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I think the crossover SUV has the market the wagon used to have. Crossovers have decent gas mileage, carlike ride and they sit high like an SUV. They also are not as saddled with the wagon stereotypes so more people are willing to drive them. THe pictures of the bloated 70s era wagon on here were posted as examples of what most people think of, along with Chevy Chase and the vacation movie. Personally I think some of those old wagons are neat cars, and they are a part of automotive history. However a vehicle like that belongs to the pre-1990 world, just like the moon walk or the twist.
Personally, I don't so much find station wagons "ugly" as I don't like the stigma attached to driving one around these days. Additionally, I'm not a fan of the downsides like difficulty parking one due to its length.
I owned a Pontiac Parisienne wagon for a while -- a hand-me-down purchased from my parents, wood-grain trim, rear-facing seat in back and all. It rode smooth as glass (epitome of "floating down the road" feel), but really lacked power. Always felt like a big, heavy vehicle with an engine that could barely pull it along - especially if you had to climb a steep hill. And it had a small block V8, which didn't do anything great in the way of gas mileage. All in all, I'm glad it's gone.
Right now, I feel like my needs tend to fall in one of 3 different areas:
1. Need a vehicle that can transport a family of 5 or 6 (depending on if grandma is coming along with us) comfortably.
2. Need a vehicle that's small and easy to park in tight spaces, good for commuting to/from work or running small errands. Fun to drive is a plus.
3. Need a vehicle suitable for hauling around things, including items related to construction or yard work which could be messy.
To me, a truck is the proper vehicle for need #3. Station wagons let you get it done, but not anywhere near ideally. Needs 1 and 2 are pretty much opposites and won't get met with the same vehicle. So a wagon might take care of need #1, but definitely not #2, and only somewhat #3.
Just don't see anyplace where a wagon meets my/our needs any better than other options like an SUV or truck -- and you're spared the odd looks and assumptions by people that you're "stuck in the past" or "change adverse" that you get driving an older station wagon.
The SUV is popular due to the MASSIVE marketing campaign the auto industry unleashed on Americans. The wagon, which for the most part is a much better vehicle didn't have the profit margins. Americans love to be marketed to and they of course fell the the videos showing some SUV blasting though some snowdrift and telling all that you can be a backwoods person if you own an SUV. They are boxes on wheels, don't handle well or brake well while maneuvering to avoid accidents that happen right in front of them. One has to wonder how many deaths were caused by SUVs because they can't avoid any accidents in comparison to a good car. Take the BMW wagon for example. If the countless SUVs that plowed into others were all added up and replace by a driving in a BMW wagon I would guess 50% of the deaths could be avoided. SUVs are just one big American problem, but they are here to stay. Americans aren't "drivers", they like floating living rooms with lots of cup holders. They don't care about handling or performance, unless the performance is about how fast something can go in a straight line. They don't understand handling or maneuvering. Therefore a good performance wagon never would take off here like they do in Germany or other countries that take driving seriously. Just looking at the crap driving around on American roads and the world knows Americans aren't a "driving" culture. They get from A to B in a floating living room with cup holders everywhere. It is what it is. Maybe someday we will demand good wagons, but my guess is people are loving SUVs and the funny ads to get them to buy them.
Several reasons. One is the avoidance of looking like gramps. One is marketing, car companies make more money on SUV's. One reason is illusory safety The last reason is that unfortunately we are getting larger and the higher trucks are easier to get into. The advantage of height and safety disappear as more people use larger vehicles. An SUV-SUV accident is dangerous, and so is trying to look past a tall vehicle.
The last reason is that unfortunately we are getting larger and the higher trucks are easier to get into.
This is a good point. As Americans get fatter and fatter, they need SUV's because they can't bend very well to get into a good car or wagon. You never see the fatties in BMW's and Audi's. The fat Americans are always driving big empty pickups and SUVs because they are so fat. Type 2 diabetes is the norm in the US, so we will always be driving SUVs around here and the automakers love it due to massive profit margins. Lets face it SUV's are boxes on wheels and really they don't need to make the sophisticated at all. Just big with cup holders.
There was a time when station wagons made a statement, and were really sought after.
This one obviously was one of the better designs.
I would love to own this one.
Bob.
I'm not sure Americans consider them ugly. I think a few things did the wagon in here in the US. 1) The huge fake wood paneled / vinyl seated wagons from the 70s. They don't exactly engender happy memories for those who grew up in them. 2) The minivan in the mid 80s took a huge part of the family car market away from wagons. 3) SUVs - Those who didn't want to drive a minivan for a family car (especially men) started going for SUVs in the 90s. Gas was cheap and manufacturers pushed them hard because of obscene profit margins. Most were built on existing pickup truck platforms. Added bonus was the illusion of safety they provided. 4) The CUV was the nail in the coffin. "Coolness" of an SUV with a car like ride.
I have a wagon myself - a 2001 BMW 5 series. We chose it because it was super practical without sacrificing handling, driving experience, or gas mileage. We didn't even have any kids at the time. It's been great and I don't feel any less a man for driving it. But now that we have a kid I can admit that many of the new CUVs would work better for hauling him and all of his stuff around. The seating configuration and height work well with car seats and cargo. I'd personally love to get another wagon - like a 2010 535xi, but I'm sure we'll be going the CUV route next time.
This is a good point. As Americans get fatter and fatter, they need SUV's because they can't bend very well to get into a good car or wagon. You never see the fatties in BMW's and Audi's. The fat Americans are always driving big empty pickups and SUVs because they are so fat. Type 2 diabetes is the norm in the US, so we will always be driving SUVs around here and the automakers love it due to massive profit margins. Lets face it SUV's are boxes on wheels and really they don't need to make the sophisticated at all. Just big with cup holders.
Too true Europeans who for are smaller as a whole still can fit into station wagons quite nicely. So they buy those. There is no need for crossovers over there.
If they're so popular, why have they both been discontinued?
Answer: Americans just won't buy wagons unless they're dolled up to look like SUVs. The list of available "conventional" wagons available in the U.S. has been steadily shrinking.
Americans are idiots.
People in my town love the old Toyota "All-Track" Tercel wagons. I know a mechanic who collects them. They're really good in snowy conditions, hence their cult following. People buy old ones with burnt-out engines for $500 and rebuild them. Others like those Toyota Camry wagons. Subaru wagons are popular, too. I didn't know the Ford Taurus had been discontinued. They're everywhere, in my town. Volvo wagons are popular, too, with the higher-end crowd. There are SUV's around, too, but public tastes vary quite widely.
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