GS69

Acura TSX Wagon Considered - Benz C Class Wagon Off of the Table

Generational biases are nearly impossible to overcome when it comes to cars and image, and what types of cars are hot or not. At least until recently, much of the Baby Boomer generation, which has held most of the new-car buying power, has been decidedly anti-wagon.

My generation, the young side of Gen X plus Gen Y, has liked wagons all along; I can't remember a time when my peers considered them uncool. Whether or not it goes back to the knee-jerk resistance to the Plymouth Voyager minivans and Ford Explorer SUVs that our parents' generation gravitated toward, we really love our sport wagons.

If you're looking for a wagon—especially a sporty wagon—choices have been slim for a long time. The past decade has been full of false starts for the wagon market, as marketers seemed to misunderstand the appeal or pitch products to an older, more affluent audience that wasn't interested (the Lexus IS SportCross was a favorite).

My generation is getting older and fussier and just starting to move toward (and be able to afford) the luxury segment—albeit more cautiously than the older generation. A vehicle like the SportCross would likely have much more success now; and sources inside Toyota have confirmed to TheCarConnection.com that Lexus is reconsidering a wagon body style for its next-generation IS, now under development.

Now Cadillac is about to roll out a CTS Wagon, and according to Car and Driver, Acura is seriously considering bringing a wagon version of its TSX to the U.S.; the model is already sold overseas as the Honda Accord Touring. These models would join two TheCarConnection.com favorites—the 2009 Audi A4 Avant, 2009 BMW 3-Series Sport Wagon. In a more affordable segment of the market, the 2009 Hyundai Elantra Touring is also helping to fill the void.

Any of these are well worth considering; in nearly every case, wagons are more fuel-efficient alternatives to SUVs, with just as much interior space and a better driving experience.

Mercedes-Benz recently announced that it will bring out a wagon version of the E-Class, next summer, but a company spokesperson just confirmed for TheCarConnection.com that it has no plans to bring the C-Class over as a wagon. Mercedes-Benz brought the C-Class wagon to the U.S. from 2002 through 2005, but it was a slow-seller and the latest version never made it.

The past decade has seen several ill-conceived, stodgy wagons that neither appeal to a certain type of Boomers nor to my generation, while at the same time perpetuating a "wagons don't sell" mentality within the ranks. Take the Malibu Maxx, an almost-there design that was saddled with way too much chrome on the outside, given bleak interior trim, and only offered with the V-6 and automatic. A little green appeal or a little sport can go a long way in stoking a wagon's appeal; Ford is missing out tremendously by not offering a Fusion Wagon—especially a Fusion Hybrid Wagon.

There's no denying that a few years from now there will be sport wagons to choose from; tighter fuel-efficiency requirements almost necessitate it. We want sporty and efficient, but we're not willing to sacrifice much practicality.

TheCarConnection.com will keep you posted on new wagon possibilities as they're announced; with some luck they'll pick up steam without sputtering themselves out yet again.

Trexus

An IS 250/350 Sportcross would expand the IS line. Bring back the IS Sportcrosss Lexus. I helped a friend of mine purchase a 1IS Sportcross and she loves it very much...

RX_330

I wish those types of wagons were more popular here. Most of the (luxury) cute utes just aren't cutting it.

LexFather

The thought of a wagon does get me interested but an IS size is too small and people will just buy the RX as they did last time. It simply will not sell.

I go back and forth with this when its time for a "family" vehicle. The thought of a modded wagon instead of a SUV intrigues me.

mmarshall

Honda is also readying a U.S.-market Accord-based wagon for 2010 called the "Crosstour", but it is not yet clear which version we will get. Spy photos show two different designs with the same "Crosstour" name (Honda's official website has the name but no photos).

You can see that one is more of a slanted-roof hatchback than a true wagon. The Acura TSX version also seems to be questionable as to which is which. The TSX, of course, has traditionally been on a smaller platform than the American-market Accord.

GFerg

Yes please. I'm a wagon fan. A6, V70R (when produced), and Passat Wagon are my favorites.

LexFather

Please no more pics of the Crosstour.....I just ate

mmarshall

Problem is, Mike, we don't know which (Crossover) is which. One is a relatively good-looking wagon, and the other is (I agree with you) a rather awkward-looking 5-door hatchback.

Personally, I hope that they give us that nice-looking wagon and put the SH-AWD in it.....that would make an EXCELLENT Legacy-Outback competitor (probably better than the Toyota Venza).

LexFather

Mike the ugly egg one is the Crosstour and the one that will be sold. The other one seems to be nothing but a photoshop.

mmarshall

Well, I hope that's not the case (the wagon is FAR better-looking), but you may be right. Most of the Google images are of the egg-shaped special, though there were several of the wagon shots too, under the Crosstour name. Honda won't verify it (yet) on their website.

There were also several of the TSX wagon shots on the website provided by the first post in the thread.

http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/ma...-off-the-table

LexFather

Mike its confirmed
http://www.leftlanenews.com/honda-crosstour.html

http://blogs.edmunds.com/straightlin...this-fall.html

mmarshall

Yeah.........I saw that Edmunds article a couple of nights ago during some auto-related Internet browsing. The egg-shaped Crossover rear end is so fugly (and probably impractical as well), I didn't want to believe it. Then I saw that there were some other "Crossover" shots of a nice-looking wagon. But, if Humpty-Dumpty is what we're going to get, so be it.

Too Bad. I sometimes wonder what drives these marketers at Honda. They are not alone, though.....a number of new vehicles, IMO, are ugly.

Jetfire

iTrader: (3)

Never been a fan of wagons. Rather have a crossover SUV if I need the luggage space.

Though the mazdaspeed 3 and audi rs6 are good sleepers.

CDNROCKIES

Now I know why you're Sick.

Wagon = Mini-Van

Will never, EVER, own either....and thankfully I have wifey on board.

RXSF

I cant stand the IS sportwagon thing. If they are going to make a wagon, really stretch it out and make it a wagon! dont just turn the IS into a 5 door