majormojo

I haven't seen one in person yet, but the Mazda 6 wagon looks pretty good in the ads and photos. It certainly looks more attractive to me than the Accord wagon (Tourer in UK). I think that we're going to see an increase in the numbers of wagons sold over the next few years as more and more people get tired of their SUVs. I know for me, I was thinking really hard about the 6 as well as the TSX. If the 6 wagon had been available a year ago, that might have swayed me to the Mazda camp.

So what do others think of the 6 wagon, esp in comparison to the Accord?

I seriously doubt we'll ever see TSX wagon. I hope not anyway, because it's pretty ugly IMO. Well, maybe not ugly, but rather boxy and plain. I think Mazda has done a great job on theirs and if the success of the P5 and 3 wagon are any indication, they'll probably sell a bunch of them. Should or will Honda have something to compete with it in NA?

Mazda 6 Sport Wagon:


Honda Accord Tourer (UK)

iNteGraz92

the accord wagon looks weird because the back end is so long

leftride

iTrader: (1)

i really like the 6 wagon (more than the accord), just wish it was AWD!

i would take a nice looking wagon over a stupid SUV anyday.

vasponger

just bring back the 5th gen accord wagon with a h22 stock and everyone will buy one.

TSX 'R' US

You may never know...there might be a TSX wagon... I mean, the Lexus IS has a, what I call, wagon version..

I think the 6 and the TSX/Euro Accord looks really similar...looks like the 6 is a rounded version of the TSX...and TSX is a boxy version of the 6

ABP-CL9-TSX

but how well will it sell though....the IS sportcross didn't sell that well, from what I recall.

TSX 'R' US

Good question...

phile

I think the Mazda6 wagon looks a lot better. I saw one on the road, it belongs in that rare category of good looking wagons.

majormojo

Yep, Mazda's got a great design team now. Only the RX-8 is a bit of a "miss" IMO, and only by a bit. (Don't really like the way the front fender is over-exaggerated).

I think the 05 Dodge Magnum is a great looking wagon too. 340hp Hemi V8 can't hurt either.

gilboman

the Mazda 6 wagon looks hot, the accord wagon looks like a disaster.

biker

While the Honda Tourer does look a bit better in person that Mazda 6 looks even better.

xizor

I disagree, SUV sales continue to rise. I read a good article on how much Americans dislike wagons and why BMW wont bring any hatchbacks to the US like possibly the 1-series. I plan on buying an SUV when they get hybrid electrics out (2005 Escape is one I believe). I like everything about them except their gas mileage.

biker

I just don't get this fascination with SUVs and hate for wagons. What is is that an SUV gives you that you can't get in a wagon? Or better yet - what the heck do you need an SUV for?

leftride

iTrader: (1)

absolutely nothing!

I dont get it either, bad gas milage, bad handling, $$, they are just impractical. Most hold 5 people just like any other 4 door car.

majormojo

Interesting. What was the reason given in the article for the wagon-hate? My guess would be a lingering association with "fake wood panelling". The thing about rising SUV sales is that the definition of "SUV" is changing. Really, a large portion of what's labelled SUV now is really just a tall station wagon. The RX330, FX45, MDX, X5, Pacifica for example. The manufacturers won't label them wagons, but that's essentially what they are and there's no doubt that people like them. With fuel prices continuing to rise, I can see that people will be looking for similar utility in a smaller, lighter and more fuel efficient package. It seems logical, but then again the car-buying decision tends to be more emotional than logical, so I could be completely wrong.

dom

I'd be more interested in the M6 Hatch. If that was available when I bought the TSX

Can't stand wagons.

biker

Besides the pull from the cunsumer side, I'm sure there's a push from the manufacturers side. Profit margins are much higher on SUVs than cars. If the % of SUV in the US was like the rest of the world the big SUV makers' bottom line would take a huge hit. Most of the time the wagon version of a car is almost the same price while some SUV based on the same platform is $$$$ more.

jcg878

I think this is a great point.

I'll dissent from the majority and say that I would consider a TSX wagon. I think the 6 wagon looks a little better, but I wasn't a fan of the 6 interior and I doubt it's any different.

SUVs definitely have increased utility compared to wagons for some uses, it's just that most people don't use them for that. My folks have a Pathfinder, 2 kids living at home, a vacation home in a snowy area, and a snowmobile trailer that they tow with it. I'd say that SUV is justified. I have none of those things but have a need to haul more stuff - a wagon makes more sense for me. I suspect that 80-90% of SUV buyers are more like me than my parents (except for the kids!).

TSX 'R' US

The M6 hatch is awesome!!! I too would get a hatch over a wagon

xizor

Emotional indeed, how else do you explain the existence of the H2. I think gas prices have 0% effect on people that already know they want an SUV.

bob shiftright

Lexus doesn't sell many of the Sportcross, BMW doesn't sell many of the 3-series Touring versions and I don't notice many of the A4 S4 Audi Avants. Meanwhile, the X3 BMW and Porsche Cayennes are selling like umbrellas on a rainy day. I don't "get it", either, my only guess is that the SUVs are TALLER than the wagons. But I didn't "get" the reasons behind 6000 pound, 2-door CARS back in the 1970s, either. So I doubt we'll see an Accord or TSX wagon here, but if I did they'd have my deposit in a New York minute!

majormojo

A little while ago, I heard the H2 described as a "cartoon vehicle". I think that sums it up nicely.

Junkster

Actually, I was in the market for the Mazda6 wagon...
It's a pretty nice car for it's price, great list of features...
The two things that I had going against it was that Mazda reliability wasn't high on my list and the fact that AWD was not an option...
But, since european 6's got AWD last year, I can't imagine Mazda holding out for too long...

Junkster, who would take the TSX wagon if it was here

Maximus

Hey guys - you d better see it live - not in picture ... i really dont like M6 - it is nothing new in it.
I have tested M6 - it is worse then Accord inside. Exterior is ok but it doesnt smth unusual.
New Accord it is much more better then Mazda.
A friend o'mine has a Tourer - it is owesome ...esp. in Type S version. Btw it has sub...

Max

TMQ

The accord wagon doesn't look too bad. With these cars, one needs to see it in person and take a test drive. For people interested in wagons, there are all these nice subarus to consider too.

I actually wish the gas price to go higher so that SUVs don't sell well. A lot of SUV drivers drive around like maniacs and think they are driving a race car. They will probably either overturn their own vehicles or crash someone else's.

gfxdave99

Whatever.. I would still take a used 01 s4 wagon over either

Junkster

ugh... buying a used Audi is like gambling with 20 grand... will you get a good one or a bad one?
The Audi/VW engineer here in Colorado (he serves the mountain states area) has told me such horrible Audi stories, I don't know if I have the stomach to purchase one anymore.

Junkster, who did love his old 90

TSX0rz

i hope the tsx does not become a wagon...hatchback on the otherhand would be nice. i just cant stand wagons. they remind me of old episodes of the brady bunch where they would all hop in to go camping or something.

ostrich

I also think that the Mazda 6 wagon is totally hot! It is beautifully proportioned and is one of the very few wagons that I really love (the A4 wagon and the BMW 325 wagon are the other ones that I love).

I do also agree that the Accord wagon looks strange because of the proportions - something is off - perhaps the wheels are too small and the trunk is too long? Yeah, a TSX hatch would be SOOOO HOT!

gfxdave99

Let us reflect on some ugly ass wagons...

The toyota camry wagon



89 civic wagon.. ohhh yeah



ohh yeah dodge colt vista wagon



A japan accord wagon circa 1999



O M G :sqntfawk: :sqntfawk: :sqntfawk: :sqntfawk: :sqntfawk:



and the best wagon ever



need i say more?

majormojo

Yep, the LTD is a timeless classic. However, the ugly list isn't complete without the Tercel.

biker

The sedans of that era seem just as ugly compared to today as the wagons.

type-s

an Accord Tourer parks in my garage and in person it looks quite cool also the 2.4 Type-S or Exec version has 190 BHP as opposed to the Mazda's 166BHP for the 2.3liter version

I saw an Accord Aerodeck the other day now thats ugly !

dom

Hmmm, and then we wonder why North American's hate the Wagon

Coup-Camper

I'm driving ACCORD WAGON in Japan.
The actual exterior design of ACCORD WAGON is much better than the picture. The body line image of ACCORD WAGON is "diving falcon".
ACCORD WAGON aims at both good driving quality and excellent carrying capacity to compete with SUBARU LEGACY (the most popular station wagon in Japan having the good handling) and VOLVO station wagon (the most popular imported station wagon) . The handling of LEGACY and ACCORD is even , but LEGACY is much more expensive and the quality of ACCORD is better. VOLVO also has large luggage room, but ACCORD is much cooler than VOLVO, I think.
I also like the design of Mazda 6 wagon. Mazda design is traditionally good. But totally ACCORD WAGON is more excellent. Many car magazines say that the handling of Mazda 6 is quick and the movement of its rear tires are not stable at the curve.

Coup-Camper in Japan

http://homepage3.nifty.com/coupcamper/

Tosh

Hi Coup-Camper,

From reading your website, I can tell that you like your Accord Wagon very much. I like the versatility of wagons as well, and I wish Honda would offer us a TSX wagon. But I think you'll agree that wagons from Mazda, Audi, and Volvo have better proportions than the Accord wagon. After all, most of your photos of your wagon are taken from the front with a wide angle lens, tending to hide the exaggerated length of the rear end...
Best looking wagon: Audi S4 Avant. But I don't think I would ever buy anything besides Toyota or Honda, and definitely never anything non-Japanese. Why should I put up with such awful reliabilty? VW-Audi is consistently at the bottom of the heap...Only the French and Italians are worse.

Tosh

acoga

A huge slice of the demographic of SUV buyers are families with small kids, with the mom being the primary driver. SUVs give a commanding view of the road that you don't get in a wagon, and since they're larger, people assume they're safer (even though that's not always true). Most SUVs also offer an AWD capability, at least as an option, whereas most wagons historically haven't.

That's why SUVs will continue to sell like hotcakes, and wagons will languish.

scheißterhöffer

Phallic overcompensation

jcg878

8=D

ricecake

let's move this one to Car & Bike Talk, shall we?