Why Wagons are Better Than Sedans and Crossovers

2013 Cadillac CTS-V Wagon. Image Courtesy General Motors.

Before I started having kids I thought sedans and coupes were the only vehicles to own and drive. I was amazed that having one kid filled up part of the backseat and most of the trunk of our sedan, which seemed so big before. When we had a second baby it became apparent to me that we needed something with much more cargo space. We looked at SUVs, crossovers and minivans, but that performance hunger screamed when I drove those other vehicles. Many of those larger vehicles made me feel like I was literally driving the short bus. They took forever to stop (because of their high curb weight and wimpy brake systems), many had significant body roll and some even felt as if they would topple over with each right turn made. Crossovers were new then and were billed as a great SUV alternative, but one look at their puny cargo and third row space made me laugh.

It was then that I discovered the automotive beauty of wagons. Unfortunately most wagons here in America don't come with third rows. Remember the Ford Taurus X? That might have been the last third row wagon sold here. What wagons do offer is humongous cargo spaces, a low center of gravity for good road grip and brisk acceleration (at least from some). This is why people who want on-road performance but also need cargo go for wagons. We bought a wagon and thoroughly enjoyed it until we needed more space. I still consider getting another wagon in the future, especially if I need another vehicle with great cargo space.  

2012 Volvo XC70 cargo space. Image Courtesy Volvo of North America.

There are other benefits of owning a wagon. Overall they get better gas mileage than SUVs and crossovers (except the Dodge Magnum SRT8, which is just plain a blast to drive despite its poor fuel economy). Their tires are smaller and significantly cheaper to replace. Wagons in general stop faster and have much tighter turning radiuses (making U-turns easier to perform). Wagons also have small blind spots and a lower step-in height for easier entry and exit. In essence wagons are lighter on your pocketbook and easier to drive.

Sure, there are people who think wagons are ugly mommy-mobiles, but many SUVs have turned into just that. Just look at the Cadillac Escalade for the biggest offender.

2013 Audi RS6 Avant. Image courtesy Volkswagen Group.

The Aston Martin Rapide Wagon

Before any of you start having a heart attack and go visit your local Aston Martin dealership to see this car in person, let me tell you that the car you see pictured above is a custom, one-off job ordered by an Aston Martin collector. The collector worked with Bertone, who is famous for modifying these exotic rides from England, turning a stock Rapide S into a high performance wagon.

For reasons that are really beyond me, Americans don't like wagons. I've read theories about how it was a push-back against the land yacht wagons of the 1970s, with minivans winning out as women didn't want to drive what their mother already had. That theory also helps explain the proliferation of crossovers -- those ridicuous wanna-be SUVs that would get stuck in about five minutes of off-road driving.

Personally, I think wagons are fantastic, but I've owned one and through said ownership learned the virtues of wagons. They handle tight, unlike SUVs, meaning you can take corners faster and negotiate the twisty canyons that are all around my home with ease. Wagons also hold an obscene amount of cargo. Once I had a bellhop exclaim his disbelief at how much luggage I squeezed into the back of our wagon.

In any case, back to this Aston Martin super wagon. It comes with the same V12 engine that comes in the current Rapide S, which puts out a thunderous 476 horsepower directed to the rear wheels. As you can imagine, this wagon can probably do one hell of a burnout in the right hands. Oh, the official name of the wagon is the Aston Martin Rapide Bertone Jet 2+2. Gotta love some of the boring names people pick.

Confession time: I know a lot of people really love Aston Martins, but I just don't find them all that lust-worthy. The James Bond movies were pretty much banned in my house when I was growing up, so I didn't spend my youth yearning to be like the British spy who so often drove Aston Martins. I know to some people this is the equivalent of automotive blasphemy, but this wagon looks pretty damn funky, like on the level of the Porsche Panamera. It has a bubble butt and kind of reminds me of an SUV that's been squished by a steamroller. That being said, I always though the Dodge Magnum was a funky-looking wagon, but thos did bring it when it came to high performance (especially the SRT-8 models). Frankly I would rather have a 2013 Audi RS6 Avant, which puts out over 550 horsepower and is much lighter. I know it's not as exclusive as the Aston Martin, but I care more about having fun in a car than making everyone think I'm loaded. Alas, Americans' hatred of wagons means Audi for now isn't bringing the RS6 Avant to the United States -- not like I could afford one at the present moment anyway.

So what do you all think of this Aston Martin wagon? 
 

2013 Audi RS6 Avant