Women with families need the space afforded by a station wagon, but can't stand the thought of driving one because that would mean that they have become their mothers.
So they buy the marketing BS that crossovers/SUVs aren't wagons.
Minivans used to perform this purpose but they have been on the market long enough to go through a generation. Hence the negative connotations of driving a minivan.
I love me some European Sportwagon goodness.
I wish domestic manufacturers would produce one.
4eyes wrote: Women buy the marketing BS that crossovers/SUVs aren't wagons.
It ain't just women who go through that thought process. I never understood the compulsion to resist admitting you're getting old. It's not like you can actually DO anything to stop it.
True, but some men put function ahead of vanity. Women tend to put appearance first.
bravenrace wrote:wbjones wrote:Better than what? The CR-V gets better mileage than the Civic did. Both were/are AWD.bravenrace wrote: You are ignoring a significant advantage the crossovers have that has nothing to do with a macho image. When you get older, getting in and out of a vehicle becomes more difficult. My CR-V seat is exactly the right height for me to just slide right in. Other than that, how is a CR-V different from the '88 Civic wagon I used to have? Not much. Another thing is that station wagons aren't all that common now. I would love to have a Vista Cruiser or Country Squire with their cavernous storage areas, but they are no longer practical for everyday use, at least in the rust belt. And modern wagons aren't nearly as big or useful.I'd bet your '88 Civic wagon got significantly better gas milage
I see what you did.... if you hadn't hidden the info about the Civic I wouldn't be upping my post count with pointless drivel
Duke wrote: The driving dynamics of a good sedan, with room for bigger stuff in the back. What's not to love?
RioRacer wrote: I said it was a station wagon made for men who could not admit that they wanted station wagon. Correct me if I am wrong.
No, you're pretty much right. But they are also for women who don't want to be seen driving a mini-van.
I am always amazed at the stupidity of people when buying a car (term used loosely for vehicle)
why are there so many pick up trucks with caps on the back that NEVER go off road and can't even tow a small utility trailer at interstate speeds because of the crappy 2.2l I5 engine (this one is aimed right at my father in law)... a mini van with the rear seat removed would do a much better job at about everything....
the huge truck SUV thing I always thought was silly for those that didn't need to carry people and a heavy load... for those that don't carry a load the mini van would do it better
for a wagon... I've owned 3... all volvos... I love them for family trips and such (we just did a state away drive and it was great) plenty of room for crap in the back and for the kids comfortably in the seat... they cruise nicely and cops don't ever seem to notice em... and yes the "back back seat" is always a highlight for the kiddies :)... you can honestly tote around 7 people as long as 2 of em are under 10 and the other 3 aren't big people (that back seat is kinda small i'll admit) :)
but I think that a minivan is a better utility vehicle... I hate how they drive but I was always amazed at how much crap I could fit in if I removed the seats and towing is a bit better than the volvo wagon... seating space is larger and even if you are carring a full 7 or 8 person load you still have room to put stuff (in a wagon you loose that storage space using the "back back seat") so you gain utility but loose drivability...
then again people buy cars due to emotion... we sold a 2000 nissan sedan to buy a car 10 years older with 100k more miles, and gets worse MPG and needs premium fuel (volvo wagon) mostly out of emotion... and i'm sure many of us here would do the same thing... we choose "silly" cars for our enjoyment
I have never understood why the manuf have not come up with the concept of a performance mini-van or crossover. Add 30 to 50 hp to the normal model and see what might happen to the image and sales. 100hp would be better but that is tougher to do. Cadillac figured this out with the Escalades.
fastmiata wrote: I have never understood why the manuf have not come up with the concept of a performance mini-van or crossover. Add 30 to 50 hp to the normal model and see what might happen to the image and sales.
I can't scream this loud enough: MAZDASPEED5! Unfortunately I don't think they're going to hear it.
fastmiata wrote: I have never understood why the manuf have not come up with the concept of a performance mini-van or crossover. Add 30 to 50 hp to the normal model and see what might happen to the image and sales. 100hp would be better but that is tougher to do. Cadillac figured this out with the Escalades.
Cadillac got rappers and professional athletes to buy Escalades.. instant status symbol.
Toyman01 wrote: Station Wagon: This one used to be mine.
Nah, that's a panel van 
My car: WRX Wagon. Her car: Protege 5.
She hates wagons. But this one is OK because it's yellow. Duh. :)
Luke wrote:Toyman01 wrote: Station Wagon: This one used to be mine.Nah, that's a panel van
Nah, that's a sedan delivery!
Panel van:
Sedan deliveries are car based, panel vans are truck based. Both are cool. 
wbjones wrote:bravenrace wrote:I see what you did.... if you hadn't hidden the info about the Civic I wouldn't be upping my post count with pointless drivelwbjones wrote:Better than what? The CR-V gets better mileage than the Civic did. Both were/are AWD.bravenrace wrote: You are ignoring a significant advantage the crossovers have that has nothing to do with a macho image. When you get older, getting in and out of a vehicle becomes more difficult. My CR-V seat is exactly the right height for me to just slide right in. Other than that, how is a CR-V different from the '88 Civic wagon I used to have? Not much. Another thing is that station wagons aren't all that common now. I would love to have a Vista Cruiser or Country Squire with their cavernous storage areas, but they are no longer practical for everyday use, at least in the rust belt. And modern wagons aren't nearly as big or useful.I'd bet your '88 Civic wagon got significantly better gas milage
I'm glad you see what I did, but I don't. 
1988RedT2 wrote: I hate marketing people and their stupid E36 M3.
We have made you want everything you ever bought.
fastmiata wrote: I have never understood why the manuf have not come up with the concept of a performance mini-van or crossover. Add 30 to 50 hp to the normal model and see what might happen to the image and sales. 100hp would be better but that is tougher to do. Cadillac figured this out with the Escalades.
Caliber R/T, Vue Redline, Grand Cherokee SRT-8, Trailblazer SS?
None of those are Minivans or Crossovers. They're all SUVs (well, I don't know what the hell the Caliber is). They're all severely lacking in cargo and people carrying capacity for their size and weight.
OTOH, the fast Minivan already exists. The Odyssey and Sienna have plenty of motivation in a straight line, they're just too big to be driven in a way that approaches "fun" now. And I don't know what you'd call an X6 or an FX45 other than a performance crossover (not that I want either).
The Mopar mini vans are now advertising 300 hp.
My wife drives a MINI "wagon" and it's superbly badass. Of course I helped her pick it out.
It can even haul E36 M3.
I think the Clubman S is one of the best all around cars out right now, can haul 4 people in reasonable comfort, fun as E36 M3 to drive, good gas mileage, and a good sized cargo area for a car it's size. You can even sleep in the back. 
I can't wait to get my IS300 paid off so I can pick up an IS300 Sportcross and swap over all the manual bits to get rid of the auto lameness. (IS300 wagons only came in auto)
the IS300 Sportcross manual sounds like fun!
I also like wagons.. I would only get an SUV if I were planning on using it offroad or against Zombies
Klayfish wrote: Caddilac SRX
I called an SRX a "CTS wagon" long before there was actually a CTS wagon available to a customer's face when I worked at the Cadillac dealer. You wouldn't believe how red the guy turned. The truth hurts, pal.
I am considering a wagon above any other body style for my next car, whenever it is that my current car decides to be more expensive to fix than to buy a new car. I think the American aversion to wagons is just one more reason we're a nation of backward lunatics.
bravenrace wrote:wbjones wrote:I'm glad you see what I did, but I don't.bravenrace wrote:I see what you did.... if you hadn't hidden the info about the Civic I wouldn't be upping my post count with pointless drivelwbjones wrote:Better than what? The CR-V gets better mileage than the Civic did. Both were/are AWD.bravenrace wrote: You are ignoring a significant advantage the crossovers have that has nothing to do with a macho image. When you get older, getting in and out of a vehicle becomes more difficult. My CR-V seat is exactly the right height for me to just slide right in. Other than that, how is a CR-V different from the '88 Civic wagon I used to have? Not much. Another thing is that station wagons aren't all that common now. I would love to have a Vista Cruiser or Country Squire with their cavernous storage areas, but they are no longer practical for everyday use, at least in the rust belt. And modern wagons aren't nearly as big or useful.I'd bet your '88 Civic wagon got significantly better gas milage
I meant that you managed to get me to post something completely irrelevant ... ('cause that's what I do....) without even realizing you were doing it...
Is that the "Waste of Bandwidth" buzzer I hear?
so why don't we just call em an ESTATE like the UK and make people feel all posh... and you skip the word "wagon" lol...
Teh missus has only had "wagons" for the past 10 years or so......and has been loving it!
Started out with an Outback wagon. Wore that out and went on to a Mazda 3 (yeah, I know, not really a wagon in the truest sense of the word........kinda like a wagon with a really really really short cargo area).
The 3 was totalled last year (kids, don't text) and we now have a TDI Jetta Sportwagen. Mrs. orphancars actually confessed last week that she loves this car the best out of all she/we have owned. After doing some new car shopping the past few weekends, I'm inclined to possibly get one for myself. Makes sense -- room for passengers, optional room for those trips to HomeLowesDepot........
Finding wagons is hard these days -- hardly anyone makes one. And yeah, crossover <> wagon.
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