Is the station wagon back in business?
The last affordable family car left our market at the end of 2019. It was the Golf Sportwagen, particularly appreciated by Quebecers, but which didn't carry much weight in Volkswagen's overall North American offering. This traditional car combined the driving pleasure of a true compact with the versatility of a new kind of SUV, like the Volkswagen Taos. Indeed, the Golf has given way to this new, higher-priced entry-level SUV, which is delighting countless North American buyers.
But studies show that young buyers don't want to drive a vehicle equivalent to their parents', or at least comparable to the one they were transported in when they were young. Now they want to move on. To the minivan, which could see a new boom in the next few years? Possibly, especially with the arrival of the Volkswagen ID.Buzz and Chrysler's future minivan, which will most likely be electrified.
It's also possible that the wagon will make a comeback. Firstly, because more and more enthusiasts dream of models of this type in high-performance formulas, setting the tone for future more affordable and rational variants. Secondly, the wagon can reinvent itself. This is what Toyota is proving for 2025 with the Crown Signia, a bold replacement for the recently discontinued Venza. A car that the Americans identify as an SUV, but which is only a wagon version of the Crown sedan, on the market since 2023.
Elevated, the Crown Signia offers the advantage of a versatile interior and a seating position that's just a tad higher than that of a Camry. A car with four-wheel drive and the luxury card, but one that stands out from all those moribund midsize SUVs with no personality. This is what a category of buyers will be looking for in the not-too-distant future, suggesting that a new station wagon formula could be the next "new class" of family-oriented vehicles.
It's important to understand that, while station wagons may have fallen out of favor here, they still sell a lot on the Old Continent. Even more than traditional sedans, which are also losing popularity. Elegant wagons like the Volkswagen Arteon and Genesis G70 would certainly be popular here, even more so than their sedan equivalents. But automakers no longer dare to do so, preferring to bet only on sure values.
Mind you, if BMW has chosen to offer an M5 Competition Touring in 2025, it's because the demand is there. And if Audi is doing brisk business with the RS6 Competition, more popular than the RS7 and S8, it's also because this kind of car thrills enthusiasts. Don't be surprised if Mercedes-AMG soon returns to the fray with its superb E-Class wagon, which it foolishly withdrew from the North American market at the end of 2023.
Of course, there's nothing rational about these exceptional cars. But could the future of compact cars also be shaped by pseudo-wagons? For example, inspired by the now-defunct Toyota Matrix or Mazda Protegé5, which we loved for their style and versatility. Let's face it, today's Corolla Hatchback and Mazda3 Sport aren't all that practical...
