Why are car manufacturers making estates that slope down at the rear? Surely they must understand that anyone needing an estate is less interested in something which looks a bit 'sporty' and needs a practical spacious vehicle for carting 'stuff', dogs, kids, and the like around. I'm having to buy older and older estates to accommodate my large dog, bales of hay, sacks of feed and the like because newer ones seem to regard design as more important than practicability, space, and functionality.