The Demise of the Station Wagon

The SUV has always been lingering, massive transporters with toothy grills and presence. They have clutched the family car title from the station wagon and even the minivan and is now finishing them off. They slowly crush the throats of the claimed lesser vehicle.

Why oh why? The dawn of the SUV reigns supreme as night falls upon the will-be-missed wagon. It is unfortunate. I loved wagons and I'm sure others are with me.

Station wagons do something great for car enthusiasts.They are great for the person that drives people around or have families. They still feel like cars. Much of the zest of driving a good car is still left when you buy a wagon. It is just a bit longer.

Its too bad.

Maybe SUVs seem more fashionable these days. They are expensive and are bought by famous people to get carted around in, insert Range Rover Sport. Cadillac just unveiled a new CTS and CTS-V and have stated that no wagon will be made. Yet they still produce the lumbering Escalade. C'mon Caddy. Make your Escalade in peace but please offer a CTS-V wagon. Enthusiasts loved having a manual wagon packing the punch of an LSA.

Some could argue that wagons just don't have the space of an SUV. Think back to the Buick Roadmaster wagon, perhaps one of my favorites (white with wood grain please). It had three rows of seating, the farthest row looked out the back. So no excuses, space can be made.

It seems like Europe only makes wagons these days, called estates. They are popular over there. Maybe they're roads are better suited for them instead of huge SUVs. Thank you Germany for the ludicrous Mercedes Benz E63 wagon and Audi for the RS6. Two AWD monsters that could dust most sports cars out there. Volvo has and still do make lovely wagons that prove to be bullet proof and usable. Thank you Jaguar for the XFR-S Sportbrake, a machine that sounds like an F-Type but can carry your family and dog. Subaru has been making the Outback/Legacy wagon/Liberty for a lifetime, keep it going please.

America please. I beg of you. Dodge, bring me back the Magnum but with Hellcat motivation. GM, I need a Caddy wagon with LT4 power. Chevy, take another Australian chassis and build a great driver's wagon now that you have killed the SS.

Wagons end up doing everything that an SUV can. They are faster, better looking, and some can be just as capable off road. SUVs have their place but should not take over, wagons need to be popular again. After all, they carted families everywhere back in the day. From Florida to the drive-in. Chances are you were made in that wagon at the drive-in. Appreciate them.