At the LA Auto show there are two old SUVs that are seemingly turning in to new wagons. Great looking revisions in my opinion. Honda CR-V: The Ford Escape: I'm getting excited but the manufacturers still will not admit that they are beginning to sell wagons.
I really like what Ford is doing with their cars lately. I like that Escape. However, I realize that many here are calling rigs like this "wagons". I don't see them that way. To me, a wagon has to have a few feet of car hanging behind the rear wheels. But, that's just me, I guess.
They don't look like wagons, they're just raised trunk shortened sedans to make room for headroom in the back seat. They should call them TUV's or "truncated ugly vehicles", trunkated would be a better spelling . "trun·cate (trngkt) tr.v. trun·cat·ed, trun·cat·ing, trun·cates 1. To shorten by or as if by cutting off. 2. To shorten (a number) by dropping one or more digits after the decimal point. 3. To replace (the edge of a crystal) with a plane face. adj. 1. Appearing to terminate abruptly, as a leaf of a tulip tree or a coiled gastropod shell that lacks a spire. 2. Truncated." A real station wagon should go by the rule of thirds IMO, roughly a third for the front end from the A pillar, a thrd for the doors and a third for the rear behind the doors or C pillar. Official Station Wagon guide below.
I still like 'em. They still fit the description of a station wagon to me. The K car wagons werer "truncated", the Datson (OMGU) F10 was pretty "truncated", 68 Toyota Corolla wagon was "truncated". The AMC Sportabout was "truncated", etc. etc. etc. I do agree that unless you are driving a full size wagon from the 60's or the big GM wagons from the 90's a piece of plywood simply won't fit.
I absolutely agree that it is about ratios. For me the golden ratio is length from back of rear seat to tailgate must exceed the height of the cargo area. Anything less than that is a hatchback.
PLYWOOD? Using plywood as a rule of thumb, many pick up trucks won't haul a 4+8 sheet of plywood anymore. Besides, I can't afford a piece of plywood!
The Ford Escape...... I'm... it's...OMG thats fugly! Glad I got my honey one when I did, no way I would buy that, and I will speak for my honey.... she would agree.
To me the Ford Flex is the most wagon-like of these un-wagons. For 2013 they get a new kisser that looks pretty damn good IMO.
OK....I've never seen a wagon with a TEN FOOT overhang. The 90's GM wagons are gettin' there, but....I would like to see the ten foot overhang wagon. I don't think it would handle very well in the turns, though.
The term "crossover" SUV seems to be being thrown around a lot, It seems to be the catch phrase for all wheel drive wagon. Since when did wagon become a swear word? Call it what it is...gees.
I have to agree that this is a rather attractive design. Very wagon like indeed. It has a boxy sort of homage to it but with a modern feel without over doing the modernity. I, too, like the new "kisser". The only thing I would like to see different about it is another 5 - 10 inches on the back cargo area, the antenna to be in a different spot, and a roof rack.
