Long live the longroof

For many car shoppers, station wagons haven’t been on their personal radar since the early 1980s. Ever since Chrysler’s duo of Magic Wagons usurped the longroof (which were then overtaken by the modern SUV and crossover) as the nation’s favourite way to shuttle the brood, many manufacturers have hit the ‘Delete’ button on that body style.

Lately, however, a few have chosen to hit ‘Ctrl + Z’ instead, infusing their lineup with an alternative to the common crossover in a smart reversal of product decisions that saw wagons shunned like soiled copies of Maclean’s magazine. Cars like the ones listed here often have cargo capacity equal to (or better than) their SUV cousins, while deploying a lower centre of gravity and exhibiting better handling characteristics. What they don’t provide is that high seating position that the general public seems to need so badly.

Thinking about bucking the trend and standing apart from your neighbours? We’ve assembled a list of who’s who (and who’s left) in the station wagon segment.

Subaru Outback

The brand from Ebisu seemingly has a rack full of station wagons at first glance but, when all is parsed, most of them fall into the crossover or SUV segment. Its Outback nameplate has been around for over 20 years, first appearing as a trim level on the Legacy station wagon before morphing into its own model.

here’s all the new wagons you can still buy in canada in 2020
here’s all the new wagons you can still buy in canada in 2020

Though it has grown in size over the years, the Outback retains the most wagon-like profile one will find in a Subaru showroom, now that its brothers have donned taller boots. Power is provided by either a 182hp naturally-aspirated 2.5L boxer-four or a turbocharged 2.4L boxer making 260 horses. Guess which one we’d pick?

Volvo V60 and V60 Cross Country

There is a good argument to be made that Volvo is the OG company for wagons. After all, how many Lego-on-wheels vehicles have been parked in the staff lots of hospitals and universities over the last few decades? For a while, Volvo was as synonymous with wagons as it is with safety. As it happens, there are still plenty of wagons in the Gothenburg corporate cupboard. In fact, one of them nearly qualifies for a hot rod medallion.

here’s all the new wagons you can still buy in canada in 2020
here’s all the new wagons you can still buy in canada in 2020

The V60 is a wagon through and through, with a Scandinavian design that evokes past Volvos with flourishes like its sky high tail lights while still looking toward the future with touches like those dandy Thor’s Hammer headlamps. Its minimalist interior will have you thinking you’ve somehow ended up in a mobile IKEA. The hot Polestar version makes 415 horsepower from a hybrid powertrain, while a model-adjacent V60 Cross Country adds black wheel arches and slightly more ride height to the standard wagon (not quite enough height to classify it as a crossover through; that distinction is reserved for the XC60 model).

VW Golf Alltrack and SportWagen

This little imp gets a special mention because, even though there are none being produced for this country in the 2020 model year, dealers stocked up on the things before they vanished off the order sheet late in 2019. It provides space on par with most crossovers and is available with a manual transmission. Yet, it bears a base price of under $25,000.

here’s all the new wagons you can still buy in canada in 2020
here’s all the new wagons you can still buy in canada in 2020

Entry-level power is courtesy of a 1.4L mill making 147 horsepower, hooked to either a tasty six-speed manual or an eight-speed automatic. A 1.8L engine producing 170 ponies is also available. And, yes, even that engine is available with a stick. The Alltrack comes standard with all-wheel drive, while it’s optional on the Sportwagen.

Subaru Crosstrek

This car skirts the is-it-or-isn’t-it debate, given its tip-toe styling and L.L. Bean front fascia. Still, like the Outback mentioned earlier, its visual profile definitely plants a flag in the wagon camp. Available with a six-speed manual across nearly its entire model range, save for the high-zoot Limited model, the Crosstrek is likely the closest link these days to the good bits of Subaru in the ‘90s.

here’s all the new wagons you can still buy in canada in 2020
here’s all the new wagons you can still buy in canada in 2020

Opting for an automatic transmission does bring an extra dose of safety kit, marketed under Subaru’s EyeSight banner, including a suite of driver aids like adaptive cruise control and pre-collision braking. Base prices start under $24,000 but can crest thirty grand without too much trouble. All Crosstreks have the same 152hp engine so we recommend buying only what you need.

Mini Clubman

Starting under 30 grand, the Mini Clubman is 271mm longer than a bog standard Mini Cooper 5-door, yet stands only 16mm taller. This is more than good enough for wagon status in our eyes, especially when a crossover/SUV version of any vehicle generaly rises several centimetres in height.

here’s all the new wagons you can still buy in canada in 2020
here’s all the new wagons you can still buy in canada in 2020

Three- and four-cylinder engines are available, with our pick being the 301-horsepower John Cooper Works edition. Its split rear barn doors serve to scupper rear visibility provide a unique and funky look, while the general visage of any Mini can’t help but put a smile on the face of its driver. One downfall? The manual transmission has long been expunged, leaving just the eight-speed automatic.

Audi A4 and A6 Allroad

Equipped with the brand’s vaunted Quattro all-wheel drive, this two-of-a-kind is more than capable of moving a full house. Flush with style yet straight to the point, the smaller of the two bears a starting price of just over $50,000. Wheel arch flares do give off a hint of crossover vibe but its overall profile is definitely wagon-like.

here’s all the new wagons you can still buy in canada in 2020
here’s all the new wagons you can still buy in canada in 2020

The interiors of these two wagons area as plush and refined as you’d expect in any Audi, except there’s more of it thanks to their cavernous cargo areas. The A6 Allroad is an expensive proposition, topping out at more than $90,000, but it’s difficult to argue with a luxurious station wagon offering 335 turbocharged horsepower and all-wheel drive.

Audi RS6 Avant

In addition to the Allroad wagons listed above, the giant from Ingolstadt has a hot rod longroof that’s sure to give the kids vertigo on the way to soccer practice. The beautiful RS 6 Avant is sleek, low slung, and has more power than some supercars. Its interior is studded with all the latest infotainment and connectivity tools the German brand has to offer.

here’s all the new wagons you can still buy in canada in 2020
here’s all the new wagons you can still buy in canada in 2020

No fewer than 591 of the finest German horses reside under that long hood, produced by a twin-turbo 4.0L V8, whisking the driver and four friends to highway speeds in a face-flattening 3.5 seconds. Brakes the size of dinner plates will get things whoa’d down with confidence. Widened by 80mm and sporting a set of aggro air vents, the RS 6 Avant is a brute in a suit.

Porsche Panamera SportTurismo

Available in several different flavours from the $111,700 Panamera 4 SportTurismo to the $179,000 Turbo model, this stretch Porsche offers much of the space found in the brand’s crossover offerings but stays a lot closer to the ground  – and arguably looks a lot better, too. Somehow, the elongated roofline nullifies the tendency of non-SportTurismo Panameras to look a bit like the Hunchback of Notre Dame.

here’s all the new wagons you can still buy in canada in 2020
here’s all the new wagons you can still buy in canada in 2020

Sitting atop the SportTurismo food chain is the mighty Turbo S E-Hybrid, retailing just shy of a quarter-million bucks in this country. Fitted with all-wheel drive and the optional Sport Chrono package, it can reach 100km/h in just 3.4 seconds, faster than a lot of low-slung exotics. In the Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid SportTurismo, then, you can dust off a McLaren while on the way home from picking up that evening’s take-out dinner.

Mercedes-Benz C-Class Wagon

Unlike a certain blue-and-white propeller brand, the fine folks at Mercedes-Benz have chosen to keep the noble station wagon alive in not one but two size choices. The C-Class is available as either a sub-$50,000 C300 4Matic or as a speedy AMG C43 version, the latter of which has a wonderfully rorty bark on the two-three upshift.

here’s all the new wagons you can still buy in canada in 2020
here’s all the new wagons you can still buy in canada in 2020

Powered by an AMG-enhanced 3.0L V6 biturbo engine, the C43 comes with all-wheel drive as standard equipment. An optional AMG Night Package murders out all the chrome and should be ordered post-haste by buyers, especially ones who opt for a dark colour or the $2500 matte grey paint.

Mercedes-Benz E-Class Wagon

As for the E-Class, one can choose from a sober looking E450 4Matic or a slightly hotter AMG E53, both of which will ferry you and the brood in fine style. Oh yeah – there’s also the swivel-eyed AMG C63 S 4Matic wagon, a nameplate that makes your author slightly weak in the knees while simply typing it on this battered MacBook.

here’s all the new wagons you can still buy in canada in 2020
here’s all the new wagons you can still buy in canada in 2020

If you have the scratch, and sales of the brand’s big SUVs suggest plenty do, the braintrust of wheels.ca strongly urges buyers to plunk down $121,000 on this sin wagon. A total of 603 horsepower and an acceleration time of just 3.3 seconds is more than enough to make anyone forget that SUV they left on the showroom floor.

Ferrari GTC4Lusso

This spellcheck-vexing entry from the Prancing Horse brand is a callback to shooting brakes of old, complete with a decidedly long nose and short tail. Out front is a mighty V12 engine packing 680 horsepower. Underneath is one of the most advanced all-wheel drive systems ever to come out of Italy, as it is integrated with a four-wheel steering system.

here’s all the new wagons you can still buy in canada in 2020
here’s all the new wagons you can still buy in canada in 2020

Those who would rather experience their grand touring through a turbocharged lens are encouraged to sample the GTC4Lusso T, the first four-seat Fezza to be powered by a V8 turbo. Horsepower is slightly less than the V12, rated at a hardly shabby 600 horses, but torque jumps by 45 to 560lb.-ft of twist. With its body language and visual profile, we think it meets wagon criteria for the one-percent.

Keyword: Here’s all the New Wagons you can still buy in Canada in 2020

CAR'S NEWS RELATED

Best cars for a 'Love Bug' remake

Tennessee’s Yard Art The Thorndyke Special The Hot Rod The Hippie Van Jim’s Lamborghini Growing up, it’s safe to say my absolute favorite movie was Disney’s “The Love Bug.” As a kid living in a world before Pixar’s “Cars,” it was pretty much the best car movie. I loved ...

View more: Best cars for a 'Love Bug' remake

Audi timing belt tensioner prompts Utah bomb squad visit

An aftermarket timing belt tensioner found in a Salt Lake City apartment prompted a visit from the bomb squad this week after it was mistaken for a potential explosive device. Police partially evacuated the apartment complex in which it was found “out of an abundance of caution” and called ...

View more: Audi timing belt tensioner prompts Utah bomb squad visit

2023 GMC Sierra HD 2500 and 3500 will get more expensive

GMC Sierra HD pickups are about to get more expensive again after recently becoming more expensive, according to GM Authority. In July, GMC and Buick raised the prices on certain vehicles in their lineups anywhere from $975 to $1,675 by making the previously optional OnStar a standard feature. Next ...

View more: 2023 GMC Sierra HD 2500 and 3500 will get more expensive

Our week with EVs: Recapping the diverse collection of electric cars we tested

Mercedes-Benz EQB First Drive Review: Next electric Benz is a little different 2022 Chevy Bolt EV Road Test Review: Time to play EV, gas or airplane 2023 Genesis GV60 Road Test Review: The third of Hyundai Group’s E-GMP EVs is the fastest, but softest It may be hard to ...

View more: Our week with EVs: Recapping the diverse collection of electric cars we tested

Europe car sales lowest since 1996 after 12-month decline

BERLIN – Europe registered the lowest number of new passenger cars in the month of June this year since 1996 at just over 1.06 million vehicles, with some carmakers seeing sales drop by nearly 50%, data from Europe’s automobile association showed on Friday. Volkswagen Group was the hardest-hit major ...

View more: Europe car sales lowest since 1996 after 12-month decline

More Than Just A Carmaker: Toyota Motor PH Launches Toyota Mobility Solutions

Automotive industry leader, Toyota Motor Philippines Corporation (TMP) inaugurated today Toyota Mobility Solutions Philippines, Inc. (TMSPH), a wholly owned subsidiary that will be a provider of mobility-related services. TMSPH ventures into the development and offering of a range of ‘new mobility solutions’ that will enhance Toyota as a brand ...

View more: More Than Just A Carmaker: Toyota Motor PH Launches Toyota Mobility Solutions

'F1 22' feels fast and familiar | Gaming Roundup

‘F1 22’ impressions ‘Construction Simulator’ is launching Sept. 20 Autoblog may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page. Pricing and availability are subject to change. This week in racing game news: ‘F1 22’ impressions At its core, “F1 22,” the latest installment in the F1 ...

View more: 'F1 22' feels fast and familiar | Gaming Roundup

Watch a single-engine plane crash-land on 91 Freeway in California

A single-engine Piper Cherokee airplane was forced to crash land on the 91 Freeway in California after losing power about 45 minutes outside of Los Angeles. Yes, that means this was a very busy highway, practically bursting at the seams with traffic. No, amazingly nobody died, either in the ...

View more: Watch a single-engine plane crash-land on 91 Freeway in California

Ford files 'Mustang Dark Horse' trademark application

Make adventures more comfortable with high-quality Jeep grab handles

New Lucid Air variant to debut & Stealth Look to be on display during Monetary Car Week

Chevy offers incentives to prevent Corvette Z06 flipping

Average U.S. gas price falls below $4/gallon

German court: SUV driver must pay more than a car for running red light

Australian vehicle crash tests to include underwater performance

Toyota C-HR rumored to get revamp next year and an EV version

Geely's electric Zeekr 009 is an EV Alphard we never had; 700 km, 542 PS, top speed 190 km/h

A Newey, Brawn and Anderson row that shows F1 doesn’t change

Sorry, EV buyers, you won't get to pick your own pedestrian safety sounds

There won't be enough copper to meet climate goals, study indicates

OTHER CAR NEWS

; Top List in the World https://www.pinterest.com/newstopcar/pins/
Top Best Sushi Restaurants in SeoulTop Best Caribbean HoneymoonsTop Most Beautiful Islands in PeruTop Best Outdoor Grill BrandsTop Best Global Seafood RestaurantsTop Foods to Boost Your Immune SystemTop Best Foods to Fight HemorrhoidsTop Foods That Pack More Potassium Than a BananaTop Best Healthy Foods to Gain Weight FastTop Best Cosmetic Brands in the U.STop Best Destinations for Food Lovers in EuropeTop Best Foods High in Vitamin ATop Best Foods to Lower Your Blood SugarTop Best Things to Do in LouisianaTop Best Cities to Visit in New YorkTop Best Makeup Addresses In PennsylvaniaTop Reasons to Visit NorwayTop Most Beautiful Islands In The WorldTop Best Law Universities in the WorldTop Richest Sportsmen In The WorldTop Biggest Aquariums In The WorldTop Best Peruvian Restaurants In MiamiTop Best Road Trips From MiamiTop Best Places to Visit in MarylandTop Best Places to Visit in North CarolinaTop Best Electric Cars For KidsTop Best Swedish Brands in The USTop Best Skincare Brands in AmericaTop Best American Lipstick BrandsTop Michelin-starred Restaurants in MiamiTop Best Secluded Getaways From MiamiTop Best Things To Do On A Rainy Day In MiamiTop Most Instagrammable Places In MiamiTop Interesting Facts about FlorenceTop Facts About The First Roman Emperor - AugustusTop Best Japanese FoodsTop Most Beautiful Historical Sites in IsraelTop Best Places To Visit In Holy SeeTop Best Hawaiian IslandsTop Reasons to Visit PortugalTop Best Hotels In L.A. With Free Wi-FiTop Best Scenic Drives in MiamiTop Best Vegan Restaurants in BerlinTop Most Interesting Attractions In WalesTop Health Benefits of a Vegan DietTop Best Thai Restaurant in Las VegasTop Most Beautiful Forests in SwitzerlandTop Best Global Universities in GermanyTop Most Beautiful Lakes in GuyanaTop Best Things To Do in IdahoTop Things to Know Before Traveling to North MacedoniaTop Best German Sunglasses BrandsTop Highest Mountains In FranceTop Biggest Hydroelectric Plants in AmericaTop Best Spa Hotels in NYCTop The World's Scariest BridgeTop Largest Hotels In AmericaTop Most Famous Festivals in JordanTop Best European Restaurants in MunichTop Best Japanese Hiking Boot BrandsTop Best Universities in PolandTop Best Tips for Surfing the Web Safely and AnonymouslyTop Most Valuable Football Clubs in EuropeTop Highest Mountains In ColombiaTop Real-Life Characters of Texas RisingTop Best Beaches in GuatelamaTop Things About DR Congo You Should KnowTop Best Korean Reality & Variety ShowsTop Best RockstarsTop Most Beautiful Waterfalls in GermanyTop Best Fountain Pen Ink BrandsTop Best European Restaurants in ChicagoTop Best Fighter Jets in the WorldTop Best Three-Wheel MotorcyclesTop Most Beautiful Lakes in ManitobaTop Best Dive Sites in VenezuelaTop Best Websites For Art StudentsTop Best Japanese Instant Noodle BrandsTop Best Comedy Manhwa (Webtoons)Top Best Japanese Sunglasses BrandsTop Most Expensive Air Jordan SneakersTop Health Benefits of CucumberTop Famous Universities in SwedenTop Most Popular Films Starring Jo Jung-sukTop Interesting Facts about CougarsTop Best Hospitals for Hip Replacement in the USATop Most Expensive DefendersTop Health Benefits of GooseberriesTop Health Benefits of ParsnipsTop Best Foods and Drinks in LondonTop Health Benefits of Rosehip TeaTop Best Air Fryers for Low-fat CookingTop Most Asked Teacher Interview Questions with AnswersTop Best Shopping Malls in ZurichTop The Most Beautiful Botanical Gardens In L.A.Top Best Mexican Restaurants in Miami for Carb-loading rightTop Best Energy Companies in GermanyTop Best Garage HeatersTop Largest Banks in IrelandTop Leading Provider - Audit and Assurance In The USTop Best Jewelry Brands in IndiaTop Prettiest Streets in the UKTop Best Lakes to Visit in TunisiaTop Highest Mountains in Israel