5 Best Station Wagons Offer Roominess and Driving Fun

While the Allroad ($44,000 base MSRP) might cater to American tastes, it's quite good at managing mild off-road duties while combining those abilities with good on-road manners. 252 horses from its 2.0-liter turbocharged engine means it's also quick off the line, and the 7-speed dual clutch transmission works seamlessly alongside. The Offroad driving mode lets the revised quattro system work pretty well in snow, mud and loose gravel, in spite of the transition to the loss of the center differential.

This is a wagon you might want to get your hands on before it's gone forever. The 330i xDrive Sports Wagon ($43,945 base MSRP) is destined to end production in 2019, so there's only two years left to buy one new. If you do take the plunge, you won't regret it because it's one of the best around. It drives like a nimble 330i sedan but has a solid amount of cargo room and a high level of exclusivity since practically no one buys it.

There isn't a better luxury wagon around, and the E400 ($61,000) is now better looking, better driving and as decadent as ever with its S Class-like interior. Hop inside, and you wonder why the $61K base price isn't higher because it's quiet, incredibly comfortable and spacious. The 329 hp 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 drives moves all four wheels very quickly, and the self-leveling air suspension manages all road surfaces brilliantly. The fact that this amazing wagon still exists in a struggling segment is baffling but totally wonderful.

The Outback ($25,645 base MSRP) is more mainstream than ever, meaning it's more like a crossover than a tall wagon. It also happens to be better-looking than the last Outback, and Subaru is stronger with its brand identity. The interior is also much improved in terms of layout and materials quality, and the steering has been improved for better feel. A backup camera is now standard on all trims, and the available safety features get bumped up, too, and now include Starlink Connected Services with emergency assistance and automatic collision notification, as well as Safety Plus and Security Plus upgrades, which add remote vehicle access, remote vehicle locating and stolen vehicle recovery.

The Alltrack ($26,950 base MSRP) is all-new for VW, and goes to show that if you're going to build a wagon, you might as well put it on stilts. Americans love that, as evidenced by Volvo's Cross Country and the Subaru Outback. The excellent "Off Road" driving mode enables hill descent, and ground clearance is bumped up by 0.8 inches. The Alltrack drives incredibly well with sharp steering and enough off-road capability to suit most everyone, and it looks as good as it drives.