A Wagon Renaissance
Gone are the days when the station wagon was a rather unattractive vehicle used mainly by mobile sales forces or trades people. Now days the humble wagon is often referred to as a sports or recreational vehicle and is targeted at lovers of the outdoors and adventure!
Drivers are not limited for choice! Holden launched its all new Sportwagon in mid 2008, Ford offers a good looking Mondeo wagon that is available with a 2.0 diesel engine and the Subaru Liberty wagon is a very popular choice in its class.
“The wagon now appeals to a new demographic,” says sgfleet’s General Manager Sales and Marketing, Roy Waghorn. “Wagons are still practical vehicles but they are now more exciting. We are seeing more and more novated drivers opting for wagons rather than larger SUVs!”
And why not? Today’s wagons are packed with features, rate well on the safety front and are more fuel efficient than their larger SUV cousins. The Mazda 6, 2.2 litre diesel wagon, while only available in manual, is very fuel efficient at 6 litres per 100kms. While it has smaller overall dimensions than its SUV stable mate, the CX-7, the Mazda 6’s diesel engine gets much better fuel consumption and has more cargo space at 519 litres compared to 400 litres in the CX-7.
Even the unassuming Ford Falcon wagon has its appeal. Available in LPG with a massive 1,174 litres of cargo space (2,504 with the rear seats down) this vehicle will appeal to those who require both space and economy. And when compared to the popular Territory with 1,154 litres of boot space it is worth serious consideration.
But choices are not limited to large and mid sized vehicles. Low emissions and excellent fuel economy make the smaller wagon a worthy contender. Hyundai’s i30 has been a serious competitor in its segment for some time and the addition of a wagon in both petrol and diesel can only add to its appeal. Attractive pricing and 415 litres of cargo space mean this vehicle will appeal to those who want more space than that offered by the ever popular hatchback.
Prestige wagons are also well represented. While the BMW Touring range and the Mercedes Estate may be out of some driver’s price range, the Audi A5 Quattro or the Volkswagen Passat should fit the bill. Infact in a recent comparison of wagons by Cars Guide the VW Passat’s 103TDI safety features meant that it came out narrowly ahead of Subaru Liberty, Ford Modeo, Mazda 6 and the Skoda Octavia.
The station wagon appears to be enjoying a renaissance! And regardless of the name they go by there is bound to be an option to suit all needs.
For more information contact:
Andrew Miller
(02) 9494 1000
amiller@sgfleet.com
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