Station Wagons Reviews

For years, station wagons have been gradually losing market share to other types of cars -- minivans, hatchbacks and new, smaller SUVs. But station wagons still fill a niche for those looking for economical family transport. Station wagons have more cargo space than a hatchback, and they usually get better gas mileage than an SUV or minivan. If you need to carry more than five passengers, a minivan or SUV is a better choice, since these can have seating for up to seven. See our companion ConsumerSearch reports on minivans and SUVs .

Consumer Reports' station wagon reviews are comprehensive, unbiased and regularly updated. We especially like their focus on longer-term reliability and owner satisfaction. Online reviews from the Institute for Consumer Automotive Research are nearly as comprehensive. For safety considerations, the nonprofit Insurance Institute for Highway Safety lists its Top Safety Picks based on crash test ratings. And if you're looking for good gas mileage, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ranks cars by fuel efficiency at FuelEconomy.gov. We also found good criticism at CarCritic.com. Auto magazines like Car and Driver and Motor Trend haven't covered station wagons in a number of years, focusing coverage instead on other family cars and hatchbacks.

One small wagon, the Suzuki Forenza (*est. $15,149 to $16,649) gets few reviews from experts – and the ones it does receive aren't very positive. The Forenza wagon is sold in other countries as a Daewoo, reviewers point out. "Just be advised that this substandard little turkey is now marketed as a Suzuki and you should stay clear of it," CarCritic.com advises.

But the Forenza wagon's poor acceleration, oddly, goes hand-in-hand with sub-par fuel economy for a small wagon, critics say – a combined 22 mpg in city/highway driving. Road noise is a problem in some reviews, and despite standard side airbags, the Suzuki Forenza rates "poor" on rear-and side-impact crash tests at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. "The Forenza may be reasonably priced, but it's not much of a car," Edmunds.com concludes.

Another wagon – the car that only two years ago PBS's MotorWeek called "family car perfection" -- has largely been dropped from reviewers' 2008 picks thanks to recalls and reliability problems. The Volkswagen Passat (*est. $25,115 to $39,140) was listed as one of the top wagons at Kelley Blue Book last year, when editors said it had the nicest interior in its price range and was "stable, predictable, and confident at high speeds." At 24 mpg (mixed driving), FuelEconomy.gov lists it as the most efficient midpriced wagon.

But in the past nine months, KBB.com has dropped the Passat from its recommendations. A redesigned version of the Passat did debut in 2006, but critics still say the reliability picture doesn't look great. In December 2006, the Passat was recalled twice – once for possible brake failure, once for possible windshield wiper failure – either of which could lead to a crash without warning. We found better reliability scores for the BMW 3-Series (*est. $34,200 to $36,100) and Subaru Outback wagon (*est. $21,995 to $32,195) , although both of those wagons are much more expensive than the Forenza.

Today's station wagons borrow some of the best attributes from other classes, including compact body styles or SUV-like all-wheel drive. In fact, it can be hard for reviewers to figure out exactly what constitutes a "wagon" these days. The wagons covered in this report are built on car platforms, with room for five or six passengers and their cargo. "Micro-vans" with three rows of seats, such as the Kia Rondo and Mazda5, are not included (see our report on minivans ). Crossovers with SUV styling, such as the Subaru Forester, sit higher off the ground than a standard wagon. We cover crossovers in our report on SUVs .

Hatchbacks like the Honda Fit are sometimes referenced as wagons. Both types of cars have a rear hatchback, but station wagons are usually longer, with a larger cargo area and higher roofline. In general, a station wagon will have a more comfortable back seat than a hatchback. Hatchbacks are covered in our report on economy cars.  ... Continued

Our Consensus Report shows how many times products are top-ranked by reviewers included in our
All The Reviews Reviewed chart.

Several station wagons are recommended in reviews. The Dodge Magnum is one of the largest station wagons with the most powerful engine options. However, it has aggressive style lines that don't have universal appeal, and fuel economy is low compared to other wagons. A more conservative choice is the BMW 3-Series, a smaller, more luxurious station wagon with an excellent reliability record. The Subaru Outback has sport styling, standard AWD and higher ground clearance for light off-roading. The Toyota Matrix is a compact budget wagon with less space than the others, but excellent reliability and one of the best fuel economies on the market.