Workhorse Stationwagon or Sportswagon?

[Toaster]

To the big stationwagon owners out there...

I am sure you agree they are fantastic beasts for hauling ya motorbikes around on a trailer and doing all manner of tasks from filling the enormous boot cavity with stuff to carting people around with room aplenty for luggage, golf clubs, motorcycle gear, annoying children, family Rotweiller etc etc.... all the while (usually) cheaper to run than a heavier 4x4 SUV.

I see Holden are moving to the short VE wheelbase for the 2008 Commodore wagon range. The existing wagons, like mine are based on the longer wheelbase - making the boot nice and long.

Yes it will likely look more like the arse end of a 300C 'sports wagon' and will have less "room to boot" (hehehe).

The new design will look a lot sportier no doubt, but I own a Holden wagon for its practicality (obviously... there is no other reason to own one).

I personally think it is a shame they are making wagons shorter.

It wouyld be interested to see what owners and prospective buyers think compared to the designers and marketers.

See article and picture here.

[Toaster]

Picture..... old wagons vs new sportswagons

[98tls]

Doesnt look 1/2 bad though eh,Funny how its going,station wagons with less room and Utes with more,cant believe how much room my Falcon ute has behind the seats and i gather the new Holden ute will also have plenty.

[Toaster]

Doesnt look 1/2 bad though eh,Funny how its going,station wagons with less room and Utes with more,cant believe how much room my Falcon ute has behind the seats and i gather the new Holden ute will also have plenty.

Some of the 4x4 utes have got much bigger... maybe a little american 'pick-up' style coming into it I wonder? The ol' Toyota utes used to be small wee things, now the new 4x4 ute is more of a little 'truck'. Same with Navara's and the like.

Holden tell me the 4x4 Adventura has been taken out by the new SUV Captiva, but it looks a bit soft to me. They said the 4x4 wagon was really popular in Auckland for boaties who didn't like the heavy SUV 'trucks'.

I think anything in the VE range is going to look good in a sports kit.

Will be interesting to see the new Ford design out next year.... moreover, what will they do with their 'hearse' like wagon.. follow Holden's lead and go sporty or drop it altogether like everyone else so far.... or just keep leasing them to Cadbury's in that lovely purple.

[NZsarge]

I like the sport wagon look, about time I say, the Comodore and Falcon wagons have looked like a herse for too long, nothing wrong with a little style in ya loadlugger. But if you wanna real sexy wagon.....Audi RS4 Avant, yknow that one sweet ride! Would'nt turn my nose up at a Calais based Holden sport wagon though, no siree.

[Toaster]

But if you wanna real sexy wagon.....Audi RS4 Avant, yknow that one sweet ride!

I am sure they are at the price they ask for them!!!

I just need a big enough cavity to take my load......

[MacD]

I had a Falcon EA wagon for years. The load space was enormous and a bit of weight didn't slow it down up hills. Then again fully loaded the brakes didn't slow it downhill either! Whenever I see people say they need an SUV for the load carrying I laugh. The back of the Falcon would fit just about anything two people could pick up and throw in it (except a motorbike upright). In the end I got sick of patching up the rust and sold it to somebody who was going to use it as a tow vehicle. The motor was never going to die. Most so-called wagons just seem to be big hatchbacks these days.

On the other hand, I did drive an Alfa 156 Sportswagon in the UK for a couple of weeks and wouldn't mind one of those for carrying the shopping.

[98tls]

lovely [/I]purple.

lets leave purple outta this eh

[Toaster]

lets leave purple outta this eh

... just ..... wiping.... egg.... off.... my face.....

I can't remember what they call it but that paint that changes colour... sort of purple to blue looks pretty nice.

[98tls]

Got to agree on the Cadburys wagons mate thats a shocking purple...on mine 1/2 the time it seems blue.

[lb99]

We have an eb2 falcon wagon, simply cause it was the biggest wagon on the market at the time in our price range (SUVs included) it makes an awesome allround car, it was cheap as chips, simple and reliable as fuck, you can fit 3 carseats across the back, it has a bench seat in front, so we can all fit in without those dodgy rear seats in the boot, the boot is positivley cavernous, and you can fit another row of seats if you want, it routinley pulls its own weight in firewood/scrap metal/building supplies/motorcycles, you name it, and it is reasonable on gas for a big car (bearing in mind that it IS a 4 litre so 20mpg around town is reasonable) but tyres and services are cheap, unlike most sport utility wagons. and it makes a bloody good tractor, just dont get it stuck, coz thats a real cunt.

[Toaster]

Got to agree on the Cadburys wagons mate thats a shocking purple...on mine 1/2 the time it seems blue.

Yep thats the one... looks damn nice. The bars set off the back end of the cab nicely too.

I am just jealous now.

[geoffm]

Our Camry wagon is a good family wagon - lots of space in it, although th e2.2l 4 pot is no ball of fire, especially towing. The 3l V6 would be better for that. Handles like a shopping trolley tho...
Geoff