Station Wagons: Reviews

Updated April 2009

April 27th:
What the End of Pontiac Means To You
From: Cars.com

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Best sport wagon

2009 Subaru Outback

*Est. $22,295 to $32,095 Compare Prices

The Subaru Outback is the best sport-utility wagon, and a big contender for the best wagon overall. Plus, it's one of the few station wagons that are appropriate for light off-road driving. With standard all-wheel drive… and a high ground clearance, the Outback can handle dirt tracks and country roads better than other station wagons. With the standard engine, you can expect about 22 mpg in mixed driving. Handling is said to be agile and responsive, with a comfortable ride, though some say the back seat is cramped for adults. anti-lock brakes, front airbags, front side airbags and side-curtain airbags are standard.

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Expert & User Review Sources:

ConsumerReports.org: ConsumerReports.org ranks the Subaru Outback alongside other station wagons and hatchbacks, based on road tests. The review also ...

Edmunds.com: Edmunds.com testers praise the Subaru Outback wagon's true car handling, as opposed to that of overweight "crossovers." However, ...

The Truth About Cars: Michael Martineck tests the manual-transmission version of the Subaru Outback wagon. He wonders why a stick shift is necessary -- ...

ConsumerGuide.com: Testers here rate four different Subaru Outback wagon trims in 11 different categories and overall, comparing it with the "class ...

FuelEconomy.gov: This chart shows government fuel-economy estimates, as well as annual fuel-cost projections and pollution ratings, for the ...

SaferCars.gov: The Subaru Outback is one of the safest station wagons you can buy, according to government crash tests. The Outback earns ...

Kelley Blue Book: Kelley Blue Book names the Subaru Outback to its Recommended Shopping List for wagons. The Outback is a good all-wheel-drive ...

Car and Driver: Testers here give the Subaru Outback six points (out of 10) for consumer appeal, but only three points for enthusiast appeal. ...

GreenerCars.org: The Subaru Outback is one of the most environmentally friendly midsize wagons you can buy, according to this website of the ...

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Best premium station wagon

2009 BMW 3 Series Sports Wagon

*Est. $36,025 to $37,925 Compare Prices

The BMW 3 Series, which includes a wagon model, just collected its 14th All-Star award from Automobile Magazine and its 17th straight 10Best trophy from Car and Driver magazine. With its smooth handling, ample power and… comfort, it's the wagon reviewers most often call "fun to drive." On the downside, cargo and passenger space are relatively small for a wagon -- smaller than the less expensive Subaru Outback. Expect about 21 mpg fuel economy. All-wheel drive is optional.

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Expert & User Review Sources:

ConsumerReports.org: ConsumerReports.org ranks the BMW 3 Series wagon against other station wagons, based on its own expert tests and consumer ...

FuelEconomy.gov: This chart shows how various 2009 small wagons -- including the BMW 3 Series -- stack up in terms of government fuel economy ...

SaferCars.gov: The BMW 3 Series wagon achieves perfect five-star ratings in side-impact government crash tests, and four-star frontal and ...

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety: The BMW 3 Series is named a Top Safety Pick by the IIHS, with good scores in frontal, side and rear crash tests. The ratings are ...

ConsumerGuide.com: Consumer Guide road tests many new cars on the market, with concise write-ups that explain their numeric scores. The BMW 3 Series ...

Car and Driver: The BMW 3 Series is yet again one of Car and Driver's 10Best Cars. This brief review explains why, and it links to a capsule ...

Automobile Magazine: This brief review of the BMW 3 Series explains why Automobile Magazine picks it as a 2009 Automobile All-Star -- for the 14th ...

Kelley Blue Book: The BMW 328xi all-wheel-drive wagon is one of Kelley Blue Book's top recommended wagons. Links lead to information on pricing, ...

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Budget seven-seat wagon

2009 Kia Rondo

*Est. $17,495 to $22,295 Compare Prices

Even expensive station wagons usually seat only five, but the inexpensive Kia Rondo can seat up to seven -- although the seventh seat (a tiny middle space on a third-row bench) is best for small kids, testers say. At 22… mpg in combined city/highway driving, the Rondo is also among the more fuel-efficient midsize wagons. It is safe and reliable, experts say, but the Rondo skimps on cargo space. There's only enough room for a suitcase behind the third-row seat. Fold the seat down, and you'll have 35 cubic feet of cargo space -- less than the compact Pontiac Vibe wagon and about half as much as the full-size Subaru Outback. Resale value has traditionally been low for Kias, critics note. The Rondo does not offer all-wheel drive.

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Expert & User Review Sources:

ConsumerReports.org: ConsumerReports.org thoroughly tests the Kia Rondo, ranking it alongside 19 other wagons and hatchbacks. An easy-to-read chart ...

Edmunds.com: The Kia Rondo is one of Edmunds.com's Top Recommended Wagons under $20,000, along with the five-passenger Pontiac Vibe. This full ...

SaferCars.gov: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration crash-tests 2009 vehicles and posts the results here. The Kia Rondo earns ...

FuelEconomy.gov: The Kia Rondo is the most fuel-efficient midsize station wagon you can buy, according to Environmental Protection Agency data. ...

GreenerCars.com: A partial zero-emissions version of the Kia Rondo is the greenest midsize wagon you can buy, according to this website of the ...

ConsumerGuide.com: The Kia Rondo is named a Best Buy midsize car at ConsumerGuide.com, which includes both sedans and wagons. Editors rate the Rondo ...

The Truth About Cars: Williams pits the Kia Rondo wagon against the similarly sized Mazda5 microvan. He prefers the peppier, more comfortable Rondo, ...

Kelley Blue Book: Kelley Blue Book predicts how much the 2009 Kia Rondo will be worth after two, three, four or five years. Editors make ...

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Compact, fuel-sipping wagon

2009 Pontiac Vibe

*Est. $16,735 to $21,510 Compare Prices

The Pontiac Vibe is one of the least expensive wagons you can buy -- and experts say it's also safe, reliable and fuel-efficient. You can expect around 28 mpg in combined city-highway driving according to EPA estimates.… Under the skin, the Vibe is nearly identical to the Toyota Matrix, but critics are more likely to recommend the slightly less expensive, more stylish Vibe. Both retain their resale value better than the average car. The Vibe's backseat is roomy enough for two adults, although testers say three would be squeezed. The Vibe's 49 cubic feet of cargo space (with the backseat folded) is 25 percent smaller than the full-size Subaru Outback's. All-wheel drive is optional.

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Expert & User Review Sources:

ConsumerReports.org: ConsumerReports.org reviews the Pontiac Vibe wagon and its twin, the Toyota Matrix. In fact, editors base the Vibe's ratings on ...

MotherProof.com: Emily Hansen tests the Pontiac Vibe with her children, ages 7, 9 and 16. She concentrates on practical matters other reviewers ...

About.com: The Pontiac Vibe is the only wagon on About.com's list of the best 2009 cars. After road testing the Vibe, Aaron Gold, ...

Edmunds.com: Edmunds.com names the Pontiac Vibe one of its top wagons under $20,000. Testers judge the Vibe's design and performance, ...

Motor Week: PBS's auto program tests a top-of-the-line Pontiac Vibe GT, which has a more powerful engine than the base model. Testers find ...

FuelEconomy.gov: This chart shows government fuel-economy estimates for most 2009 small wagons, including all five versions of the Pontiac Vibe; ...

SaferCars.gov: The Pontiac Vibe's government crash-test ratings place it in the middle of the wagon category for safety. It earns perfect ...

Car and Driver: Car and Driver reviewers tend to concentrate on whether a car is fun to drive. For the Pontiac Vibe, the answer is an emphatic ...

The Wall Street Journal: This review, in slideshow format, shows various photos of the Pontiac Vibe's interior and exterior features along with two-or ...

GreenerCars.com: GreenerCars.org is part of the nonprofit American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. It rates cars' emission standards and ...

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety: This chart shows how small cars compare in IIHS's crash tests. The Toyota Matrix/Pontiac Vibe fall in the middle of the pack, but ...

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