What Sparks American Disdain for This Type of Automobile Above All Else?

When it comes to vehicles, station wagons provoke a unique reaction, particularly within the United States. This car body design used to be favored for family road trips and weekend soccer matches, but now it has been overshadowed by SUVs, crossovers, and pickup trucks. While in Europe wagons continue to enjoy popularity, comprising over 8% of the market share as of 2022, even there, their presence has declined in recent times.

The scenario in the US is quite grim, as out of the total 15.5 million vehicles sold in 2023, only about 1% were wagons. It’s even bleaker when you realize that over 97% of that figure stemmed from a single model, one that many wouldn’t categorize as a wagon. If we only include the authentic wagons, fewer than 5,000 were bought by Americans in 2023, making up 0.03% of all new car sales. For comparison, more than 6,000 individuals drove home a brand-new Rolls-Royce that same year.

Subaru Outback​​​​​

The Subaru Outback dominates the station wagon sector in the US, comprising more than 97% of sales with 161,812 units sold in 2023. While it may trace its roots back to the Legacy Wagon, the Outback has evolved over time to resemble more of a crossover than a traditional wagon. Interestingly, Subaru refers to it as a “midsize SUV” on their official website.

While we could rely on EPA classifications, which exclude the Outback from the wagon category, the situation can get quite convoluted. The EPA has made some peculiar decisions regarding what constitutes a wagon, encompassing models like the Buick Envista, Chevrolet Bolt EV, Kia EV6, Kia Niro, Nissan Ariya, Nissan Kicks, Subaru Impreza, and even the Rolls-Royce Cullinan at one juncture.

In this scenario, we will utilize intuition to exclude SUVs, crossovers, and hatchbacks. Wagons with a slight lift like the Audi Allroad and Volvo Cross Country models are acceptable, but extreme cases like the Cullinan are not. The calculation of wagon sales is not straightforward since many car manufacturers do not differentiate sales by body styles within models. Based on statistics from Auto Pacific, it was approximated that approximately 4,800 wagons were purchased in 2023.

Audi Allroads & RS6 Avant​​​​​​

The US market offers three wagon models from Audi at present: the Audi A4 allroad, the Audi A6 allroad, and the Audi RS6 Avant. The allroad variants are raised, akin to the Outback, while the RS6 features a high-performance wagon design. According to Auto Pacific data, Audi managed to sell around 900 A4 allroad units and approximately 800 A6 units (including allroad and RS6). These figures account for roughly 6.6% of total A4 sales (13,550 units) and 13.3% of A6 sales (6,003 units).

While the sales figures may not be substantial, Audi stands out as one of the few brands committed to providing wagons in the US. Notably, Audi recently unveiled its quickest wagon to date, the RS6 GT, and has plans for new models in the pipeline, such as the A5 Avant.

Mercedes E-Class All-Terrain & AMG

In 2023, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class lineup included two wagon versions: the durable and raised E-Class All-Terrain, and the performance-oriented AMG E63. The specific sales breakdown for each variant is not available, but the combined sales of the two E-Class models amounted to approximately 300 units, which is not substantial. Wagons represented only 1.7% of total E-Class sales (including CLS) in 2023, a very small percentage indeed. Hence, it is understandable why Mercedes chose not to introduce the C-Class All-Terrain to the US market. While the new All-Terrain model has been introduced by Mercedes, we eagerly anticipate updates on the new E63.

Volvo Cross Country

The exceptional sales surge in 2023 saw Volvo surpass German luxury automakers in wagon sales, with 2,539 units sold. Volvo provided a detailed breakdown of sales, showcasing impressive figures. The Volvo V60 (now exclusively offered as an Engineered By Polestar model) witnessed a 400% jump in sales to 602 units in 2023. However, the real star was the V60 Cross Country, which moved 1,360 units. With over 2,000 units sold, the V60 emerged as the top-selling wagon in the US, outperforming the Subaru Outback. The larger V90 Cross Country (the standard V90 is no longer available in the US) fared less impressively with 577 units. Although Volvo has a strong wagon legacy, uncertainties loom over the future production given current low sales figures.

Porsche Taycan Cross/Sport Turismo

Porsche briefly explored the wagon segment by introducing long-roof options for the Panamera and Taycan models. Now that the Panamera Sport Turismo is no longer in the lineup, the Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo and Cross Turismo are the solitary wagon offerings. Specific sales figures are not available, but Porsche only managed to move around 200 Taycan wagons in 2023. In contrast, total Taycan sales for that year stood at 7,570 units, meaning the Sport and Cross Turismo versions constituted a mere 2.6% of the overall sales.

While electric vehicles were anticipated to boost the popularity of wagon body styles due to their aerodynamic nature and spacious interiors, the only electric wagon available in the US has not witnessed significant sales success so far.

When is the Demise of the Wagon Expected?

The sales figures indicate a sharp decline in wagon sales (excluding the Outback) post-pandemic. A primary reason for the sales slump is the limited availability of wagons. The US market has fewer wagon models to offer, and those that are available are scarce at dealerships. While some manufacturers like BMW with the M5 Touring are still attempting to sell limited quantities, the future of wagons seems to be on a downward trajectory.

Auto Pacific anticipates a significant drop until wagons are virtually nonexistent in the market. By 2029, the research organization forecasts that less than 500 station wagons will be sold in the US. Meanwhile, the number of mid-engine supercars is expected to rise substantially. In contrast, crossovers & SUVs are projected to continue their growth from an estimated 9.2 million in 2024 to nearly 10.3 million in 2029. Although there might be a small devoted fan base for station wagons in the US, the data suggests that it’s insufficient to sustain the survival of this body style for much longer.