Cars.comparison: Wagons' Last Stand
Though comparatively popular overseas, wagons are an endangered species in the U.S. Some of the choices, however, are intriguing, including these turbocharged all-wheel-drive models. But do they have what it takes to sway the American family?
= Category winner| The Contenders | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2009 Audi A4 Avant Quattro 2.0T | 2008 Saab 9-3 SportCombi TurboX | 2009 Volvo XC70 T6 |
| Zoom | Zoom | Zoom |
| Base MSRP | ||
| $34,500 | $42,565 | $39,500 |
| Price as tested | ||
| $36,805 | $46,105 | $46,935 |
| The non-grocery getter | ||
| Aggressively elegant, the Avant is proof that choosing a wagon doesn't mean you have to sacrifice style. | Black paint, dark wheels, throaty exhaust: This is one mean-looking and mean-sounding wagon. | It's rugged in a gray-plastic-body-cladding kind of way that seems more suited to a dirt road than a night out. |
| Sporty driving experience | ||
| The A4's turbo four-cylinder is a plucky performer, and the responsive, light-effort steering firms up at higher speeds. The automatic's shifts are smooth, but the Sport mode is better at keeping the engine in its power band. | A touchy turbo V-6 provides extreme thrills, if not silky-smooth driving. The TurboX is the best-handling of the bunch, and it's the one best tuned to bring a smile to the driver's face. How the rest of the family feels might be a different story. | Even though it has a robust turbo six-cylinder, the XC70's weight negates any fun factor. Steering is precise, but not what you would call sporty. The word "sedate" comes to mind. |
| Gas mileage (city/highway, mpg) | ||
| 21/27 The upside of the A4's lower horsepower output is the best EPA-estimated gas mileage in this test. | 15/24 Choosing the manual instead of the optional automatic transmission adds 1 mpg in the city and 2 mpg on the highway. | 15/22 The biggest engine and heftiest curb weight conspire to produce the worst gas mileage in this test — though Volvo recommends regular gas. Audi and Saab recommend premium. |
| Ride comfort | ||
| Taut without being harsh, the A4's suspension tuning is easy to live with — even on rougher roads. | You pay for the TurboX's sporty moves with a ride that's not very comfortable. | "Sedate" is a positive adjective when it comes to ride comfort. The XC70 is the cushiest of the bunch without being floaty. |
| Cabin luxury | ||
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Audi's attention to detail is evident wherever you look, and upscale options like real wood trim help give the interior a premium feel. |
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A much older design, the Saab's interior lags behind the others. It's not luxurious enough for $40,000-plus. |
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Just a slight step down from the Audi, the Swedish style is still unique. A wave-like dash, floating center control panel and dynamite-looking gauges are all pluses. |
| Driver comfort | ||
| Standard leather bucket seats offer good support, but the lack of standard seat heaters is puzzling on a car of this price (they're optional). | The leather is certainly of a lesser grade than the other two, but the seats are supportive and otherwise comfortable. Like the Audi, heated seats are optional, but our test car had them. | If you want comfortable seats, the Volvo is for you. Plush leather and a wide seat bottom are welcoming and supportive. Heated seats are an option here, too, as reflected in the as-tested price above. |
| Backseat roominess | ||
| Passengers will enjoy their smallish but manageable accommodations. They also get a large two-piece moonroof standard. | Legroom is tight, but the bigger comfort impediment might be the backrest, which makes you sit more upright than you'd probably like. | The larger Volvo has decent rear legroom, but it's not as spacious as you'd think for such a long vehicle. Optional built-in booster seats are a bonus for families. |
| Cargo area utility | ||
| The Avant's raked-forward liftgate enhances the car's look but cuts down on cargo room, which at 17.3 cubic feet is the smallest of the three. It's only slightly larger than an A4 sedan's trunk. | The SportCombi is significantly smaller than the XC70 but offers nearly as much cargo room, with its 29.7 cubic feet. Well done, Saab. | At 33.3 cubic feet, the cargo area is the largest of the three. This is why you get a wagon. The opening is also extremely wide, for easy loading. A built-in rail system and underfloor storage help put the XC70 over the top. |
| Overall value | ||
| Both the A4's base and as-tested prices beat the other two, plus it's the most luxurious of the trio and gets the best mileage. Even adding heated seats keeps it below the others. We only wish it also offered Audi's smooth-revving 3.2-liter six-cylinder, as the A4 sedan does. | The outdated Saab seemed woefully overpriced, even in this performance-oriented trim level. Dealer discounts may help ease some of the sticker shock, but we can't guarantee they'll be enough to beat out the A4. | Volvo's top-of-the-line wagon definitely tops the food chain on price, but you get a larger vehicle with upscale appointments. For some, the $5,000 base price difference with the A4 would be a barrier to entry, but you can close it somewhat by choosing the less-expensive 3.2 trim level. |
| Editors' choice | ||
| The A4 gives up some utility for appearance's sake, but makes up for it with good gas mileage and a classy cabin. Its small size, however, will make it a bit player among families. | While it may be the most fun to drive and offers a sizeable cargo area, the 9-3 fails at just about every other step. Throw in the high price tag and we can't imagine why people would choose it over the competitors here. | When Americans think of wagons, they remember spacious people-haulers. That's exactly what the XC70 is. With all its family-friendly features and a comfortable ride, it most resembles that classic wagon ideal, modernized for the 21st century. |
Posted on 12/1/08
Next Step?
- 2009 Audi A4
- 2008 Saab 9-3
- 2009 Volvo XC70
Faceoff: Full-Size Luxury SUVs — Read on 
