As usual, technical etymology isn't exactly the same as practical, and there are differences between countries.
We in the USA do not have, and never did, "Estate" cars. Until crossovers and SUVs became popular, they were "station wagons" and the derivation of that name is for a utility vehicle to carry passengers and their gear to and from the train station.
In the movie "White Christmas" (1954, Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney) there is a true "station wagon" in its original form and usage. See the attached still. The General used it to bring guests from the train station to his hotel in Vermont.
Growing up on Long Island in New York in the 1960s, many families had only one car. When they got a second car it was often called a "Station Car"; that is, a beater used to ferry dad to and from the LIRR station. Mom kept the good car at home. Many of my neighbors had them, and they were all called Station Cars. Perhaps just a NY thing.
Today, I drive a station wagon in the true sense, a Ford Flex. However, over the years, the term "station wagon" has for some reason become toxic and no automotive manufacturer would ever consider using it. That doesn't alter the fact that it is exactly what it is. For those that don't know, the Flex was derived from the Taurus X which was the renamed from the Freestyle; these were introduced once Ford dropped the Taurus [station] wagon because, well, nobody calls anything a station wagon today. They are on the Taurus platform. See that note on toxic. My Flex differs little in overall structure from the 1960 Dodge Pioneer Station Wagon we had as a family when I grew up. A front seat, a back seat bench, and a cargo area of ample size with a third row seat. Add all the A, B, and C and D pillars, the basic building blocks are the same.
While the origins of "Estate Car" and "Shooting Brake" are well known, today a shooting brake generally refers to a sleek, low 2-door wagon. Most Estate Cars or Station Wagons have 4 doors. Shooting brakes are very popular cars in the automotive press, since they are sleek, they have 2 doors and coupe-like line. Long and lean and stylish. Practical? Well, they wouldn't work for me. I think they get nice write ups but don't really fly out of the showrooms. My friend bought the Dodge Magnum version, albeit equipped with 4 doors instead of 2. It was a great deal since they had a hard time selling them. Nice car for the driver, not so nice in terms of cargo or passengers...
