Hooniverse Asks: What's the most overrated wagon?


You love wagons. I love wagons. We’re truly sane automotive enthusiasts, and it’s the rest of the world that’s gone crazy. That said, there have to be a handful of wagon models that we perhaps hold in too high a level of esteem?
Is the W123 wagon (S123) a holy grail machine? Actually, with a diesel engine under the hood, it’s a gutless wonder. As much as I love the look and classic styling of any Benz from this era, there’s a reason why I’m stuffing a V8 into my own example.
What about vintage muscle wagons? Some might argue that you have even more metal for which rust can find a home. Those who love modern wagons often have to turn to a German luxury brand to find an example, and that could lead to finicky repairs and a high cost of ownership.
Surely the Swedes have it right with the new V60 and V90? Good luck with that twin-charged engine.
There may be a few lovely longroof examples that we, as enthusiasts, have overstated “the goods”. What’s your prime example of an overrated wagon?
And don’t worry, no matter what your answer, we all know that deep down inside you still love it. You’re safe here.

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30 responses to “Hooniverse Asks: What's the most overrated wagon?”

  1. neight428 Avatar
    neight428

    I don’t know that it is overrated, but I think that the Subaru Outback gets a bit of a pass where CUV’s get derision by default. On paper, they’re not that different from anyone’s two row high-volume forgettable thing, its just a less jellybean in the styling department, but they’re more wagon-y and granola Subaru so, it’s totally not at all like a Kia Rodeo or whatever.

    1. Vairship Avatar
      Vairship

      Similarly the Forester USED to be a tall compact wagon, and is now pretty much RAV4-like.

  2. 0A5599 Avatar
    0A5599

    CTS-V wagons still run pretty close to original MSRP, even after a half-dozen years and 60,000+ miles.
    I want one, of course, but hoped it would be in more favorable depreciation/cost of potential repair territory by now.

  3. GTXcellent Avatar
    GTXcellent

    Oh no – I’m not listening to any more of this wagon love propaganda.
    I’m just going to sit in the dark, put my fingers in my ears and slowly chant the mantra ‘cool cars have trunks’ over and over again until all of this station wagon adoration returns back from the land of nonsense.

      1. ptschett Avatar
        ptschett

        I can’t speak for GTXcellent, but I’m willing to make an exception for sports cars to be considered as cool when they don’t waste weight on having a trunk lid or its hinges. (See also: Austin-Healey Mk.1 “Bug-eye”/”Frog-eye” Sprite.)

  4. onrails Avatar
    onrails

    I’m not sure if wagons deserve their now-hallowed status. Pre-minivan they were definitely not, so will the minivan eventually become cool? Hey, at least it’s not a cute-ute, right? Yes, they’re at least different than boring old mainstream and maybe we didn’t know what we had when they were all over. But the hierarchy still should be something like:
    Convertible-Coupe-Sedan-Wagon-Pickup-Jeep Wrangler and then depending on who you are the vast range of underutilized ‘but I need it because…’ utility/people haulers with Minivan/Van/SUV/CUV.
    But all of that is avoiding the question. So I’ll go with the Subaru STi wagon.

    1. Sjalabais Avatar
      Sjalabais

      But the hierarchy still should be something like…
      Why?
      Imho, everybody should just be allowed to consider whatever they want to be cool. I am also 100% convinced that minivans will become niche-cool in the same way wagons are now. It is just a predictable cycle of nostalgia.

      1. HuntRhymesWith Avatar
        HuntRhymesWith

        At least wagons have that “have your cake and eat it too” thing going, in terms of performance and practicality. Minivans are more like “ate way too much cake, now I can’t move” in that their sole purpose is storage.
        I totally agree that there will be niche admirers, but I think it’ll be a lot smaller than the crowd that likes wagons today.

        1. outback_ute Avatar
          outback_ute

          Almost every car including minivans now have more performance than you need in normal driving, even if some of them do it more easily than others.

      2. onrails Avatar
        onrails

        Why? Because that works for me and I’m the only one buying me a car. If something else works for someone else, that works for me too. I can appreciate variety, I just don’t necessarily want it. I’m hoping people will always want different, no matter how much it looks like it may eventually go to a bunch of transportation pods that all look the same. Vote with your wallets!

      3. Rover 1 Avatar
        Rover 1

        When I drive my Mk1 Espace, it certainly gets looks, I’ve also been asked if it’s off a retro 70s sci-fi film set. I tell them that would be my, same year, 1986, Honda Shuttle.
        https://img2.annuncicdn.it/3e/fc/3efc0a30043282b882e0e4fb292a91b3_orig.jpg

  5. smalleyxb122 Avatar
    smalleyxb122

    “Overrated” is such a subjective term that even rightly lauded wagons like the ’55 Nomad or the 1800ES can fit the bill. I love them both, but not to the level that they are typically regarded.
    I have nothing against wagons. In fact, there are a few wagons that I truly love, but I’d venture to say that most wagons are overrated. The hipster cred of them being cool now because they were never cool is ludicrous. I can appreciate the wagon-love as a pushback against the ubiquity of crossovers, but the Vista Cruiser or the Country Squire should not be anyone’s dream car.
    I’ve had a sip of the Kool Aid, so I prefer several wagons to their sedan counterparts for reasons beyond the additional utility, but merely being a wagon isn’t enough to sway me.

    1. outback_ute Avatar
      outback_ute

      Many wagons look better than the sedans they are based on. Volvo 740 (most Volvos actually), Ford Falcon AU are the first ones that come to mind.

      1. Alff Avatar
        Alff

        Yes, but I don’t own one of those.

      1. Alff Avatar
        Alff

        I will grant that it is good looking for a Subaru. In other words, not ugly.

  6. tonyola Avatar
    tonyola

    In some of the car blogs, there are people who gush over such nasty malaise horrors as the ’72-’76 Torino wagons. Ugly, bloated, cramped for the size, soggy handling, and horribly thirsty.
    http://hooniverse.info/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Hemmings-Motor-News-Ford-Gran-Torino-for-sale-Mozilla-Firefox-6142011-65835-PM.bmp.jpg

    1. I_Borgward Avatar
      I_Borgward

      Having suffered a few unpleasant rides in the back seat of one of these as a kid, I endorse this nomination. Between the stupid high sills you strained to see over and the crap vinyl interior, it was a miserable bunker to be trapped in. I can’t recall if the windows only rolled part way down as well, but I wouldn’t be surprised. For my money, the very heart of the Malaise Era™.

      1. dead_elvis, inc. Avatar
        dead_elvis, inc.

        I don’t think that stupid “rear windows only go down half way” thing was implemented until the very late 70s/1980ish, although that would have been preferable to the Buick Century wagon my folks bought new in 1977 or ’78 that had fixed windows in the rear doors – only a terrible, skinny vent wing window for ventilation back there. Bonus, dad was too cheap to spring for AC, so summer roadtrips in that car truly, truly suuuuuuuuucked.

  7. HuntRhymesWith Avatar
    HuntRhymesWith

    Most of the stock, fast wagons are horribly overpriced versus their non-wagon equals. I think the only reasonable way to have a fast wagon of your own, should you choose, is to engine-swap it and upgrade it yourself. Most non-car people really do think wagons are weird. I’m not saying that they’re right, they are buying crossovers after all. But, you might think you’re all that in your CTS-V Avant, but those girls you’ve been trying to flirt with still think it’s a hearse.

  8. Batshitbox Avatar
    Batshitbox

    Elijah’s wagon is overrated. Gott im Himmel to hear Willa and Eliza go on and on about riding to town in Elijah’s wagon you’d think they didn’t even know I had a wagon. I don’t see what’s so great about Elijah’s fershtinkinner wagon, do you? Stupid Eliza. Stupid Willa. I can’t wait ’till Elijah goes on Rumschpringe. and I hope he takes his stupid wagon with him.
    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/04803383fec6a0027ad246dc3bfd7f9a22af4e0b821305b1165a4a63c2fb55e4.jpg

    1. Lokki Avatar
      Lokki

      People unfamiliar with the Amish aren’t going to get the joke, I suspect.

  9. Manxman Avatar

    I really don’t have a wagon in mind that I hate, but I do have one I’d like to have… https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/73b881c20cb6db647a1a93aaf9e9c8d1756baae7de93a702b9499ae968db3116.jpg

  10. Fred Avatar
    Fred

    I kind of want to say my TSX Sportwagon. Frankly I’d rather have a sedan, if only they made the trunk openings large enough. Then every once in awhile I use the long roof like it should be. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/5eeddcd0c8aa5d4242d3015e8a0582422e96fc2cbde262669dc88c0864739a08.jpg