4 new station wagons that give us renewed hope for the breed

For a while there, it seemed like the station wagon was on the verge of disappearing entirely, consumed by a wave of SUVs and crossovers. On the face of it, that was something that made sense.

Why would you buy a car whose only real strength was a big boot, when you could get that plus good ground clearance and, with the right SUV, the option of extra seats? But when the allure of SUVs eventually fades (people tend not to feel like their car’s so unique when it looks like everyone else’s), could the station wagon be poised to make a comeback?

We don’t see why not. After all, all those kids currently taking up space in the back of SUVs are eventually going to grow up, allowing their parents to lead the kind of lifestyles that don’t require being able to clear a sidewalk curb or traverse the edges of a muddy football field.

Abandoning this lifestyle doesn’t necessarily mean being able to abandon a big boot though. Some people just can’t fit all the luggage they require for a two week holiday in the boot of an executive saloon.

It’s also worth bearing in mind that some people still want a big boot and more power than your average SUV can offer. And in that regard, a well built station wagon can deliver in spades.

What gives us the idea that this is even a possibility, never mind a reality? Well, these four cars for one.

1. Mercedes Benz C Class Estate

One of the biggest issues with driving a powerful Merc sedan is the risk you take of people mistaking you for a politician. With a station wagon, you can avoid that possibility without compromising on power. Oh, and as the new C Class Estate shows, you don’t have to compromise on looks either.

The latest wagon to come out of the German auto-maker is pretty darn handsome and distinct enough from its sedan sibling to have a character all of its own. The new version is a little bigger than the previous one, which means more leg room and 490 litres of boot space (increasing to 1 510 litres with the rear seats folded flat).

Inside, there’s enough tech — including a touchpad and head up dispay — to ensure you don’t feel like you’ve chosen a boring one.

Power meanwhile ranges from 85 kW (115 hp) to 150 kW (204 hp) in the diesel models — with the option of diesel engine combined with a hybrid module capable of pushing out 150 + 20 kW (204 + 27 hp) and 115 to 245 kW (156 to 333 hp) in the petrol range.

2. Golf R Wagon

In hatchback form, the Golf already pretty much offers everything you could ever need from a car. But if you do need that extra boot space then you might as well get something that you can still thrash to pieces. By the looks of things, the new 300bhp Golf R Wagon will very definitely offer that.

Alongside that engine, the R Wagon is set to come with a 4Motion all-wheel-drive system and a pretty decent manual transmission. It doesn’t look half bad either, especially when you consider that hatches converted into station wagons can look pretty darn awful.

Anyway, here’s a clip of the R Wagon blasting around the Nurburgring.

3. Jaguar XF Sportbrake

Looking at certain cars can sometimes feel a lot like talking to a very attractive person: you feel blood rushing to your cheeks, you start smiling inadvertently and your feet start shuffling nervously. Usually, the cars that bring about this feeling are refined sportscars, or completely overblown supercars. The Jaguar XF Sportbrake is one of the few station wagons capable of it.

By all accounts, it’s also an absolute pleasure to drive. In part, that’s because it’s rear-wheel drive (as nature intended) but in part it’s also because it’s a full-blown Jag. Unlike a few years ago, that’s something that’s actually important again.

And if you rally want to put the fear of [insert deity here] into your kids, then you could always get the XFR-S version.

4. Volvo Polestar

What’s that you say? You want a station wagon with a 350bhp engine and a 0 – 100km/h time of under five seconds? And you want it in bright blue? Well good news, the Volvo V60 Polestar will give you all that and more.

Thanks to that substantial engine, the Polestar pushes out 369 lb-ft of torque, running through a Haldex four-wheel drive system. It also features 20-inch Polestar wheels and a “throatier than Tom Waits the morning after a big party” exhaust.

Also, it’s so ridiculously blue, you can’t help but want it.

If you can think of any new station wagons that absolutely need to be on the list, please let us know in the comments section below.