé (1998)

Many nicknames have been applied to the BMW Z3M Coupé, and not all of them complimentary.

None of that detracts, however, from this being an unusual and very capable two-seat compact estate car.

Pop open the small rear hatch and you find a boot big enough for a few soft bags, so this is a sports wagon with the emphasis very much on the first part of that description.

BMW only built 6291 Z3M Coupés between 1998 and 2002, and only 1112 of those came with the later S54 straight-six engine from the E46 M3.