I’m probably in a minority here, but I’d like to avoid going straight for an SUV when it comes to choosing a family car. Perhaps it’s because I’m a bit of a traditionalist. If all you need is a daily driver, go for a sedan or a hatchback.
For those who carry long loads and frequent job sites? A pickup is for you. MPVs and minivans are ideal for large families, and if you live where rough roads are the norm, go for an SUV—ideally a four-wheel-drive because two-wheel-drive versions are just wagons on tall tires. Just a personal opinion, don’t get (too) offended.
And speaking of wagons, a lot of my friends and I are, well, wagon advocates. Before our overreliance on SUVs and crossovers, the wagon was the ultimate family car for most households. Their long tails made them immensely more practical than their sedan counterparts, and because they’re essentially sedans with more room, they had no compromises in ride and handling.
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Outside Europe and Japan, the good ol’ station wagon isn’t selling like it once did. They’re virtually nonexistent in Southeast Asia and a rarity in most parts of the world. Still, me and my fellow wagon fans insist that it is, for the most part, the only kind of car you’ll ever need.
Saying that is one thing, but I’m putting our money where my mouth is. Which is why I got (well, borrowed) one and did actual family things with it over several days. Here are some of my observations.
Our station wagon of choice
For this experiment, we chose the BMW 318i Touring. First, because it was handily available, and second, well, it’s become a bit of a favorite here at the Top Gear Philippines office. It has everything we like about the standard 3-Series, namely, wonderful dynamics, engaging handling, and solid feel.
The Touring version kicks up the practicality by a notch, and who wouldn’t want a family car that’s fun to drive? For any car enthusiast, it’s the ultimate one-car solution, regardless of what’s under the hood. That it’s a handsome car is also a bonus.
It’s got form, but what about function?
There’s no doubting our test subject’s load-carrying abilities. There’s over 500 liters of cargo space in the back, which is actually more than some similarly sized SUVs on the market. That alone is a win for the wagon and proves that the size of some SUVs is a mere optical illusion. There’s a lesson here, folks: Not all large cars can carry a lot.
So, the 3-Series does the wagon bit well, though admittedly, something like a Mazda 6 Sportwagon can fit more in its cargo area. Still, even that has a greater carrying capacity than, say, a CX-5. Short of a minivan or a large SUV, wagons are hard to beat when it comes to load-lugging. A month’s worth of groceries? It’s mere child’s play for these things.
And speaking of child’s play, wagons are excellent at catering to a family’s needs. A baby stroller and other essentials are easily swallowed up. Factor in the low load-in height, and you don't need to strain your back (and knees) when putting stuff in the trunk. As for passengers, the cabin space is enough, although not overly generous. That said, other wagons offer both stretch-out room for passengers and heaps of cargo space. So far, it’s a win-win, right?
Have a baby? No problem
Ever since I became a parent, I always ask myself: ‘Will it baby?’ I had no doubts about the 318i Touring, but let me mention some highlights. Of course, there are Isofix child seat mounts, but it was nice to see a near-90-degree opening for the rear doors. That makes putting the child seat a whole lot easier.
For those who need a bit more space, the middle part of the rear seat can also fold down, leaving room for passengers instead of sacrificing occupant count for more cargo space. Spacious and flexible—just what a family needs.
The downsides
As much as I love wagons, I do admit that there are limitations to this body style. For starters, they don’t come with three-row seating, so you won’t fit seven people inside. These are strictly five-seaters, which is fine for small households but a bit of an issue if you, say, have more than three children...or if the extended family wants to tag along.
Another shortcoming I experienced was in carrying tall items. Yes, wagons have lengthy cargo floors, making them ideal for those who load a lot of stuff. With something like a tall laundry basket, the topmost part was starting to brush the headliner. This is where SUVs do have the edge. Mind you, it’s still better than in a sedan, but if you frequently carry items that need to be put in vertically, an SUV is a better pick.
Of course, station wagons are lower than SUVs, and that can pose an issue when you’re installing a child seat. You’ll have to bend down to get that sorted, and once it’s in, you’ll have to be extra careful putting the child in place as there’s a slight chance of them hitting their heads going in, especially when you’re carrying them. A small risk, but a risk nonetheless.
Finally, there’s the matter of ground clearance. The thing is, it’s not like a wagon scrapes on ramps all the time, and it’ll cross a shallow flood as well as literally any car out there. But I concede that taller-riding SUVs and crossovers give you extra peace of mind, and no argument will convince those dead set on getting a vehicle with extra ground clearance otherwise.
Why choose a wagon?
European readers are probably scratching their heads at this point. For the most part, their mindset is that wagons are the go-to family vehicle, not SUVs. If anything, they’d probably stick with a hatchback for as long as they can. But things are different here in terms of culture and—let’s be honest—road conditions. Locally, the wagon isn’t the ultimate family car. We have to hand that title to compact and midsize MPVs.
Still, that doesn’t mean wagons aren’t great. We’ll even go as far as saying you should consider a wagon first before really going for an SUV or crossover. Granted, there’s an extremely limited selection here, but there are things that wagons do better than the ever-so-popular SUV: They drive better thanks to the lower hight, ride and handle better because of the longer wheelbase, and offer more cargo capacity in terms of floor space against similarly sized offerings.
In the case of the 318i Touring, it’s the rare breed of car that ticks all the right boxes for the head and the heart. It’s not the biggest wagon in the world, but it’s immensely practical and fun to drive, and does everything you want in a family car and more. As a family vehicle, this wagon is more focused on the task of being exactly that.
The pros far outweigh the cons here. Personally, I’d still choose a wagon over a crossover any day of the week. At the same time, I do understand why the majority would rather have the latter. It’s a cop-out to say that there’s no wrong answer here, but it really all depends on what matters to the buyer.
That said, wagons remain a niche in our market and will likely never be a mainstream choice. You could think of them as a connoisseur’s choice. The wagon buyer likely refuses to follow the herd and knows exactly what they want. The best part is, it doesn’t come at the cost of sensibility and practicality.
So, for those who say ‘save the wagon,’ it’s time to actually buy one. It doesn’t have to be this fine 3-Series Touring, but every little sale helps to motivate automakers to bring more of these in.
