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After suffering from a temporary bout of insanity, Volvo is reviving the station wagon. Starting in 2014, the V60 will be sold to American consumers, though specifications have not been announced. Expect the 3.0L turbocharged inline six and the boosted 2.5L 5-cylinder engine to appear.
Add AWD and a diesel and you can just skip the boring crossovers!!!
Only if it is available in brown
It just might be. Volvo just posted a pic of a “chocolate” XC60 to FB today. Stunning.
I rented one of these in the UK last year. The D5 twin turbo diesel and a 6-speed stick. First time in ages I’ve nearly cried when I had to return a rental car. A magnificent piece. Now, if you could see out the back… .
Me too, a couple of years ago. Mine was a D5 diesel, but with an auto though. Rear visibility wasn’t great and, for a wagon, it didn’t have loads of trunk space. Inspite of these quibbles, it is the only rental car I’ve ever thought I would like to own. Best seats ever, plenty fast and well over 40mpg (imperial) without even once trying to conserve fuel.
My local dealer will be happy – per the sales dude I talked to they have seen a near 30% drop in sales since Volvo killed the regular wagons. People were NOT stepping up to the XC’s as Volvo probably expected. Maine is most definitely wagon country. The whole thrifty Yankee thing.
Being a Mainer myself, I’m mulling grabbing a used XC70 as we speak. My S60 is great but getting small with my 3 year old and all her stuff.
I always thought the most reliable wagon-buyers were Volvo-owners back in the day. My most hardcore wagon-friend, when he finally got rid of his B-body bubble-wagon got a Volvo.
These days, when wagons are hard to find, it’s probably VW Sportwagen owners that are the most reliable wagon-buyers.
About time Volvo! Not all of us want an XC, I just want a reasonably quick, decent handling wagon that doesn’t exactly scream “Soccer Mom”.
Excellente, this is the one car I was hoping we would get. We currently have a v50, but can see it getting a little small in a couple of years (it’s already a little tight with the baby seat). It was going to be a cold day in hell before I got an SUV…..the v60 is the perfect upgrade.
I doubt it, but here’s hoping it comes with a stick.
It’s not just the V50 that’s a little tight with a baby seat, My wife’s 2005 XC70 is also tight with rear facing child seats installed, I can *just* get the driver’s seat back far enough before the two seats touch.
Of course we have twins so it’s double of everything, like you it’ll be cold day in hell before there’s a SUV in our driveway or a mini-van. My wife would rather truck the kids around in a riced out civic before she’d get behind the wheel of one of those.
This equation is a little tricky. It’s tight with the rear-facing seats, but when you turn the seats around, you will instantly get some space back! After that, you’ll begin to lose space again as the kids’ legs get longer. Eventually, you can drop the front-facing seats and move to a booster seat, which will give you even more room.
Depending on how long you plan to keep the car, you’ll be fine with the XC70 or the V50, space-wise.
Just my .02…
We saw one of these last year at the Volvo factory showroom while taking delivery on our C30. Beautiful car. But not the boxy Volvo your dad drove. Don’t expect much more room than the V50.
As happy as this makes me (a very happy driver of an ’04 Passat Wagon), there was a reason Volvo stopped selling the things… people weren’t buying.
I wonder how long it’ll last?
It’ll last just long enough for the five people who will actually buy one to do so.
That certainly was not true in New England.
It was a fairly obvious cash grab on Vovlo’s part. The XC cars are significantly more expensive at MSRP, but not significantly more expensive to produce.
Similarly with VW – they would MUCH rather you buy the forthcoming Passat-based S/CUV than a Passat wagon. Extra several thousand dollars in their pocket, and out of yours.
I also fully expect to see an announcement that the 5-series wagon will return. BMW lost virtually every one of those sales to MB, and that has to be killing them in pride, even if not in the wallet.
I doubt that. Volvo likely thought they could covert previous wagon buyers to become XC buyers and make an extra 5-10k out of it.
Hey Derek,
Unless you think Volvo building wagons is crazy, they suffered from a lapse of sanity, not insanity.
What? I meant that they had a brief bout of insanity when they stopped offering them for sale.
V60R!
V60R!
V60R!
Yes!
Yes!
Yes!
Yess ssaah!
What they said
Too small, and needs more square.
Agreed. A quick volume calculation shows that the V60 cargo hold is 77% of the V70.
http://www.carbuyersinfo.co.uk/Volvo%20V60%20vs%20Volvo%20V70%20Estate.htm
With the seats down, loaded to the roof, the V60 can carry 1241L, compared to the 1600L of the V70, that’s indeed 77%.
A few cars for comparison: Volkswagen JSW: 1495L. Passat Wagon: 1731L. Golf MkVI hatchback: 1305L.
(Yes, a Golf hatch has more room for cargo than this Volvo wagon)
The Volvo V60 might just be the least practical station wagon in history…
I didn’t even make it through the second sentence before I started shouting for joy (in my head). Volvo is back in my favor again.
Bring back the wagons!
I’m looking at you, Subaru.
I’m glad to see that at least one car companies going back to what it could do well, at the same time I wish that Volvo would’ve just left the back end level with the rest of the car, this silly swoopy stuff makes for less space and small openings.
Did April fool’s come 4 days early? You mean they’re serious? Hallelujah!
If you want 5 doors that’s not a hatchback or jacked-up CUV, you’re really faced with a dearth of wagons. As of last year the BMW 328i was pretty much the only choice, and a darn good one at that, but it’s expensive and small. Nissan Stagea would be ideal for me.
Last time i checked there was VW Jetta Sportwagen, Audi Avants and MB’s E-Class wagon. If you stretch your definition of wagon a little, Mazda 5 could be considered a wagon as well.
Stateside: also the Acura TSX and recently departed Elantra Touring. Mazda5 seats just 2 in the second row, the +1 seat is available just about everywhere else.
The new 328i wagon starts $42k with standard AWD. Yikes.
VW/Audi keep falling off my radar for some reason…
I like the TSX wagon a lot. Only wish it were more competitive considering how high they’re pricing it.
The E91 BMW 328i wagon might have been “expensive and small” but it had 12% more room for stuff than the V60.
That’s a very nice looking car. I just hope it doesn’t have any of the old 850 turbo wagons nasty (and expensive) habits. I’d buy one.
Nice looking wagon. I would definitely consider it….with an extended warranty.
Well, in the U.S. at least, Volvo created a niche for itself in selling these wagons. The XC60 is supposed to be a pretty nice crossover, but there’s a lot of competition in that segment. The XC90 is ancient, and it’s a gas-sucker, like most CUVs.
Some people still want wagons; so it’s good that Volvo will still be offering them. I’d kinda like the Jetta Sportwagon (diesel! manual tranny!), except for my lingering fears about VW reliability.
My BIL once had a GTI GLX – a 2000. Then he had a 2003 Lexus IS300 Sportcross. He likes hatchbacks and wagons – he bikes and roadtrips a lot. He kept the Lexus for 10 years.
Three months ago he bought an S60 T5 sedan, after coming to the conclusion that nobody was going to make a wagon for him anymore.
Man…is he gonna be pissed.
Argh. I want windows and volume, not a slammed CUV.
I just pray they give us a D5 diesel option. The only thing stopping me from getting a Volvo is their horrendous gas mileage. I rented a V60 D3 diesel in the UK last year, and it was the first time I actually enjoyed a rental. Now with some real torque….
You should all ask yourself whether Volvo will still be in existence in the Years ahead. or will the owners in China kill off Volvo?
I’m surprised that they’re even still around, ever since Volvo killed its RWD line-up they’ve gotten less and less popular in the States.
RWD wasn’t why Volvo was popular at that time. Safety was why Volvo was popular.
I will only want one of these if & only if it is available with a stick shift.
What a great new contender for garage-door limbo.
And so easy to wash the roof.
Derek, any news of your V70 project?
Subaru needs to do the same with the Legacy. Americans can only get the jacked-up Outback version when we were once offered the regular version as well as the GT.
If I want a wagon, I want a real wagon, not — as noted perfectly above — a slammed CUV.
A step backwards from the V50, IMO.
I would buy a new V50R AWD with stick tomorrow. No diesel needed, here.
My late father wanted to buy me a car in 2003. I chose a Passat wagon. I was warned before by my mechanic (CB garage/Montreal) that it would be a very expensive front end with 8 control arms! And yes. But I really love the car- in its 10th year! Travelling with a dog & stuff, it has excellent space under the tonneau. And the drive is soooo comfortable. As I didn’t pay for it, I am justifying keeping it! So far apart from the “several” control arm replacements, I have been lucky. The other repairs are what I would consider usual wear and tear. Body in excellent shape.
I would consider Golf/Jetta sport wagon diesel. Would like to know an opinion out there??
Volvo has a bad rep. in my circles. Used to love the boxie models. Very practical!
Agree with those who love “waggies” over crossovers or suv’s. The wagons are my version of a “crossover” between elegance and work vehicle. Hits my sweet spot!