Wagon or not?

If you think about it, the new Explorer, while called an SUV, is just a station wagon body on the Taurus/Flex/Edge platform. They called it the Taurus X and Freestyle in previous incarnations.

I consider the Freestyle, Flex, and Taurus X to be wagons, but I consider the front-drive Explorer to be a crossover, because it's too large and tall to be a station wagon, and it shares no sheetmetal with the actual Taurus. The Edge is definitely a crossover and a minimally useful one at that. 5 passenger seating, moderate cargo area, I could do with a 5 year old Focus wagon everything the Edge can do except all-wheel-drive.

Then you have GM's fleet, the old Trailblazer, definitely an SUV. The Uplander they tried to call it a crossover but it was a minivan with a large front end. Hooray. The Traverse they call a crossover but if it had sliding doors it would be a minivan. I still want to see a Volt powertrain in a Traverse. 8 passengers, 35-40mpg mixed driving, maybe 25 miles of electric only range, that would be sweet. My Silhouette will do for now for people hauling.

Chrysler tried to have a wagon with the Magnum but I consider it a 4-door shooting brake. The cargo area is useless, can't have a 3rd row seat, not tall enough to hold anything, visibility is poor. If they combined the height and length of the Journey with the Magnum/Charger styling, 3rd row seating, the 3.6L engine, that would be a real winner.

If I put a Fusion Hybrid powertrain and front clip on a Freestar, would you consider it a wagon?



I wouldn't consider it a wagon. But I would do it. I love photoshopping such things. I hate calling it a photoshopping, because I use GIMP, but anyway...

 

How about the Prius v? It's being marketed only as a "larger Prius," but the first thing that came to my mind when I saw one was wagon. This article affirms that.

 

Wagon. Would be nice if they could put a third row in it but that's reaching for a 98hp engine even with electric assist.

Highlander is a small SUV, but at least there are barely passable 3rd row seats. I'd put my wife and kids in one, they look OK.

The Highlander now is what the 4Runner should be. The 4Runner is just too fat. Don't get me started on the Sequoia.

 

Good article on the Prius v. I'd say it is a wagon.