Whither the Wagon?

Volvo's 221 "Amazon" wagon (source: Volvo)

Well, this was some disappointing news a few weeks ago:

When asked if Volvo could have a future without estates, CEO Jim Rowan said: “Yeah, because I think it’s changed, right? SUVs have changed with ride height."

I get it. SUVs give you a better view of the road, have more cargo space for a given footprint, and for some people, can be a little easier to get in and out of.

But I am still a fan of cars over SUVs, especially as a daily driver. Yes, there are some absolutely wonderful SUVs out there, and I could definitely see a role for one in a household fleet*, especially if there are kids to be ferried around. But I do prefer the lower driving position of a car, as well as the lower center of gravity that avoids the 'driving on stilts' feeling that accompanies most SUVs. In my 'lottery garage'**, there would be room for a Cadillac CTS-V Wagon for those occasional errands that required a bit more cargo space. And, yes, before I bought my new Mini, I did consider the now-out-of-production Clubman, as I was a fan of the wagonesque proportions--but it turns out that, despite not being hot sellers when they were new, they were now as rare as diamonds in the used car market.

There is an additional advantage to wagons that's more relevant in today's electrified era, too. For any given footprint, a wagon's profile (like a sedan's) is generally more aerodynamic than an SUV's, and the mass is correspondingly lower. That's why a Lucid Air can hit 520 miles on one charge while the similarly sized Gravity only hits 440.

But wagons--at least in the US--began to lose favor in the US with the advent of the minivan. Growing up, our family went through a succession of wagons: '69 Plymouth Belvedere, '72 Plymouth Satellite, '75 Dodge Coronet Crestwood, and '78 and '81 Chevy Caprice Classics. But once the super-functional minivan hit the streets, who wanted a wagon to haul around the kids and their stuff?

Then, of course, "minivan" became a dirty, uncool word, almost always tied to the term "soccer mom"--and that led to the rise of the SUV as a family vehicle. There are still some minivans for sale in the US--although, ironically, Kia has dropped the term from their Carnival, referring to it instead as an MPV ("multi-purpose vehicle"). Po-tay-to, po-tah-to, right?

In both 2017 and 2019, Bloomberg wrote about wagon "revival"--as both a cure for "SUV fatigue" and as a plaything for wealthier buyers who didn't want to drive the same high-riding vehicle as everyone else in the neighborhood. But, while I'd love to say that led to a renaissance for wagons in America--I can't. This article suggests a bit more interest in wagons, but it doesn't seem like anyone is adding or bringing any new wagon entries here anytime soon.

Europe still loves wagons, though. And do you know who's discovering wagons now? The Chinese! Part of it has to do with their expansion into Europe (Nio's ET5 Touring was reportedly developed specifically for Europe, even though it's also sold in China), but perhaps part of it is those forward-thinking companies anticipating more "SUV fatigue" and planning ahead.

The compact electric Nio ET5 Touring (source: Nio)

The midsize BYD Seal 06 PHEV (source: BYD)

The midsize electric Zeekr 007 GT

Do the Chinese see something we don't? Hard to tell right now, as it seems a bit chicken-and-egg, doesn't it? Most automakers are simplifying their portfolio, and the easiest vehicles to cut are the low-volume derivatives. I will say I didn't concur with Volvo CEO's belief that "the XC60’s role will be expanded to fill that previously occupied by the V90." Those vehicles represent two very different driving experiences, in my opinion. And with the sudden dismissal of Rowan as CEO earlier this week, perhaps some on Volvo's board of directors were fans of wagons, too. Or maybe it's just a complete coincidence. Either way, I'd love to have a modern wagon in my future at some point--time will tell...

*Ironically, our personal fleet includes five vintage cars, a convertible, a big luxury sedan, and my new Mini Cooper (which, with its hatchback, is arguably the most 'functional' vehicle we own).

**You know--what you'd buy if you won the lottery...