The modern solution to the family car is the SUV, a jacked-up hatchback that sacrifices comfort, handling, performance, economy, weight, space, style and economy, weight, space, style and value, all in the name of about half an inch of extra ride height to perfectly complement the front-wheel drive that most of them have. Back in the 1980s, making a family car was a much simpler, more dignified affair: take one sales-rep saloon, add a box on the back and create an estate car.
Many children of the ’70s and ’80s will remember family holidays and being dropped at school in the back of an estate made by Volvo, Vauxhall or even Citroën, but Ford owned the estate car market in much the same way it dominated the saloon sector for sales.
Given the popularity of the Mk5 Cortina estate, it’s no wonder the futuristic Sierra gained a load-lugging variant, but Austin Rover was also keen to increase its market share and the Montego was how they planned to do it. The family car market was just as lucrative as the fleet one and by 1984, estate variants of both these saloon favourites were available. But who did it best and indeed, which is our choice of daily-driver classic today?
FORD SIERRA ESTATE
During the 1960s and ’70s, Ford’s all-conquering Cortina had dominated the sales charts in Britain – its familiar Ford badge, combined with the something-for-everyone range of engines and trim levels won hearts. Cortina – itself differing little from
