Wagons vs SUVs

[NAC]

I’ve griped on here and other places my displeasure that there are very few wagons available in the US. Basically only 1 available with a manual transmission for under $30k – the VW Jetta. Three or four which are over 30k – BMW, Audi, Volvo, perhaps still Saab. Some Subarus get honorable mention.

I was talking with a co-worker about wagons. He immediately said he thinks of them as old folks cars. And I agree with him - I think that is the general consensus. But why? I just don’t get it. Some adjectives for a sporty car are small, low to the ground, handles good, fast. A wagon can be all of those. An SUV is the opposite on the first 3 adjectives: it is larger (or at least looks larger), high up, all things equal it will handle worse. I’ll grant you that speed wise in a straight line – SUVs need not give up anything to wagons.

I understand the practical reasons why most folks prefer SUVs. They are higher up – more comfortable and easier to get into/out of and unpack. I understand the appeal of sitting higher in traffic. I understand the perhaps misguided belief that they are safer. For those three reasons – SUVs should be thought of as for older folks – not younger. I somewhat understand the macho image of an SUV – that in theory a RAV 4 can go places a Jetta wagon cannot. Obviously that is true for Jeeps and some other SUVs, if not all.

So, is it a consensus that SUVs are for younger folks than a wagon? And that they are sportier? If so – WHY?

 

[vi edit]

To summarize: US drivers are irrational, emotional driven consumers that will buy whatever is marketed to them better. It doesn't matter what is the more practical or logical purchase.

For most people a minivan or wagon is a better choice. But it doesn't matter. An SUV is cooler or so they are told.

End of story.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

A majority of people buy cars based on image more than any other factor. They worry more about how people will view them than how well the car actually is.

I saw this in the parking lot at work last week and thought it was really cool, definitely not an old folks car.

 

[Dirigible]

SUVs have long become the boring family mobile in my mind.

Off the top of my head, I quickly thought of eight of my friends with wagons. Only one with a SUV.

 

[NutBucket]

Acura has a TSX waon on the way. Aside from it being slushbox only (IIRC), it looks good.

 

[Zap]

I saw this in the parking lot at work last week and thought it was really cool, definitely not an old folks car.

Heh, doesn't look much like my mom's V70.

They're all station wagons to me. Honda Accord Crosstour? It's a station wagon. Cadillac Escalade? Station wagon. Mazdaspeed 3? Station wagon.

It's all marketing. People still want the same basic functionality, but with some spiffy image management, it's cool again.

It's like colors. Tuscan Red, Canyon Red, Flame Red, whatever a car company wants to call their special color, it is still red. Midnight Black? Seriously? Black Mica? Why not call it Metallic Black?

But, no, we gotta make everyone feel special even if they aren't really.

BTW my wife is getting a station wagon, with the letters WRX on it.

 

[NutBucket]

Don't forget the CTS Sportwagon

 

[jlee]

The general population might think wagons are for old people because they (the aforementioned general population) are dumb. /shrug

 

[vi edit]

I think a lot of people in the 20-40 age range remember their parents having one of these when they were kids:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7b/87-90_Chevrolet_Caprice_wagon.jpg

Which was about the most uncool thing you could be seen in. And so they have carried over that anti-wagon bias into their adult hood. Wagon? No way...those are lame.

Plus America in general has some aversion to the word "hatch". It's got a general association with the words "cheap" and "econo car".

 

[pukemon]

What about the Subaru Forrester? I think that's more a wagon than an SUV, or call it a "crossover" or whatever it may be. You can get one with a stick shift and it has all-wheel drive if that matters.

 

[herm0016]

cts wagon is beautiful. v even more so.

 

[jlee]

What about the Subaru Forrester? I think that's more a wagon than an SUV, or call it a "crossover" or whatever it may be. You can get one with a stick shift and it has all-wheel drive if that matters.

and with a turbocharger. <3

Unfortunately, you can't get new ones with turbo and m/t.

 

[NutBucket]

At least if it's going to be slushbox only give it more than 4 SPEEDS! I should e-mail corporate about that again.

<-- 2-Subaru family

 

[GasX]

I think cars like the Toyota Avinza are the future here...

 

[kornphlake]

Why does a station wagon need a manual transmission? When I think of a wagon I think of a hipster who is too concerned about his image to drive a more practical mini-van. When I think of an SUV owner, I think of the guy who doesn't have a family large enough to need a mini-van but wants something large and expensive sitting in his driveway, most SUVs will never tow anything and will never be driven off pavement, they are good old American excess.

Be honest with yourself, what does a wagon offer that a sedan doesn't? A few inches of cargo space? How often are you going to fill the cargo area of a wagon to the point where the cargo wouldn't fit in the trunk and/or back seat of a sedan? If all you care about is performance, why not buy a sedan that has the transmission you want instead of stifling yourself with a wagon requirement.

 

[CraigRT]

Wagons rock, I don't care what anyone says.
I just picked up a rare 5 speed Saturn SW2 wagon and I could not be happier... It rides like the sedan version, gets the same good mileage, but has 2x the space in the back. Whats not to like?

Oh, and it has a badass rear wiper.

 

[vi edit]

Be honest with yourself, what does a wagon offer that a sedan doesn't? A few inches of cargo space? How often are you going to fill the cargo area of a wagon to the point where the cargo wouldn't fit in the trunk and/or back seat of a sedan?

Are you serious?

You must not have a dog. Wagons/hatchbacks are about the best thing in the world for hauling a pet to & fro. Plus many have roof racks on them already built in from the factory to toss skis/kayaks/bikes/carriers on. You get the space of many SUV's with the economy and performance of a sedan. It's a perfect win. And that's not even including any number of awkward or long objects you'd never consider getting into a trunk.

 

[CurseTheSky]

Are you serious?

You must not have a dog. Wagons/hatchbacks are about the best thing in the world for hauling a pet to & fro. Plus many have roof racks on them already built in from the factory to toss skis/kayaks/bikes/carriers on. You get the space of many SUV's with the economy and performance of a sedan. It's a perfect win. And that's not even including any number of awkward or long objects you'd never consider getting into a trunk.

I drive a sedan with fold-down rear seats for hauling long items, and pets sit on the back seat on trips to the vet. I have a truck for picking up large items.

I think wagons / hatchbacks are useful for their added versatility, but I personally can't stand their looks (I can't stand SUVs or crossovers either). For anything of "average" size, my Fusion does just fine. When I need to pick up something large, like the bed frame and mattress I bought two weekends ago, I have an F-150 at my disposal. Even with a wagon, we'd never have been able to fit the bed and mattress safely.

 

[kornphlake]

Are you serious?

You must not have a dog. Wagons/hatchbacks are about the best thing in the world for hauling a pet to & fro. Plus many have roof racks on them already built in from the factory to toss skis/kayaks/bikes/carriers on. You get the space of many SUV's with the economy and performance of a sedan. It's a perfect win. And that's not even including any number of awkward or long objects you'd never consider getting into a trunk.

Dead serious, if you want a performance vehicle you have a lot more options in a sedan. If you're looking for something to haul dogs, or kayaks or whatever you're doing then don't complain about a wagon not having an MT. A truck is ideal for hauling, a sports car is ideal for track days, a van is ideal for lots of passengers, anything in between is a compromise in one way or another.

I have a swiss army knife that is supposed to do like 70 different things, but I wouldn't know, I tried using it once as a screw driver and it was such a pain I gave up and found a real screw driver. I don't think I've used it since. I don't expect anything rather it's a vehicle or a knife or a computer to do everything well, either pick the best tool for the job, or pick the tool with the fewest compromises, there's no point in complaining about a tool not doing something it's not intended to do.

 

[vi edit]

I have a swiss army knife that is supposed to do like 70 different things, but I wouldn't know, I tried using it once as a screw driver and it was such a pain I gave up and found a real screw driver. I don't think I've used it since. I don't expect anything rather it's a vehicle or a knife or a computer to do everything well, either pick the best tool for the job, or pick the tool with the fewest compromises, there's no point in complaining about a tool not doing something it's not intended to do.

Well a vehicle is a several thousand pound, 10...20...30+ thousand dollar device that you have to park, refill, pay insurance on, and maintain. It's not a $25 pocket knife you toss on the dresser when you get home.

Bad analogy. Some compromises are required by many people.

 

[desy]

The comparison is SUV VS Wagons which have the same cargo capacity relatively
If your compariing Car based CUV type vehicles then the line is even less blurred, cause with an SUV you have towing, true 4X4, and the gas mileage to show for it.

Personally I like the look of the CUV but I'll have to choose the mileage of the wagon. . .

 

[jlee]

Why does a station wagon need a manual transmission? When I think of a wagon I think of a hipster who is too concerned about his image to drive a more practical mini-van. When I think of an SUV owner, I think of the guy who doesn't have a family large enough to need a mini-van but wants something large and expensive sitting in his driveway, most SUVs will never tow anything and will never be driven off pavement, they are good old American excess.

Be honest with yourself, what does a wagon offer that a sedan doesn't? A few inches of cargo space? How often are you going to fill the cargo area of a wagon to the point where the cargo wouldn't fit in the trunk and/or back seat of a sedan? If all you care about is performance, why not buy a sedan that has the transmission you want instead of stifling yourself with a wagon requirement.

Can you fit that in a sedan?

 

[punjabiplaya]

Can you fit that in a sedan?

dammit, I should have taken pics of my friend's bachelor party weekend. All the shit was stuffed in the back of my car. 5 doors ftw.

 

[vi edit]

Can you fit that in a sedan?

Heh.

http://public.bay.livefilestore.com...KJlyWWZRjUFhS--nUsTlYij7w/IMG_4463.JPG?psid=1

Those are 8' PVC tubes. I've carried five 8' long 2x 10's in there too. Do that with a sedan.

 

[GasX]

I have a swiss army knife that is supposed to do like 70 different things, but I wouldn't know, I tried using it once as a screw driver and it was such a pain I gave up and found a real screw driver. I don't think I've used it since. I don't expect anything rather it's a vehicle or a knife or a computer to do everything well, either pick the best tool for the job, or pick the tool with the fewest compromises, there's no point in complaining about a tool not doing something it's not intended to do.

Yeah, because everyone has the budget and parking space for a sports car, economy car, flat bed truck, minibus, white van and Humvee...