Skoda Octavia (2013-16)
For good reason, the Octavia is the most popular Skoda in the UK. Not only is it a sensible family car, with great amounts of space and a large boot, it’s perfect for golfers too.
The third generation of the Octavia was launched in 2013, and made some good improvements. Advantageous to golfers is the fact that the boot was increased by 125 litres to 590 litres. Although we’re considering cars mainly on the basis of how easy it is to chuck a few bags of clubs in without lowering the seats, it’s worth mentioning that if you were to do that in the Octavia, the load space is increased to a cavernous 1580 litres.
There’s two petrol engines and two diesels on offer. Diesels are available with either 1.2 or 1.6-litres, both of which offer 103bhp, whilst you can get a 1.4 or 2.0-litre petrol engine with 138 or 148bhp, respectively.
The most economical of the lot is the 1.6-litre diesel, which will return 74.3mpg, meaning that the drive to the course isn’t going to be too costly.
The interior of the Octavia has an upmarket feel to it, thanks in part to features that come as standard on all models such as the functional touchscreen infotainment system, DAB radio and USB/iPod connectivity. There’s some great little practical touches too, such as reversible rubber boot carpet and built in ice scraper.
Honda CR-V (2012-)
The ever-popular and British-built Honda CR-V is a good choice for golfers who’d prefer to drive an SUV.
It’s simply an incredibly roomy four-wheel drive vehicle – although it’s really designed to remain on-road. The spaciousness extends to the boot, which at 589 litres with the seats up is more than enough space for your clubs. By simply pulling a lever, the seats can be made flat to increase the space to 1669 litres – perfect if you’re taking extra equipment such as trolleys or a buggy.
In terms of the engines available, you have the choice of a 2.2-litre diesel or a 2.0-litre petrol. In 2015, a facelift swapped out the 2.2-litre diesel for a 1.6-litre DTEC diesel which improved both the performance and economy despite the smaller size. At the same time, the five speed automatic option was replaced with a nine speed automatic gearbox.
There’s four trim levels on offer – the S, SE, SR and EX – but all of them come with good levels of standard kit including cruise control, dual zone climate control and USB connectivity.
If you’re a golfer that prefers to drive an SUV, the CR-V is a great choice, and leaves ample room for all your equipment. Find a 2012 CR-V on Carsnip starting at around £11k today.
Mercedes E Class Estate (2010-16)
Of course, you might prefer to turn up to the course in a more luxurious vehicle. The Mercedes E Class Estate combine elegant styling and interior luxury with cavernous loading space, making it perfect for driving to the golf course.
Depending on the specification you choose, the boot is up to 695 litres, with the rear seats still in place. That’s easily enough for a few bags of clubs, trolleys and other equipment you may need. Folding the seats down is done by simply pressing a button, and that’ll give you a space of 1820 litres. It’s easy to get your equipment in and out too –thanks to the electric boot lid and small lip. That boot’s bigger than rivals such as the BMW 5 Series Touring by quite a long way.
The E Class Estate is perfect for driving long distances, so it’s ideal if you take the odd golfing break away. It’s incredibly comfortable and refined in the cabin, with a premium and sophisticated feel to all the materials used.
This long-distance ability is bolstered by the fantastic economy. Choose the E220 with the 2.1-litre BlueTEC engine and you’ve made the most economical choice, returning 60.1mpg. Other engines aren’t much less efficient, though. The E250 BlueTEC has a 3.0-litre V6 engine that covers 0-62mph in 6.6 seconds and will manage 51.4mpg.
The E Class Estate combines practicality with luxury and performance, and with huge amounts of space it’s a sensible choice for golfers too.
Bentley Continental GT (2010-)
Although it’s not as spacious as other contenders on our list, the Bentley Continental GT is the choice for golfers who want to make a statement with a 200mph, handcrafted slice of luxury and power.
With a 360-litre boot space, there’s just about enough room for a set of golf clubs – although the boot is shallow, it extends back far enough. You’ll be transporting that equipment in style and luxury – the cabin is incredibly refined and sophisticated, with the hand-crafted materials used clearly signifying the sense of heritage inherent to the Continental GT.
There’re four variants available. The GT V8 (507bhp), the GT V* S (528bhp), the GT and the GT Speed. Both the GT and the GT Speed use the W12 engine, which has 12 cylinders arranged in a w-shape, essentially acting as two V6 units next to each other. These deliver a phenomenal 590 and 642bhp, respectively.
This performance comes at a price – at best, Bentley claim you’ll get 26.8mpg.
The Continental GT makes sense for those golfers less concerned about overall space and practicality, and more with raw performance, luxury and style. To truly finish the look, Bentley offer their own bespoke range of golf clubs and golf bags.
With boots big enough to fit plenty of golf equipment, these are some of the best cars for golfers. All can be found using Carsnip’s Used Car Search today at great prices.