Welcome to the Sunday Edition of Hooniverse Couldawouldashoulda Weekend, and I hope you are enjoying this feature. OK, so we have peaked your interest with a number of postings on Saturday, so I thought I would take things into a different direction. You may need a wagon of some sort, but there are very few cool ones available, so you start looking at a new class of vehicle called the crossover. The Toyota Highlander was one of the earlier crossover vehicles, but have you priced one out lately? These things start at over $28,000, and you get only the FWD version with a 2.7L Four Cylinder, a 5-speed automatic, and a few other things we have come to expect in new cars. But driving this Camry on stilts is just about as exciting as warmed over oatmeal. For the same amount of money, you could own a real wagon from the 50s in the form of a 1955 Ford Country Sedan. So which would you choose?


Anyone who would choose a Toyota 4-cylinder Highlander is really a person that likes to drive incognito. The driver will be virtually unnoticed as they go about their business. And with only 4-cylinders under the hood of the Highlander, the driving excitement is virtually nonexistent. This is the ultimate in bland transportation, and it really isn’t much of a bargain either.

On the other hand, The 55 Ford with get you thumbs-up from everyone on the street. This car had the famous Ford “Y” block V-8 (the successor to the flathead V-8) and a three speed standard transmission with overdrive. It has a bit more room that the Highlander, and can carry six passengers. The paint is great, and it has almost every option then offered by Ford, though I would install Vintage A/C to keep the cabin cool. According to the listing:

1955 Ford Station Wagon, 65,000 miles, totally rust free, beautiful Buckskin Brown and White paint, excellent original Red and White interior, 272 cu in 162 HP V8, 3-speed w/ overdrive, power steering, tinted glass, wide white wall tires, Deluxe radio, Deluxe heater, full wheel covers, turn signals, windshield washer, back up lights, and curb finders, incredibly nice!

The Highlander is an incredible crossover…. Incredibly Dull that is, as this is the very definition of beige automotive appliances. With the Ford however, you won’t be able to drive without anyone noticing you. Is a 57 year old Station Wagon really a replacement for a modern CUV? Not really, but it is fun to think about it, right? See the Country Sedan Listing here.