Topic: Diesel Mazda 6 manual Wagon (unicorn)

[JohnnyMac]

This popped up in my email inbox this morning. 

http://www.motortrend.com/cars/mazda/mazda6/2016/forbidden-fruit-2016-mazda6-diesel-wagon/?wc_mid=4035:2591&wc_rid=4035:1969656&_wcsid=7E96FC0AEA6030CA126522EAB2C8C7A94381084D27162CCE

Man I wish we could get these here in Canada, I'd even consider a gasoline with their automatic as a win.  Anyway, thought I'd share.

[SKYMTL]

If I had to replace my A4 with another wagon, that's exactly what I want.  Unfortunately my only option right now is the 3-series diesel wagon....which isn't all that bad!

[Jaeger]

The 6 wagon is just gorgeous.

[Triple Bob]

From before the emissions crisis, what were sales like for the VW diesel wagons compared to say their CUV range? (Tiguan)

I still don't get why wagons aren't more popular here, it's like the younger generation are still haunted by wood paneled wagons!

[Fobroader]

That is a great looking vehicle....and diesel....AND manual....I know its only front wheel drive but damn, me likey!!

[SaskSpecV]

I still don't get why wagons aren't more popular here, it's like the younger generation are still haunted by wood paneled wagons!

But that argument doesn't work from a demographic perspective.  They heyday of the wood-paneled wagon barge was, what, 1975?  By the mid-80s the wagon was replaced by Chryco's minivans as the nouveau family hauler.   The folks that should be in the sweet spot of the wagon demographic now - those raising younger families - were probably schlepped around in minivans, not wagons.  (Which might explain the irrational hatred for minivans - ahem, Fob!)

My theory on why wagons aren't more popular:
1) Exhibit A: a reasonably-priced family wagon simply isn't available (there's lots of hatches, but no wagons).  There's the Golf Wagon - and that's it.  No mainstream midsize wagons, period.  The Elantra Touring was a quasi-wagon - and then Hyundai brings over a true hatchback instead for the next generation.  The old Focus Wagon was hugely popular in Canada, but Ford refuses to bring in the latest gen wagon.  Hard to say that wagons "aren't popular", when a mainstream consumer can only buy one from VW - not from GM, Ford, Nissan, Toyota, Honda, Subaru, Mazda, Hyundai, Kia, Fiatsler, etc.  It's great that BMW, Audi, Mercedes, and Volvo offer wagons in some form or another - but that doesn't help the $30K vehicle crowd.

2.  Exhibit B: The compact CUV has taken over the role of the wagon.  People seem to want (I didn't say need...) AWD and a higher seating position.   Sure, a CUV doesn't have the same driving dynamics as a comparable wagon - but let's be honest, the vast majority of consumers care far more about AWD/higher seating than they do driving dynamics.  Subaru has 3 bloody CUVs on their lot (Outback, Forester, Crosstrek) and one hatch - yet they killed the beloved Legacy wagon for NA.  And their sales have set records in NA for how many years in a row?

3.  Related to A&B, the profit margin for CUVs appears to be higher than for cars/wagons.  If you need wagon-esque carrying capacity - MNFRs are eager to push you into a CUV for a few grand more than the comparable sedan wagon would be (though this doesn't seem the case for the luxury brands, where their CUV is cheaper than the comparable wagon?  Maybe economies of scale on the CUVs?)

[OliverD]

Saw a handful of these in Budapest this week. They look fantastic in person. This one has smaller wheels, most of the ones I saw had the big 19s. Red really suits this car too.

[OliverD]

My theory on why wagons aren't more popular:
1) Exhibit A: a reasonably-priced family wagon simply isn't available (there's lots of hatches, but no wagons).  There's the Golf Wagon - and that's it.  No mainstream midsize wagons, period.  The Elantra Touring was a quasi-wagon - and then Hyundai brings over a true hatchback instead for the next generation.  The old Focus Wagon was hugely popular in Canada, but Ford refuses to bring in the latest gen wagon.  Hard to say that wagons "aren't popular", when a mainstream consumer can only buy one from VW - not from GM, Ford, Nissan, Toyota, Honda, Subaru, Mazda, Hyundai, Kia, Fiatsler, etc.  It's great that BMW, Audi, Mercedes, and Volvo offer wagons in some form or another - but that doesn't help the $30K vehicle crowd.

The way I see the problem is that wagons are/were reasonably popular in Canada but not in the U.S. So it's tougher for a company like Ford to justify developing and manufacturing an NA-spec Focus wagon. It was very popular in Canada but not so much in the U.S. Same thing with the first gen Mazda 6 wagon - it had a decent take rate in Canada but was basically unsellable in the U.S. The Legacy wagon was fairly popular here too but the Outback absolutely dominated it in the U.S.

If Americans had bought those wagons at the same rate that Canadians had they'd probably still be available.

[SaskSpecV]

If Americans had bought those wagons at the same rate that Canadians had they'd probably still be available.

Good point, the "wagons aren't popular" argument has a lot more credence in the USA than in Canada.

Speaking of forbidden Euro wagons...pics from Rome in the fall (who would take a picture of Colosseum, when you could take a picture of a Peugeot wagon?)

[OliverD]

The new Passat wagon is very, very nice. Got picked up from the airport in Prague by one. Brand new, 2.0 TDI 4motion with DSG. Had the 8" touchscreen and leather seats with Alcantara inserts. Tons of room and a very comfortable ride. Even from the back seat you could tell it was firm but compliant. Only negative I felt was the jerkiness of the DSG at low speeds.

[tooscoops]

nice car for sure!

as for the lack of wagon love, my bud has a bmw wagon... his older neighbour literally called it "testosterone challenged" last weekend. did not make my bud happy.

anyway, i think a huge part of why people like/buy cars has to do with perception... both their own and how they are perceived driving. people believe what they hear, even if it's from a facebook friend they have never met... wagons to them are uncool, don't handle as well, have poor visibility, don't have as good a resale, don't offer awd, sit too low, and have less space than the cuv/suv's at comparable prices.

of all those things, sitting lower is the only real thing... the resale is kind of true, but even that is only because of all those other things people (wrongly) think, keeping people from wanting them used as well...

[Fobroader]

nice car for sure!

as for the lack of wagon love, my bud has a bmw wagon... his older neighbour literally called it "testosterone challenged" last weekend. did not make my bud happy.

anyway, i think a huge part of why people like/buy cars has to do with perception... both their own and how they are perceived driving. people believe what they hear, even if it's from a facebook friend they have never met... wagons to them are uncool, don't handle as well, have poor visibility, don't have as good a resale, don't offer awd, sit too low, and have less space than the cuv/suv's at comparable prices.

of all those things, sitting lower is the only real thing... the resale is kind of true, but even that is only because of all those other things people (wrongly) think, keeping people from wanting them used as well...

Wait...if a wagon is "testosterone challenged"...what about all small CUVs???

[tooscoops]

yeah, the guy is an old italian... drives an srt jeep and a caddy cts... he's all hp numbers i think.

i will admit, his wagon is no speed demon... i make fun of him because it has the m appearance package, but no real power.

[Fobroader]

yeah, the guy is an old italian... drives an srt jeep and a caddy cts... he's all hp numbers i think.

i will admit, his wagon is no speed demon... i make fun of him because it has the m appearance package, but no real power.

Thats the biggest sin....hes basically got no zippity in his doodah......

[OliverD]

Meh, they're still reasonably quick and handle and drive very nicely. And the M package gives you really nice seats.

[Triple Bob]

yeah, the guy is an old italian... drives an srt jeep and a caddy cts... he's all hp numbers i think.

i will admit, his wagon is no speed demon... i make fun of him because it has the m appearance package, but no real power.

Thats the biggest sin....hes basically got no zippity in his doodah......

A problem with many Italians... 

[lebowski]

Speaking of forbidden Euro wagons...pics from Rome in the fall (who would take a picture of Colosseum, when you could take a picture of a Peugeot wagon?)

^


I'm not saying anything new here, but my wholly generalized and unscientific theory is we have the fairer sex to thank for the popularity of CUV's: women buy more of the cars now in the US, they're shorter so they would prefer to sit up higher (not merely as high as their male counterparts but *higher than*), they don't care as much about performance, and they like to feel protected. Game, set, match.

[mlin32]

I lived with a Ford Mondeo wagon (here, called the Fusion) last year and it had so much room. It'd put most mid-sized SUVs to shame. Swallowed my DH bike and 2 pieces of large luggage. I was impressed, and my work colleague who picked me up at Hanovre (Hannover) was thankful that my stuff all fit !