5 Great Station Wagons For 2024

It’s hard to believe there were once as many as 47 station wagons available for purchase on the American market. (That was 1964, if you’re curious.) But despite being buffeted by the preponderance of Sport Utility Vehicles, Crossovers and Minivans over the last couple of generations, wagons have nonetheless survived.

And why not? I test a few wagons each year and never met one I didn’t like. Here are five worthy ones.

2024 Subaru Outback

Not only is the Outback a tried-and-true favorite of Vermont, Maine and New Hampshire residents who buy the most Subarus, it’s the cheapest on the list, starting at $30,290. It’s also comfortable, capable and a station wagon through and through, but with car-like handling and ride and enough room for five reasonably-sized humans.

Its base four-cylinder engine is no monster, making 182 horsepower and mated to a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) with standard all-wheel drive, but a 260-horsepower turbocharged plant is offered. Its (standard) Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system is designed to optimize traction in snow, rain, on bad roads - or even when there’s no road at all. It constantly evaluates acceleration, braking, and cornering in real time to continuously deliver power to all four wheels. There’s more, much more.

2024 Volvo V60 Cross Country

The V60’s got the best mileage on the list, with 24 miles per gallon in city driving and 31 MPG on the highway. It’s also got some of the best safety features on the market with pre-collision alert, blind spot monitoring, lane departure warning and more. You’ve got a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and (mild) hybrid system delivering, in the end, 247 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. The seats are comfortable and interior room is reasonably large for the family, and the rear is generous, too.

Its (optional) Volvo shift, by the way, is genuine Swedish crystal crafted exclusively for Volvo Cars by Orrefors. A panoramic roof comes with. Its base price is $51,695.

2024 Mini Clubman

It’s the smallest car on the list, at 168.5 inches long, 56.7 inches tall and 70.9 inches wide. Its pint size actually lends it more charm, as evidenced by the ferocious following Minis currently enjoys. It also has a spirited 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine making 189 horsepower and 206 lb-ft of torque, more than adequate for most needs. It’s also going to be discontinued after this year, so get yours now.

Another reason to like the little Clubman is that due to its shorter stance, it's easier to tie your canoe, surfboard or bike to its roof. They start at $35,045.

2025 Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo

For the 2025 model year, Porsche is giving the all-electric Taycan a particularly extensive update. The new versions benefit from more power, greater range, quicker acceleration and possibility of even faster charging. Porsche also sharpened the design and created greater differentiation for the Turbo models. All new Taycan versions feature a more extensive list of standard equipment and come equipped with the latest generation of the Porsche Driver Experience featuring an improved display and control concept.

Though its cargo hold doesn't match those of other wagons and its base price is Porsche-high at $103,550, it'll satisfy both the need for a big caboose plus style and speed. It also offers a plethora of configurations.

2024 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Wagon

This luxe wagon got a makeover this year, with new styling as well as being 0.9 inches longer and 1.1 inches wider than the outgoing model. But the best news for wagon shoppers is that its cargo room increases to a quite generous 65 cubic feet of storage if you fold the seats down. The car also gets new taillights with a visible Benz-ish star-shaped element within, and new front grills.

It’s generous speed-wise, too, with a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six engine assisted by a 48-volt hybrid system giving the wagon a total of 375 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. It comes standard with an adaptive air suspension and an Off-Road mode so you roll sweetly and smoothly even over rough terrain. Prices start at $63,450.