How we KILLED the Greatest Kind of Vehicle
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 8 ก.พ. 2025
- Today we're looking at the history of the Station wagon, its rise through the 40s and 50s, peak in the 60s and ultimate death in the past 40 years.
Support the channel!
☕ www.buymeacoff...
Disclaimer
Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing."
I do NOT own some or all of the video and photo materials used in this video. In the case of copyright issues, please contact me at bartcyclebusiness@gmail.com for any further action.
I think losing mini-pickups is the greatest tragedy.
I agree. That's why I'm still driving my 2003 Nissan Frontier XE 4 cylinder 5 speed after all these years. I'm not getting rid of it. Over 200k and still going strong.
Hilux and el Camino
The S10 was perfect for 95% of my vehicle needs
I’m still driving my 2004 Ford Ranger. Over 250,000 miles and it still runs like a Swiss watch.
We still have them in Asia. Not only the 1970s vintage trucks like the Mazda 1300/1800 series, first and second gen Hilux or the Isuzu KB, or the super micro kei cars like Daihatsu Mira, there are still somewhat normal-size Toyota Hilux made for the Asian markets. You can even get a Suzuki Jimny 4x4 in a pickup version - I am really craving one ))
You failed to mention CAFE standards. They exempt SUVs from fuel economy regulations.
Main reason the wagon died. Thank you big government!
It’s nuts why SUVs and trucks which are mainly used as family or personal transport, are exempt. If it was Europe they’d be taxed into oblivion and only driven by people who actually needed that much vehicle.
@ I don't know what annoys me more: pencil necks using threat of violence to control my decisions or nitwits who can't parallel park driving 7 passenger SUVs by themselves.
@ yep...the marketing, etc. all follow CAFE which determines buying patterns and creates social reinforcement, etc.
@@joemaloney1019 Other than corrupt officials doing stuff for their own gains, governments don't do anything. It's the voting public that forces things on themselves.
Now everyone drives a huge pickup just to get their morning latte.
But if they're not seen in a big dodge dually crew cab diesel with a tonneau cover then how will anyone know they went to Starbucks.... and can't park.
Mexicans for some reason
Can you name the truck with four wheel drive,
smells like a steak and seats thirty-five..
Canyonero! Canyonero!
Well, it goes real slow with the hammer down,
It's the country-fried truck endorsed by a clown!
Canyonero! (Yah!) Canyonero!
[Krusty:] Hey Hey
The Federal Highway commission has ruled the
Canyonero unsafe for highway or city driving.
Canyonero!
12 yards long, 2 lanes wide,
65 tons of American Pride!
Canyonero! Canyonero!
Top of the line in utility sports,
Unexplained fires are a matter for the courts!
Canyonero! Canyonero! (Yah!)
She blinds everybody with her super high beams,
She's a squirrel crushing, deer smacking, driving machine!
Canyonero!-oh woah, Canyonero! (Yah!)
Drive Canyonero!
Woah Canyonero!
Woah!
...in the states
But mainly to compensate for a tiny P P
Back in 1971, after an ugly divorce, my mother packed up our white-with-wood-panelling stationwagon, me and my 3 siblings, two siamese cats and a dog, and a pot-head, female hippie that had been bordering at our house, and drove us all the way across Canada, from Nova Scotia to Vancouver Island, just to 'stick it to' my dad. It was a shit-show of a trip, and the hippie woman literally disappeared two days after we arrived at our destination.
So Marg, if you're out there and still alive, I hope you had a good life!
Here's to MARG.
Did she come to Seattle? Marge, where are you? I graduated in 70. Thank you for the story. Frederick Chavré of Maple Valley
@@riverfreddy No, she went to a little town on Vancouver Island called Sooke.
Please tell us about the trip 😂!
This sounds like the plot of a movie or TV show. Kinda sounds like Firefly Lane!
My family had an old 61 Falcon wagon back in the 60’s. This car went through half a dozen family members and was around until the late 80s. Such a solid work horse.
She was born in '61
And was she ever pretty
She rode a freight train west
On her way from Detroit city...
(with apologies to The Beach Boys)
Both the Falcon sedan (2 and 4 door) and the Falcon wagon were beautiful in their unassuming simplicity.
Wagons are still extremely popular here in Europe. VW Passat and Skoda Octavia combi are probably the most popular cars where I live, and it's for a good reason. An average person with a family never needs more car than that.
@@michaelmechex They are pretty much the same car.
I got a Passat just in time to still have it with a manual, ordered it as soon as the first leaks of the current generation"s interior came out :D
I live in France, I don't see any wagons around. At all. The last one in my neighborhood was my 240 GLT.
Mercedes discontinued the T-model...
Europe has mini wagons, half the size of American wagons from the 1970’s.
My friend had a 2000 Ford Taurus station wagon. It was front wheel drive (it could handle winter weather with ease), had a ton of space (for both passengers and cargo), and got great gas mileage. She would always say with pride that it was the least stolen car in America! 😂
My mom has the Mercury Sable version of the same car
Here in Europe a friend of mine had one in purple and turbo diesel.
I have a purple station wagon as well, but it's a C class from 2002. They're rare as rocket fuel in France so getting parts can be troublesome 😂
My wife had a Ford Taurus, sold it when she moved to the UK, and bought a Mercury Sable to replace it when we moved back to the USA.
We eventually traded in the Sable for a Honda Odyssey minivan after we had a baby because it was so much easier lifting in and out baby plus bassinet in a taller vehicle.
Used to go skiing in an early 90s one all the time 25 years ago. A great vehicle, fun in the snow.
I have to say that the Taurus wagon was one of the better concepts Ford ever had. We went through 4 examples of varying trim, ages and mileage when bought between 1986 and 2020. Two children from diapers to college graduation, trips around the country - we'd still be driving one if we could find one.
One feature of a wagon that can be an advantage over SUVs, crossovers, and even minivans that you overlooked is that the lower roofline means that the roof itself is useful for hauling stuff. I have hauled 4'x8' sheets of plywood, 8' long tables, bicycles, and furniture that would not fit inside even a large SUV with just the roof rails and some ratchet straps in my Buick Regal TourX. It also AWD standard as most of the remaining wagons seem to be.
Don't forget canoes.
I LOVE the Regal TourX. I understand the decision to stop building them, but it's disappointing as heck.
@BingBangBye I love it too, it's been everything I've needed and more for a family vehicle. It did have disappointing sales numbers, but it always felt like Buick never even advertised it. I encounter people semi-regularly that have no idea it existed or that it was even a Buick.
@@Pantherx812 Freaking beautiful car, but overrun by the lifted/big tire freaks.
Back in the day station wagons were very popular for hauling hang gliders too.
What a fantastic car. We have a black 1992 Mercedes station wagon (300TE for those interested!). We’ve had that car since I was a few weeks old. I spent my childhood sitting in the rear facing seats, making funny faces at the drivers behind us. My friends would fight over who sat back there. We had a roof rack for our bikes, and countless sleepovers in the back of the car with the seats folded down. I learned to drive in that car- “It’s built like a tank, the safest thing on the road!”, my mom would always say. I’m 22 now, and our beautiful black steed (nicknamed Chitty Chitty for as long as I can remember!) has outlived our other cars by an almost comical amount. Her AC doesn’t work too well anymore, some of the windows get stuck, and the power steering fluid leaks like a faucet. But that turning radius is as miraculous as ever, and she gets you wherever you need to go, and even if it takes a little longer than in a new-fangled fast paced road racer, she reminds us all to slow down and appreciate what we have and how lucky we are to be here. I’m so grateful for that car and am so proud anytime I get to be back home driving her!
Her?
We had a Rambler station wagon that ran forever. Mom and Dad used to take us to the drive-in with it. Dad would back into the spot, fold down the back seat and open the tailgate. The blankets would come out, and us kids would lie down in the back watching the movie as Mom and Dad were sitting in lawn chairs. Such great memories...
Gosh! my parents used to do the same thing with my sister and me. in the 60s. We loved it when they wanted to see a movie, for we would have a lot of fun. My dad had HIS car, which we could not use, and the family station wagon that was used for travel, family outings, etc..
The early 2000s subaru outback is honestly one of my favorites
2012 Gen without a CVT is IMO the best. Early 2000s had tons of problems.
90’s and 2000’s Subarus are my favourites
I love my 1998 forester, it’s the perfect station crossover, not too oversized, just a little wider and higher
100% agree. I had ta 2005 3-litre Legacy (my 2nd Legacy) and while that was a fabulous car to drive, when I loaded it up for camping, it would drag its exhaust from time time over bumpy Welsh roads. The Outback, with its greater ground clearance and self levelling rear suspension would have been perfect for me. But then Subaru moved to CVT and terrible styling, and they lost me as a customer.
The upcoming model looks like a Suburban..
@@NigelMarston I also had a Legacy wagon. Of all the cars I owned , I loved it the most. Mine was a 5sp manual. When it passed on it needed a complete brake job and exhaust. At 16 years old, I figured it was time.
Personally, while I love a big wagon with the wood trim, I also miss the large sedans they were based on. Not everyone wants a gigantic truck or a they-all-look-the-same crossover!
The death of the flagship sedan is so heartbreaking honestly
And the fullsize coupes
They called it a woody!
My dream car is the real wooden-bodied Packard wagons built 1934-41.
@SuisKanal And now, you can't get a coupe from auto-builder except the real expensive, high maintenance builders like BMW and Audi.
station wagons are elite. the Volvo 1800ES looks so good even today
You have great taste!
I've owned several P1800ES wagons (5)
My dream car, although I believe it is technically a shooting brake
@ so jelly! anything to keep in mind when shopping for & owning them?
@@absolutegooba technically but it’s not usually a hair most people split
The 1st-3rd gen Outbacks really are perfect station wagons too
How could this man make me sit here for 20 min and not mention the great GM profiteer with Buick Roadmaster both iterations
Indeed, I had one. First new car I ever owned.
Yes I'm surprised. I expected to see the Ford flex and the buick road master. This video is incomplete imo.
Or the Magnum. Can't believe no mention.
I love station wagons (and wish they were more popular in the US), but I also can't believe I NEVER thought about them originating as _train_ station wagons! Great video, so glad it was recommended to me.
THANK YOU! Coming from a family of car enthusiasts, no one can say that it's just sour grapes when I say that station wagons are my favorite type of automobile. My family (both immediate and extended) had every type of car, from GMC K2500 Sierra Grande to sport BMWs and Mercedes. Still, the one car I loved more than any other was my mother's Mazda Station Wagon. Such a wonderful vehicle, matched only by my father's Chevy mini pickup. My love for station wagons is comparable only to my dislike for SUVs. I know it won't happen, but I wish I could live in that timeline in which station wagons and compact pickups still exist and thrive.
My station Wagon journey over 35 years: Volvo 240, 740 Turbo, 940 Turbo, V70 T5, and now a V60 T5. I like 'em.
245, 745t, 945t, etc... 😉
I really liked the 850 turbo wagon too
an old volvo ... what is usually called swedish tank
love doze volvos... been drivin' them for 45 yrs straight. v70s are truly the height of wagon culture. drive my 22 yr v70 daily.
…still enjoy driving my Great Aunt’s good ole 1990 Volvo 245 in the Silicon Valley. Since I don’t commute nor work it was time to let go my 1992 745 Turbo with 97K original miles to a Volvo enthusiast. Luckily just across the road is my 90 year old Mother who drives my late Pop’s 2016 V60 Polestar which I get to enjoy with her.
My late brother owned a "68 Ford Fairlane wagon. I drove it on many occasions and loved it. A smooth runner, comfortable ride, could carry some stuff, and seat many. I saddened me the day he sold it. Loved wagons ever since.
My dad had one also. I think it was a '65 but not sure. It sat for years until we called a junk yard to come get it. Sure wish we still had it. It would be worth a few bucks. Had only a 2 speed automatic.
You know I used to hate station wagons, but as I get older they're totally practical for many things, they're basically a low profile van or truck. I would basically want a station wagon nowadays so when I go camping I can just sleep in my car and forgo the tent.
It’s why I always loved my VW Vanagons. At the music festival while everyone is sopping wet and cold I’m sleeping with the heat on.
I am obsessed with wagons. We have a 2008 volvo v70 wagon. I want to trade my 08 volvo s60 for a 2007 volvo v70. I just love the look and the functionality of wagons.
I love station wagons hate all the SUV's nowadays dad had an old ford falcon station wagon when I was a kid bulletproof thing it was so comfortable heaps of room I just bought the same model now restoring it by the way love your videos 👍
My current ride is a 2017 Holden Commodore/Chevrolet SS Sportswagon, and it is eminently practical and a blast to drive too.
I hope you've done everything to protect it from meth heads stealing it.
@ Yeap she’s locked undercover. Crazy state of affairs
I'd change your obd port location and keep the old one going to nothing and relocate your horn alarm wiring away from the inner guard.
The 2004 vy/vz station wagon was the last of the bigger load area and wider opening/longer rear doors as it was built in the statesman/caprice platform .sports wagon was the sedan platform but you guys in u.s got the better specs than we did
Hi Bart, this is actually the very first time that I have ever watched one of your videos, and I am very impressed! I do want to say, that I am 65 years old, and a retired ASE Master Certified Automobile Technician. The only reason that Full-Size station wagons and Full-Size cars (for that matter) are not produced anymore is because SUVs do NOT have to pass the Corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards are regulations in the United States as cars do. They only have to meet light truck standards. I personally do NOT think that an SUV is sporty at all! Driving around a four wheel drive pickup truck with a second and most of the time a third row seat is to me NOT sporty at all. How about a Chevrolet El Camino SS, or maybe a Ford F-150 Lightning, NOW we are talking Sport Utility! You see, I grew up with station wagons. Plus, a Chevrolet Nomad or a Volvo 1800ES, both of which are sport wagons and much sportier than ANY SUV could ever be. Please reply. Dave...
SUVs take the "sport" and "utility" out of "Sport utility vehicles" and they barely pass on the vehicle front.
When we moved to Canada in the 80s my dad bought a full size Chevy wagon. 40 years later I have the same blue Subaru Wilderness in your video. Great car.
Great video. I have always loved station wagons. My parents had 3, and I have had 3. They make great sense. When I was looking at Saturns several years ago, the wagon was a few percent more expensive than a sedan but had twice as much storage space.
My girlfriend was looking for an suv for her "new" used car until I convinced her to go take a look at an 08 Saab 9-5 wagon nearby us. She literaly used to never pay attention to cars but that car even she does the look back after parking it 😂, what a gorgeous car and super fun too
Don't let the secret out! Lol Looking for a 2011 9-3 wagon with a 6 speed stick. Keep the oil changed, my last Saab went 298k miles and my current 05 9-3 is at 296k. Both gettin 33 mpg with no hassles. Enjoy!
Secrets out. Amazing vehicles.
I had a 9-3 and almost bought 9-5 wagon. Their convertible 9-5 was very beautiful. The big problem though was endless breakdowns, I’ll save you hearing my “SAAB stories”…
The 08 Aero packages look cool, not so fond of non-aero. My dad is a SAABist, we've had em since 1975... 2001 SAAB Aero is my favorite, both wagon and estate but the estate has to be black because of the backpillars being quite massive. They aren't too round yet, in 2010 they failed quite badly so 08 is the last good looking one....
Nooooo!!!! I’ve been there. I learned all about fixing cars from my experience with Saabs, though. Almost every weekend. And when the job was too big, I’d have to tell the mechanics exactly what to do after they tried to send me away, telling me they hated working on those things. Have fun looking for parts on eBay and junk yards, because I was constantly doing that-before the company went out of business.
They're called Kombi here in Germany and we love them like Americans love Pickups. No wood trim though and less massive.
VW Passat and Opel Astra are good examples.
Hello aus Slowenien, EU.
Loved my merc S124 Kombi
Here in Norway stasjonsvogn. Actually stationwagon in english.
Is Sweden herregårdsvagn. I think is translate estate wagon in kings english.
Vauxhall Astra here in the UK.
I grew up with a 1967 Opel Kadette that my parents bought in Greece, and we brought home to the U.S. a year later.
Its small size was deceptive.
Some 15 years later, playing in a Summer community band, my brother and I put down the back seat and were able to fit two tympani drums into it!
Thanks for explaining the "Station" in Station Wagon.
Disappointed. Nothing to do with sheep stations
Just a few days ago I was thinking about that. Now I know.
The Wood Paneling Station Wagon is what I picture as the iconic 80s and early 90s car! So Distinctive!!
My dad worked at a Ford dealer for over 40 years and we always had a new Ford Country Squire wagon as a demo. Grew up in one during the 80's and early 90's. We always towed our boat with it, and it did great. At one point, one of our wagons had a 460ci engine in it! Talk about a sleeper towing machine! I'll never forget driving through the Mojave desert on our way to AZ sitting facing sideways in the far back seat watching our boat being towed behind us. Great memories.
Back in the dark ages, I had a 1971 LTD Country Squire 8 passenger wagon, brown, with woodgrain panels, a roof rack, a two way tailgate, and a 400 cu in motor. 10 mpg on the highway.
It could carry a 4'x8' sheet of plywood, with the tailgate closed up.
I learned to parallel park in this same car. My brothers stole construction cones that had holes in top and we would put broomsticks in them so we could learn to judge the distance. If you can park one of those, you can park anything.
I think my parents had that same car. They had 7 kids and I was #5. I was in the very back rumble seats that folded up from the floor in the back with 2 other siblings. Not the most comfortable, especially with our knees knocking together as we had to sit facing each other.
One of my older brothers smashed it up if I recall correctly.
Not that it is a direct comparison, but more a how far things have come, our 10-year old Honda minivan can also carry 8 people, or 4x8 sheets of plywood, gets 25-28mpg at 75mph, and will likely smoke that car in a drag race, or around a corner. And they keep getting better.
And I learned to parallel park in a '75 Cadillac Coupe de Ville. And almost failed my driving test because I took my right hand turns too wide for the tester (who drive a Datsun B-210...I asked).
@@davidavard8461 It's hilarious that while I was driving to a friend's house, yesterday, I was behind a mid 70's Pontiac, full sized Station Wagon, with the fake woodgrain sides, and roof rack. It was mid 70's, so it was slightly smally than my old 1971. This version could fit a 4'x8' piece of plywood, without being able to close the rear door.
Perfect condition.
45 seconds in and I sound like I'm in a church in the deep south. PREACH IT BROTHER!! Aww lawd.
My wife had a 1991 Peugeot 505 Turbo wagon for years. We LOVED it! S-loads of room for the kids and 2 dogs + stuff. Very smooth ride. Still move along quickly though.
I have a 2017 VW Sportwagen for many years now and I'm in love ! Practical and affordable car with a lot of nice features... Oh ! not to mention that it's an AWD, making it very fun to drive in the snow hear up north !!
In Germany we call this car shape "Kombi". Standing for "Kombinationswagen". The are heavilly challenged also here by these inefficient road tanks called SUVs, but there is a remaining audience.
Living in New Zealand we still get lots of station wagons still I've only had two sedans, the rest have been either hatchbacks or wagons. So much more versatile and practical for a small family. Right now I've got three station wagons in various stages of running in the driveway.
My Subaru Liberty wagon was the ultimate practical car. 6 cylinder, manual and AWD. I had to move house 3 times last year and it was able to transport almost all of my non-furniture belongings in a single trip each time. SUVs can't fit the same amount of cargo due to their bulky bodywork constraining the interior space, and they're so high up it can be harder to lift heavy things into them.
I like that some manufacturers are still keeping the station wagon alive in the face of SUV dominance and hope that the 'light truck' loophole can be tightened up to exclude these suburban bricks of metal that only serve to increase pedestrian deaths due to their high grilles and heavy weight. As a motorcyclist and Miata owner, it can be pretty scary being around them too, while station wagons are just car-sized and don't really pose an increased threat compared to sedans and hatchbacks.
We never were offered the H6 with a manual in any subaru (in the USA) but can imagine it was a blast 😊
@twoeightythreez yep it was great to drive and I've got a few videos showcasing that. Brilliant car just no longer need something that practical anymore that I'm finally in stable housing (fingers crossed)
In Germany, unless you're poor, young or an asshole, you'll buy a station wagon.
It's an obvious choice. The speed and consumption of a car but much more space and stability at high speeds (autobahn), and perfect practicality for 95% of your needs.
If you need more room, you buy a van or a minivan. Absolutely no reason to own "a truck". Absolutely no reason to buy something that "covers all your needs" 100% of time but is oversized for 99% of your real needs.
I know this may sound weird to americans, and soon you'll be driving busses and trains as personal vehicles, but life is all about balance.
If you're a boomer you will buy an SUV. They're just easier to get into for older people. Smaller SUVs like the T-Roc or the Tiguan are among the best selling cars for a reason.
@bcfuerst there's a lot of cars which are pretty easy to get into which are not SUVs.
I've had a hard time explaining to my father that SUVs aren't even close in practicality and space to station wagons. It's THE perfect everyday car. SUVs are the just pointless, especially the small SUVs, but it is what it is.
@@bcfuerstit’s an interesting point you make. A lot of SUVs at the moment aren’t a lot taller than station wagons were in the 60’s and 70’s. Over time sedans and wagons have got lower with lower hip points. It would be interesting to compare some of the lower SUVs now against typical family cars of the 60’s and 70’s from the point of view of ease of access.
Most people are just a bunch of sheep following the marketing ideas of automotive companies. And this is true in Germany as well since the SUV is taking over more and more here too. The only difference: There are lots of small SUVs sold here with much less practicality and cargo space than any wagon. SUVs are more profitable and therefore marketing budgets go towards pushing them.
I have a 1974 Chrysler Town & Country. It’s gotten the kind of attention usually associated with vintage Corvettes, Chargers and Mustangs.
I grew up riding in station wagons. They had great utility, especially for family trips. My dad switched to away from them when they were replaced by vans and similar SUVs.
I own an 87 oldsmobile Cutlass Ciara wagon. 3.8, 440t4. Fold up rear facing back seat. Runs great. Work on it myself. Our kids love it. Blast from the past.😊
Back in a day I had an 88 Cutlass Cierra wagon. The same 3.8L. Loved it, but had to get rid off it after it started stalling for no reasons(on highways it was scary to stall at 70mph), and then staring normally after 1/2 hours or so. I went to 3 different mechanics and nobody could figure out what was wrong with it.
As someone who lives in Colorado, the wagon never really went away, it just became the Subaru Outback.
I have a 2020 Touring XT, and I completely concur. It is NOT, under any circumstances, a "compact SUV" - it's an all wheel drive wagon and I pray to (insert the deity of your choice) that Subaru sticks to the format.
Here here.
Amen.
I can sit comfortably in the back seat of a subaru outback, but hit my head in the backseat of full size pickups. Where did we go wrong?
Screw subaru man
The original name was"depot hack" and later station wagon, both "depot" and "station" in reference to the railroad. These weren't only for passengers but also for local delivery of express packages, what would become the consolidated Railway Express Agency (REA), what is now handled by FedEx, UPS, etc.
I grew up in a pontiac station wagon but had no idea the name originally came from a vehicle that was actually used to go to the train station!
The last good Japanese wagon I remember was the Acura TSX. I was saving to get a new one when they quit importing it to the US market and went to a SUV of course. It was basically a Honda Accord wagon.
Last? What about Toyota Corolla, Mazda 3, 6, Mitsubishi Lancer, Honda Civic? Corolla still in production, Civic wagon will be back soon.
The station wagon was as bigger part of life in Australia as it was in the USA. Australians loved the station wagon. I think in Australia the 60s 70s and right up to the 90s they were popular. Ford, GM, Toyota and Mitsubishi all pull out of Australia in the 20-teens. Very sad days. We don't manufacture here anymore.
And the much forgotten Holden Adventra Wagon, a real rival to the Subaru Outback. However, at that time Ford Australia released the Territory which essentially killed the Wagon in Australia
We dont make anything here inAustralia except some food stuffs! Toothpaste, toothbrushs, clothes , clothes pegs,furniture, electrical goods, nothing is manufactured here now, thanks to progressive labour governments following WEF principles and the conservative governments are no better! We need more choices, but our governments are selected not elected!🤬
@@paulorchard7960 true. But we did and should be proud of that history.
@@paulorchard7960take your tinfoil hat off. Manufacturing in Australia is expensive. Successive labor and liberal governments poured unfathomable money into Aussie manufacturers to make tacky unreliable cars no one was interested buying. No imperative to compete. It’s nice to blame the people giving you a handout and while you’re right in a sense since they might have picked up their game without the handout to do the heavy lifting but it was too late. You can’t just make things for funsies, you need to find a buyer.
Btw. The manufacturing industry continued to grow, just not as fast as the service and resource sectors that offer better jobs and work to our competitive advantages. To someone who cares about emotional optics that looks like a contraction but it’s not. It’s just economic maturation.
@@je2338And it got replaced by the dreadful craptiva
was never a wagon guy until I bought a 1996 Buick roadmaster estate and I love it! this thing is a great car, and great truck and decent on a dirt road to go camping.
This is the only American car I actually want to own. I think they’re really cool especially with the ‘wood’ trim. There’s a few here in Finland but hard to find a clean one.
My dad not only had a roadmaster wagon he also had the sedan, gave the sedan to my brother to help him out when he got out of the military and had a hard time finding a job.
I had a few B wagons, manual swapped them too!
@@Whatshisname346 I would import a clean one they are 8 to 15k for a really really nice one.
I had an '84 Buick estate wagon with that crazy rear facing bench-seat. Seated nine.
My family had a 1964 sky blue Jeep Wagoneer - the only new car my parents bought while I was growing up (all the other cars were used). We took that thing _everywhere._ We made month-long summer vacation trips almost every year, either across the US or up into Canada, visiting national parks and ghost towns, driving on the most obscure dirt trails my dad could find on the Geological Survey maps he collected, getting stuck in ditches, salt flats, trees - yes, _IN TREES_ (that was in Newfoundland) - and muddy ruts (if the trucks can do it, so can we! Oh. No, I guess we don't have _quite_ as much clearance as they do). Dad built a box on top of the Jeep that opened up to form a tent; my sister and I slept up there and Mom and Dad took out the seats and slept inside the car. When not traveling, we used the Jeep to haul the trash to the dump (back in the day before weekly garbage pickup, and when you could actually go out into the dump and salvage things - I'm still using two lovely table lamps I got off that dump!) and various other errands. I miss my dad, and I miss the Jeep. Thanks for bringing back such wonderful memories!
I loved my used 69 Mercury Marquis with the largest passenger car engine ever built, but my family’s first brand new car was a 95 Ford Escort Station Wagon that lasted us 24 years with eventually needing a new engine. It was an amazing, economical and extremely reliable small station wagon!
In the late 80’s I bought my parents’ ‘83 Cavalier wagon. I was working construction and renovating my old house at the time, and that little car was bulletproof, even though I used it hard. It hauled all the tools I needed and fit 4x8 sheet goods with ease. That, and 30+ mpg, made it one of the best cars I’ve ever owned! I sold it cheaply when it hit near 140,000 miles in the late 90’s, and the person I sold it to put another 30,000 miles on it before it became uneconomical to repair.
I love my 2002 VW Golf Variant 1.9 TDI, went on a 10000km road trip to Nordkapp last June. I wouldn't trade it for any newer car in the past 10 years, because they're nowhere near as reliable.
I might trade it for an older Subaru Outback or an older Volvo XC70.
But my Golf feels like just the right mix of EXTREMELY economical, practical, reliable, and even fast at 150HP weighting less than 1.3 tons, I've had BMW 3's with almost 300HP that I'd keep up with... if for some weird reason I ever need that outside of fun lol.
I wish we'd get some american big wagon with late 90's/early 2000's reliability, like a 80's Buick Estate Wagon which is one of the best looking wagons ever, but with actual fuel economy this time and maybe a slighted more lifted ride height for when you feel like going on some rugged tracks, that would be THE perfect car in my opinion, it would have everything anyone would need in daily life.
I agree completely! Station wagons or „kombis“ how we call them in germany combine a good fuel economy and a small footprint with a maximum of space. I drive a Seat Leon (basically a VW Golf) station wagon with a TGI motor. 3,6 kg of CNG per 100km is outrageously good in terms if fuel economy. And I did most of my moving with it. I was even able to fit my bed in there. And there are even spacier models on the market. In my opinion 80-90% of us only need compact city cars, station wagons or mini vans. Everything else is a luxury. If owning a car in general is not already one.
It really tickled me that my 2022 Rav4 was actually listed as a "wagon" on the paperwork. Neat vid!
I thought the station was from a farm or ranch not a train station. I also didn’t know the wood thing was historical. So interesting! Thanks!
Growing up, our family used a 1957 Ford Country Squire that hauled a 19 foot Shasta trailer and then later a 24 foot Airstream on many trips. In 1964, that wagon was traded it in for an International Harvester Travelall. Me personally my vehicle is a 2022 Kia Carnival (still listed as the Sedona in maintenance systems). You are right, you cannot beat the minivan.
Wagons for life ! My daily summer vehicle is a Black 2001 V70 T5, and my winter beater is a 14 Subaru Outback.
Opposites in the wagon world.
My daily Summer vehicle is a Harley....my inclement weather vehicle is an older true four wheel drive Grand Cherokee....
I owned possibly the most non-descript station wagon ever... The 1993 Ford escort. A very good car.
I dove a ‘98 Escort for a decade. Great car.
I had one too and it was one of the best cars I ever had. I drove it about 11 or 12 years until the rear shock towers rusted out. 5 speed manual transmission and it got 40 mpg or better on the highway. After it was gone I got a Taurus wagon. Another great car.
@@Reubenhubert hey mine had a 5-speed also and the clutch was still tight at 140,000 miles when I sold it cheap because of body damage. The only bad thing I ever remember was I bought it with 17,000 miles and it looked brand new and I was so happy about it driving home and then I stopped at a red light on a major road and I looked around and in every direction was a car that looked exactly like mine same color even.
@ If it wasn’t for road salt in the winter that caused the rust I probably would have driven it for another 10 years or so.
As a wee lad, the family car was a 1979 Mercury Marquis wagon in forest green. Mean green machine.
Of course, I gave you a like. When I was a kid, my neighbor would go camping in his 1965 Ford Galaxy 500 station wagon with a high output 390, four barrel, dual exhaust, posi-trac, towing package from the factory. I ended up buying that station wagon when I was 18! I later owned a mid 80's Pontiac fully loaded station wagon. I gotta tell you, these station wagons were longer than my full size GMC Savanah Van! The station wagon would only fit in a cleared out garage. My Dodge Caravan mini van was the death knell of the Pontiac. Not the body on frame SUV, but the unibody SUV is the modern everyman's car/station wagon. I have a FWD Highlander Hybrid and a 4WD Highlander Hybrid as my modern station wagons, getting ~23 mpg. And I recently picked up a Honda Pilot, close to 20mpg. All are unibody construction, they are bigger on the inside and smaller on the outside than my beloved full sized station wagons. : )
I have fond memories growing up with the family station wagon. You haven't experienced the joy of family traveling until you've had a station wagon tailgate lunch by the side of the road. My mom made some of the most gourmet food you could ever imagine right on the tailgate of our station wagon. Or at least as kids we thought it was gourmet. I thought we were going to see a resurgence of the popularity of the station wagon when Ford redesigned Taurus came out in the wagon version but alas we didn't.
Buick Regal TourX!
If you're tall this is an awesome car!
You can sleep in the back when you drive across the country.
My trip average was 36.9 mpg
AWD.
The TourX is a great looking car and that's impressive mileage. I bought a Toyota Avalon Hybrid for cross country trips, nearly 40 mpg, enough cabin room for my wife and two teenagers, but barely enough trunk space for camping gear and luggage for our annual two week vacation. I'm a bit envious!
@jfu5222 there's only 14k of em.
Good ones are under 20k.
I love my TourX. It's so incredibly practical and comfortable, while also being (I think) quite stylish. I'm 6' 1" tall and can just barely sleep in the back with the seats down, but mostly it's great for hauling mountain bikes in the back, so that I don't need to worry about locking them up or risk accidentally driving into my garage with them on top. I always find it funny to pull into trailheads and see a bunch of gigantic trucks in the parking lot that can't fit a single bike in the bed, and meanwhile I can fit 2 in my wagon!
@@BrainySmurf77 yeah I haul my bike around too! it's A folding fat tire.
:0 oh damn. I need to search for more modern statiom wagom and found those ones like you just mention.
The last American station wagon was the Dodge Magnum
Cadillac CTS and CTS-V, -2014; and if a Euro import counts, Buick Regal TourX, -2020
Modern SUVs arent even SUVs, just cars with slightly higher roofs
And 4 inches extra ground clearance that 99% never use
Modern SUVs are just somewhat differently styled station wagons. They fill the same purpose with pretty much the same functions. They look a fair bit like those very early station wagons, too. Tall station wagons.
And higher pricing for sure.
Slightly? you can even see around them to pull out of parking spot in a regular car.
There's no sport, no utility, I'm hesitant to call them vehicles.
I miss my families station wagon. So much more fun to watch where you have been than where you’re going.
I own a Volvo V70 wagon as you would call it. This is an excellent all round" Estate Car" as we in Europe would call it. Estate cars to me are the epitome of practicality. Volvo have a long tradition making these vehicles and they are very reliable indeed.
I've had a Cavalier Wagon, Taurus Wagon, and two Subaru Outbacks.
I still like wagons.
5:30 - You are 30 years off, yuppies didn't exist until the 80's. 😉 and also, the station wagon was not a common yuppie car.
Yuppies are at the earliest a product of the late 70s like you said, they would've driven convertibles not wagons! 😅 Wonder where the TH-camr got that impression from. Maybe he confused it with hipsters in later generations? Or maybe he meant to say boomer families in the 50s
Young, urban professional. City dwellers don't buy station wagons.
Station wagon
A wagon from the station
Of course, how could I have missed it ? !
Yah. I just got it myself after 58 years. Here in the U.K. we call them estates, I now wonder why.
@@fritzthedog007 isn't "estate" a synonym (kinda) for "belongings"?
@ Yes, perhaps that's it, a car in which you can put all your belongings.
@@fritzthedog007 It's estate as in mansion, manor or resort. In Sweden wagons are called 'herrgårdsvagn' as in a shuttle (going) to a lavish property, or carriage belonging to an estate. Same with 'station wagon'; it's a shuttle going between the (train) station/ steamer port and a guest house. BITD rich people would spend their holidays at various luxurious boarding houses so horse carriages were needed to transport guests from drop-off point to destination, along with all their luggage, servants and nannies. Many such mansions would aquire their own carriages so as to offer their guests transportation as a courtesy. As the motor car came along the names stuck
BMW makes a station wagon version of the 5 Series called the “5 Series Touring” at their factories in Germany. It’s about $2000, pricier than the sedan. I had a blast driving the Touring; it handled just as well as the sedan. With a six-cylinder diesel engine, we took it for a spin on the Autobahn near Leipzig for 100 miles. It’s a wild engine for a car like this, but man, it’s so much fun!
My parent's friend, who owned the car, drove us back. He casually reached speeds of 140 mph multiple times without noticing or stopping talking.😅
my last station wagon was a Mercury Grand Marquis. loved that wagon basically a Lincoln Continental station wagon. my next two vehicles were Explorers, both only 2-wheel drive because I knew I didn't need 4 wheel drive and of course better gas mileage. the first Explorer I had over 20 years and over 400,000 miles.
Probably my favorite car is the borderline indestructible Volvo 245
Unfortunately, Volvo is Chinese now.
Compared to a VW Golf Wagon, it's much less spacious and uses twice the amount of fuel.
I always refer to my subaru as a station wagon and everyone gets really confused
Something I don't think you mentioned, but the movie National Lampoon's Vacation turned the station wagon into a joke. While they were never cool, station wagons had simply been unassuming vehicles for families, but after that movie they were the butt of a lot of jokes and people didn't want to be seen in one.
I was so disappointed we never got to see the car he actually ordered: the Antarctic Blue super sports wagon with the CB and the rally fun pack …
@@AtomicBuffalo It was featured in "Christmas Vacation", a first generation Ford Taurus wagon
The "Wagon Queen Family Truckster"
Plenty of people have re-created that wagon, it's iconic now.
I don't really agree that the wagon per se became a joke after that movie. The joke was never that station wagons were bad in general, it was only that he was manipulated into buying a lemon instead of the wagon he actually ordered.
@@AtomicBuffalo Yes. They should have partnered up with a car company and actually used one of their wagons with mods, then released a limited edition of it to the public for sale.
Buick Regal Tour-X Essence trim is probably the best wagon available from an American brand.
It is an Opel that was brought over with only changes to the trim and Passing legal American road requirements.
Asin 6 speed auto with semi manual shifter.
250hp 4 cyl turbo with direct injection and AWD.
This is the best bang for the buck with reliability and daily driving performance.
Only sold by Buick from 2018 to 2020.
I read it was lack of sales, but I feel there was other waves trending in the industry at the time as well as poor advertising of the TourX.
Searching for TH-cam car reviewers that cover this wagon shows that this is one car that was sorely overlooked by the American public.
Everyone loves them and have admired the approach Buick took bringing back a wagon for a few years.
They claim it has the most cargo space available from a Buick.
Driving one sells it with all doors feeling solid and car control with steering response giving compact performance rally car vibes.
It is the the return of the wagon from Buick after 30+years and as an owner of a 2019 TourX Essence, the quality shows.
This is a keeper for the life of the car if I can help it.
The Plymouth Suburban you mentioned debuted in 49 as the one you showed was a 49 with the unique grill. I have one and a 68 Ford Country Sedan (wagon), was lucky enough to have an 86 Mercury Grand Marquis wagon for my first car and fell in love with station wagons. Great video. I feel like the Ford Flex was close to being a modern station wagon myself and of course the Dodge Magnum and Cadilac V wagons both died from lack of interest.
@13:30 - it's not about "narrow streets". We prefer "wagons" in some parts of the world because they generally have more interior space then an SUV, they're lighter and 2wd giving them better fuel consumption, and they handle way better than an SUV.
Volvo 2/7/945s are the very essence of station wagons. Owned quite a few of them myself
Still enjoying my 2006 Hemi Magnum RT AWD
Those things were so cool!
Same...except mine was one of the first to receive the Charger front end transformation back in 2009.
Ahh, the memories! Growing up my family had a Ford Country Squire in the early ‘70s. Bronze with wood panel accents. We took road trips from Denver to Dallas to visit relatives, driving straight through while we kids slept in the back. I learned to drive in that car. We put studded snow tires on it in the winter, along with sand bags in the back to help with traction. Eventually when I got married and had kids my parents gave it to us. My husband finally replaced it with a Ford Expedition around 1998 as a gift for me. It was a great car!
My dad bought a 1966 Mercury Colony Park Station wagon Blue with faux wood on the sides. What a monster 390 cu. We used to play “spin the bottle” in the back 6 kids fit with room to spare.
0:55… Those 1957 and 1958 Oldsmobile and Buick station wagons are classic!
We are Fucked .
I don't care how many people tell me my ford flex is an suv or a crossover, it's a station wagon, you cannot convince me otherwise.
Idk man in looks HUGE compared to classic wagon, but it's a really great car, I think it's what really suvs are supposed to be not the stupid modern suv
@hemmin4582 it's certainly big, at least compared to something like a hatchback or sedan, but it's still dwarfed by something like an f-150 or a suburban, best part is all th back seats fold down completely flat, great for hauling tools and camping gear!
@@dimondminer4754 I'm jealous I wish I could get this type of car some day! And I really don't understand why regular guy would need something as big as f-150 as a daily
If the Ford Flex were a station wagon, its platform would've been based on a sedan or hatchback, then made as a sedan variant with an extended roof and rear overhang.
It was based on a sedan. It shared a platform with the Ford Taurus.
15:38 You say here that SUVs are made on truck platforms. This isn't true anymore. The vast majority of new SUVs today are bult on car platforms or ones that are SUV specific that more resemble car platforms than trucks. There are very few body on frame SUVs anymore. Even the Bronco Sport, the "baby" Bronco is based on the platform originally developed for the last Ford Focus. Most SUVs really are just cosmetic evolutions of the Station Wagon. Car companies realized they could sidestep emissions rules and make more money so they steered the buying public to SUVs, and the customer didn't like the truck like ride so they started basing them off cars, but keeping the SUV name so they could keep selling them as light trucks. Most modern SUVs are just morbidly obese Station Wagons. That said, I hate them and wish the Wagon would make a come back along with two door sedans/hatchbacks, but I'm not holding my breath on that one.
I'm still Confused as to why SUVs are called SUVs when they Simply Don't Resemble what they Describe, a Sports Utility Vehicle..........I Drive a 2002 4WD Nissan Patrol that's Classified as an SUV, (I think Nissan Market It in Australia as a Station Wagon) It is By No Means a SportsCar, it more Resembles a Tractor, It's Not a Ute because it Doesn't have a Tray or a Tub, However It is a Vehicle.
@DMSVICAU The sports in SUV doesn't refer to the same thing as sports in sports car. The Sports in SUV means off road sports. SUVs originated as utility off road vehicles. The WWII Jeep is often considered the first SUV.
Now I’m Even More Confused……..How is Driving to My Favourite Fishing Spot. In My Tractor a Sport, when a Sport means To Compete (that Probably Explains why People Drive Like DickHeads) EitherWay It’s Just Marketing BullShit……….
Hang On a Sec……….I’ve Got It…Sports as in a SoccerMums MultiPurpose StationWagon.
@DMSVICAU Have you never seen an offload race? The Baja 1000, Dakar etc. Then there is trail running, rock crawling. There are a multitude of off road automotive sports. Just as there are a multitude of on road automotive sports that sports cars are named after. Back in the 60s through the 80s SUVs were mainly 4wd off road vehicles, like the Jeep, Bronco, Land Rover etc. They got slowly morphed into what they are now because manufacturers realized they could get around American emissions laws because SUVs were considered light trucks and exempt from the much harsher car restrictions. They also realized they could charge much more because the SUVs were bigger, even though they didn't cost much more to make. And as always what happens in America usually filters out to the rest of the world to one degree or another.
@@DeadnCold
I’m glad you Finally Understand Why I think SUV is such an Absolutely Ridiculous Term for a Vehicle that is not a Ute or a SportsCar (eg Holden Captiva) Given Where it Originated.
If there's any car I associate with my dad, it's a station wagon that we had when I was in my early teens - so mid-eighties. At the time, I had a love/hate relationship with that car. It was faded yellow with wood trim. I was so embarrassed when my dad would drop me off or pick me up from school. But, I loved that thing on road trips. The back seats could swivel around to face the rear, and you had plenty of room to lay down and get some sleep.
One of my first cars was a 1973 Chevrolet Caprice Estate wagon, which fellow university students in the late 1970s often thought was a hand-me-down from my family. But I bought it because I thought it was about the coolest thing on the planet, with great styling, a huge interior, and power everything including a split tailgate that slid out of sight into the roof and floor. It would hold a stack of 4x8 plywood in the load area with the tailgate closed, or a bunch of happy people enjoying the roomy accommodations, smooth ride, and powerful air conditioning. Boy did I have fun with that car.
Station wagons are awesome.
mini pick ups, station wagons... we lost them :(
It's true. People don't understand me when I go on about this. My first car was a Dodge Magnum. Big enough for everything I needed to carry and the people I needed to haul. Still small enough for the responsiveness and efficiency of a full-size sedan. It was the perfect solution to my first road trip.
My dream car is a Cadillac CTS-V wagon with a manual. No one buys manuals or wagons anymore, so only 514 were ever made. That car is NEVER coming back. It's a real unicorn.
Same as the commodore v8 wagon.
The automatics are a little cheaper and there are about 2000 of them. Either way, horrible fuel economy :)
@AtomicBuffalo the price we pay for superchargers lol
@@rnelson1415 It’s a heavy platform and the gearing is short and spaced for performance; 6th isn’t tall enough for ideal freeway efficiency.
I grew up riding in various Australian made Ford wagons. When my dad’s health caused him to give up driving, he gave me his 1997 Ford Falcon wagon and I love it. I’ve owned it several years now and I’ll never sell it. Especially since dad passed away last March.
In 1976 my parents bought a brand new Ford LTD Country Squire station wagon. It had the fake wood paneling and plastic trim. I was 11. We drove from Minnesota to New Jersey in it, family trips to relatives in St. Paul. I learned to drive in it. It had to be 20 feet long with a 460 CI V8. Its long gone now, but the memories live on.
RIP the Wagon Queen Family Truckster 🙏
You didn't order the metallic pea?
You think you hate it now, wait until you drive it.
You are only talking about America. In Europe the ratio of 'station wagons' or 5door cars to 4-door sedans is like, maybe 20 to 1? If i had to guess. I RARELY EVER SEE ANY SEDAN EVER. I dont know a single person here who owns one. And i did just move back to europe this past year after 20 years in California, so my mentality was like this video. Like wtf are all these station wagons doing here? If i wanted something like this id get an SUV... was my thought. Guess what? I ended up buying an Audi station wagon LOL. It was the only logical choice financially and practically. And i dont regret not paying twice as much for an SUV or just as much for a rarer sedan.
Literally anywhere you look in Europe you will see 1 sedan to 2 SUVs to 20 stationwagons and maybe a few hatchbacks. It is that dominant.
Maybe you haven't been to Europe so you dont know, but come visit, we would love to have you! :)
It is kinda funny how in US it was uncool to have one, while here it is uncool to not have one. Weird stuff, but I love my audi 5-door. So who cares.
So much for the "death of the station wagon" though, amirite?
I can literally go weeks without seeing a single sedan lol, everywhere 5doors of every brand. I see SUVs far more often than sedans, let alone coupes. Havent seen a coupe in a month despite being through cities regularly. Hatchbacks, yes, but not coupes. A few sedans for the wealthy. Every sensible person still buys a 5-door, what Americans call stationwagons. And they are beastly fast here :) cheers though
Opposite in Australia and north America.
Plus European wagons in Australia are too expensive for what you pay for in features because they cost so much to start with.
Where do you live? Here the CUVs are flooding the roads. The only survivours being subcompacts, and the occasional wagons.
Where in Europe exactly do you see a 20:1 wagon:sedan ratio?
Would you call Volvo XC70 a SUV or a station wagon?
@@kricku SUV of course. It has even Volvo's SUV class naming.
My dream car is the 1985 volvo 240 estate
Had to click on this! My first car was a 72 Volvo station wagon. A beast with the best turning radius I've ever seen.
My Dad owned two wagons; a 68' Ford Fairlane and a 73' Plymouth Suburban. Loved both of those cars!
They discontinued the Ford Flex, it was a great station wagon, I may go buy a used one....
Water pumps fail and half the engine has to be removed to get to it
Ford Flex is actually a unibody SUV.
16:18 Very few SUV's are capable of offroading to begin with. In Europe we have even less offroad capable ones, and even those that can are rarely bought for that purpose. No one buys a brand new G-wagen to go play in the dirt. People just want to feel good in the tall commanding look over the other drivers.
"Never underestimate the bandwidth of a station wagon full of tapes hurtling down the highway."
Said by Andrew S Tannenbaum, professor and computer scientist. Still true today, how many 1TB SD cards do you think will fit in the back of a Roadmaster?
You just made me realize why all the cars i've been looking at as "My next car" have been modern station wagons and Hatchbacks. I remember my dad having alot of cars, i think the death of the mini van and station wagon was the teens looking for great "pickup" cars. In my high school days in 97, i had used a ford explorer for that.
Had station wagons for many years - my favorite was the 1972 Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser. When sitting in the elevated third row seating, you looked out over the front roof through the panoramic windows on your left, center and right. The kids loved that.