You could be forgiven for believing that the giant family estate is an endangered species due to the spiralling costs of motoring and the resulting trend for downsizing writes Peter Carroll.

Skoda, however, has other ideas. While the estate version of its flagship Superb hatch measures up as one of the biggest cars in its class, it’s by no means expensive to run.

Opt for the GreenLine II version of the car and you might, like me, be in for a pleasant surprise at just how cheap it is to keep on the road.

• See more pictures of the Superb in our gallery to your right

GreenLine is the term the Czech firm uses to denote its most fuel-efficient and least environmentally damaging cars.

These models tend to be lighter, more streamlined, and come with features like stop/start systems, energy recuperationand low rolling resistance tyres to improve fuel consumption.

The GreenLine II Superb Estate sits 15mm lower to improve aerodynamics, is nearly 200kg lighter than the V6 petrol version, and has a lighter five rather than six-speed gearbox.

It’s powered by an efficient 1.6 diesel that pushes out 105PS and the results are impressive.

While the Superb can hit 60mph in a respectable 12 seconds, and will happily cruise all day at motorway speeds, it is also capable of returning over 60mpg – not bad for a car that’s nearly 16ft long.

The Superb certainly puts its size to good use. You’ll be hard pressed to find a car with more leg-room in the back and the boot is similarly cavernous.

Prices for the Greenline estate start at under £20,000 but the test car was a top-of-the-range Elegance, which means a raft of extra features for a whisker over £24,000.

These include leather seats, halogen projector headlights, satellite navigation, bluetooth and a tyre pressure monitor – all as standard.

Despite its bulk, the Superb is not difficult to drive and electronic sensors take much of the hassle out of parking.

The five-speed gearbox is agreeably snickety to use and the car does not feel underpowered.

Ride quality is on the firm side but at least the car does not wallow its way through corners.

On my first journey of any length I was nudging 50mpg and, within a couple of days, the big Skoda really felt part of the family.

Emissions are just 114g/CO2, which means annual excise duty of just £30, while the Benefit in Kind rate for company car drivers is attractively low at 13 per cent.

Build quality is not quite in the Audi class, though. The cabin plastics are harder, and the finish is not as smooth, as other vehicles higher up the VAG food chain.

No matter. Many will see this as a small price to pay for a supremely spacious car that’s as cheap to run as this.

The Superb Estate GreenLine is a vehicle which proves that the big family estate is not ready to be consigned to history books just yet. . .