[valiant67]

While marketing called them a "wagon" they were really trucks as far as the government was concenred (technically in some states, but not for federal laws, station wagons counted as trucks too).

 

[valiant67]

There was a bit of revenge too.
GM may have had the largest marketshare overall, but Ford had a greater marketshare in station wagons.
So the minivan could do more damage to Ford.
So they looked like traditional wagons with wire wheel covers and wood paneling.