[valiant67]

Chrysler can be directly blamed for the death of the station wagon, at least according to the History Channel's piece on the minivans. They claimed that one of Iacocca's hidden motivations for pushing the original Caravan and Voyager was because he knew it would cut into the traditional station wagon market (a market Ford dominated). He could use an old Ford idea with some old Ford people to get back at Ford.

Chrysler tried to resurrect the wagon I guess, with the the Magnum. Didn't do as well as their resurrection of the convertible though.

It's funny how people go out of their way to define and reclassify - wagons, minivans, hatchbacks all sort of changed into crossovers.

 

[MoparNorm]

Is this where someone steps in and points out the obvious???

Far from going away, the station wagon is nearly EVERY vehicle out there. The Volvo may be a sales failure, but my list of "station wagon" includes Caliber, Patriot, Compass, Liberty, Grand Cherokee, Durango, Journey, Caravan, Town & Country, Nitro, Flex, Edge, Murano, Traverse and just about every vehicle out there except the few coups and sedans running around... :huh:

The author needs to get his glasses repaired...

 

[Bob Lincoln]

Since I'm not a fan of the Caliber's looks, I have to agree with the author. I have always thought they were fugly, mostly because of the curve and complexity of lines of the roof at the rear.

 

[Stratuscaster]

Point taken, Bob. But looks alone seems to be a pretty superficial way to class a car. A Caliber gets classed as a wagon, while a 4-door VW Golf is a hatchback? Makes no sense - since both are the same type of vehicle, 4 doors with a rear hatch.

Do the Golf's rear seats fold down? Maybe that's the defining criteria - if the rear seats can fold down, that makes it a wagon.

 

[MoparNorm]

Since I'm not a fan of the Caliber's looks, I have to agree with the author. I have always thought they were fugly, mostly because of the curve and complexity of lines of the roof at the rear.

Ugly or not, it was still a wagon...and contrary to the authors myopia, they are around in abundance, albeit called everything except a wagon, the darn boxes are indeed wagons...

 

[ImperialCrown]

Ugly or not, it was still a wagon...and contrary to the authors myopia, they are around in abundance, albeit called everything except a wagon, the darn boxes are indeed wagons...

The Caliber is a 'fastback wagon'. Since the minivan did everything so well, it kind of doomed the conventional station wagon.
I have been to service websites (Alldata) that classified the PT, Magnum and Caliber as a 'truck'.
Utility was the station wagon's forte. Many were still made of wood (woodies) long after cars had gone to all metal. Didn't Plymouth advertise the first all metal wagon?

 

[codypet]

IMHO every crossover out there is just a wagon. How is it that every car out there can get larger, but when the wagon gets bigger its a crossover SUV?

 

[Dave Z]

Subaru Outback in particular... it's a Legacy wagon, raised somewhat... I guess some writers are just so in love with Volvo they can't see beyond the Swedes. Then again, what's the Volvo Cross Tour? A wagon or a crossover? It's a wagon... with a different name.

 

[Stratuscaster]

Honda is the Crosstour - Volvo was the "Cross Country" - which morphed into it's "XC" series of crossovers.

 

[Dave Z]

Sorry, that's what I meant. But if you've seen one, they're exactly the same as their wagons.

 

[awyseguy]

I was still working at a Dodge store before the Magnum was dropped.. I got a lot of feedback from buyers that were interested and wanted to look at the wagon for the extra seating; until they found it did not offer a 3rd row.. then they decided they needed to look at the minivan or a Durango.. I feel a 3rd row option could have saved it.
Now, I've gone to selling Toyotas to make a living; and I have the Camry wagon back as the Venza.. Funny.. seems an awful lot like the Pacifica to me.

 

[Stratuscaster]

Along the same theme, yet different - Ron Kiino from Motor Trend did an excellent article on how the minivan compares to large 3-row SUVs.
http://www.motortrend.com/features/editorial/1104_the_kiinote_minivans/index.html

 

[Daytona Dude]

Wikipedia:

A station wagon or estate car is a body style variant of a sedan/saloon with its roof extended rearward[1] over a shared passenger/cargo volume with access at the back via a third or fifth door (the liftgate or tailgate), instead of a trunk lid. The body style transforms a standard three-box design into a two-box design — to include an A, B & C-pillar, as well as a D pillar. Station wagons feature flexibility to allow configurations that either favor passenger or cargo volume, e.g., fold-down rear seats.

The American Heritage Dictionary defines a station wagon as "an automobile with one or more rows of folding or removable seats behind the driver and no luggage compartment but an area behind the seats into which suitcases, parcels, etc., can be loaded through a tailgate." The dictionary also calls the term an "Americanism." [2]

When a model range includes multiple body styles such as sedan, hatchback and station wagon, the models typically share their platform, drivetrain and bodywork forward of the A-pillar. In 1969, Popular Mechanics said "station wagon-style follows that of the production sedan of which it is a counterpart, most are on the same wheelbase, offer the same transmission and engine options, and the same comfort and convenience options."[3]

Station wagons have evolved from their early use as specialized vehicles to carry people and luggage to and from a train station, and have experienced worldwide marketing.

 

[Stratuscaster]

Thank you - that made things as clear as mud.

 

[duster92]

Thank you - that made things as clear as mud.

Any vehicle that is associated with domestic child rearing behavior gets panned..so marketers have to find a way to make those vehicles acceptable to image conscious men who have a fear of being labeled a "family man." SUVs are so popular because they provide an image of adventure which men appreciate. They offer the safety of a larger car, and they offer the utility that the Minivan and Station Wagon offered without the stigma. AWD is available as well and the high seating position is something a lot of people prefer. The old story used to be that the guy sells his muscle car or his Pick Up Truck for a minivan and he is accused of being "whipped." Now he can get the Man Vehicle that the wife can also appreciate. Im not a big fan of SUVs, but I see why they are so successful. I call a lot of them "Jacked Up Wagons" but they are technically not station wagons in the traditional sense.

The most utilitarian vehicle is the Minivan hands down. That is why it is still around. The sliding doors make it very easy to get in and out. If you don't care what others think and driving is just a basic chore, then it is the best solution.

The wagon? It offers basically nothing at this point. I still like them because you sit lower and when I take a hard corner I don't feel like I am falling off a bar stool. Unfortunately, they have the stigma of being family cars and they have utility...it's just not as good as the minivan in the utility department. They also do not have the high seating position many people like. It's become a nearly extinct species in the US because the two other evolved modes of utility transportation offer more in various areas.

 

[MoparNorm]

The most utilitarian vehicle is the Minivan hands down. That is why it is still around. The sliding doors make it very easy to get in and out. If you don't care what others think and driving is just a basic chore, then it is the best solution.

The wagon? It offers basically nothing at this point. I still like them because you sit lower and when I take a hard corner I don't feel like I am falling off a bar stool. Unfortunately, they have the stigma of being family cars and they have utility...it's just not as good as the minivan in the utility department. They also do not have the high seating position many people like. It's become a nearly extinct species in the US because the two other evolved modes of utility transportation offer more in various areas.

More mud? B)
Beyond the sliding rear doors, there is absolutely no difference between a wagon/Suv/minivan except scale and drivetrain.

 

[Daytona Dude]

Mud? My point, exactly. I really don't think there is a definitive definition of "station wagon".

 

[Dave Z]

The wagon does have one potential advantage over the minivan: weight. Okay, two: weight and lower center of gravity. As I recall the Legacy wagon weighed less than the Outback -- a wagon and "crossover" on the same platform. I have no proof re wagon vs minivan but I'd generally think the wagon SHOULD be lighter all else being equal which it never is.

but yes, a "wagon" becomes a "crossover" or "SUV" when you add all wheel drive or four wheel drive.

 

[Stratuscaster]

If guys are so worried about being seen as a "family man" then perhaps they should have thought a bit more about starting one in the first place. But that's another discussion for another place.

Still no response from the author as to why he considers the Caliber "bizarre."