Ten Car Garage as Filled by Me

• Once a bastion of American automakers, Germany has become the body style’s custodian.

• Back in the day, it was the less-desirable version. Today, it’s the opposite.

• If not already, wagons on this list will eventually become highly collectable.

The station wagon is more than just a stretched sedan with a hatch: It’s become a cultural icon on four wheels. Defined by its extended roofline, large rear cargo area, and often a handy third-row seat (sometimes rear-facing or face-to-face for the bravest kids), the wagon was purpose-built to haul families, their gear with room to spare, and tow. Long before SUVs and crossovers took over suburban driveways, the station wagon was the ultimate expression of practicality blended with style.

From the 1950s, booming postwar families needed space, just like all other families, and into the late 1990s, wagons were the answer. Road trips were the ultimate getaway, and motels were cheaper than airfare. The wagon was perfect: you could pile in kids, grandparents, suitcases, even the dog, think National Lampoon’s Vacation and the awesome Wagon Queen Family Truckster, and still have space left over for souvenirs picked up along Route 66. Automakers responded by offering wagons in every size, flavour, and level of luxury, often with glitzy chrome and faux wood to sweeten the deal.

More than just transportation, the station wagon became a rolling family/living room, a vessel for memories made on nostalgia-laden road trips. It was the go-to because it simply did everything, comfortably, stylishly, and in a way minivans and SUVs later struggled to replicate. Even today, for those of us who grew up watching the world from a rear cargo bay or sliding across vinyl seats as I did, the wagon remains the ultimate nostalgic trip.

If we fast-forward to today, despite automakers’ efforts to all but kill the car, they’re still around and doing surprisingly well. In fact, they’ve become something of a prized possession, as the M5 Touring matches and outsells the conventional M5 sedan.

I’ll say it loud and proud: I love station wagons. I know I’m not the only one, so I thought I’d share my dream ten-car garage using only station wagons:

2026 Audi RS 6 Avant Performance

The latest RS 6 Avant is a glorious ode to excess: a 4.0L twin-turbo V8 pumping out 621 hp and 627 lb-ft of torque, blasting 0-100 km/h in under 3.5 seconds. The not-so-subtly flared fenders, massive oval pipes, and trademark quattro stance make it jaw-dropping. Few cars blend family-hauling practicality with Nürburgring-hunting fury this well. The RS 6 remains the modern gold standard for enthusiasts who crave speed and space.

2026 BMW M5 Touring

Finally, BMW returns to its senses. The G99 M5 Touring arrives with a hybridized 4.4L twin-turbo V8 pushing beyond 700 hp, paired with xDrive and a chassis eager to dance. Long, low, and menacingly sculpted, this wagon oozes Autobahn intent. BMW once shunned wagons for North America, but seeing the new M5 Touring rip through corners while swallowing luggage is a sweet reminder of why wagons deserve our adoration.

2026 Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo 4S

Porsche’s electric long-roof masterpiece combines shooting brake style with EV punch. With up to 563 hp in overboost, the Taycan 4S Cross Turismo rockets to 100 km/h in 4.1 seconds, all while carrying bikes or kids in back. Its raised ride height and rugged cladding nod to adventure, but the real thrill is carving mountain roads in near silence. It’s proof that the station wagon evolves beautifully with time, even into the era of electrons.

2019 Mercedes-AMG C 43 Wagon

The C 43 Wagon pairs a 385 hp twin-turbo V6 with 4MATIC grip, all cloaked in understated AMG aggression. The long roof enhances this generation’s C-Class’s handsome lines, while inside it’s all rich leather and racy gauges. Bigger AMGs might overshadow it, but for the driving family person who appreciates a silky chassis, sharp reflexes, and punchy power, it’s a near-perfect everyday rocket.

2018 Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen 4Motion 6M

A unicorn among modern wagons: manual, AWD, compact, and fun. The VW Golf Sportwagen 4Motion with the 6-speed manual is criminally underappreciated. Sure, it only offers 170 hp from its 1.8T, but the steering is lively, cargo space is vast, and the third pedal makes every grocery run a mini adventure. It’s decent on petrol, easy to modify tastefully, fits in all parking spaces, has raised roof rails, it’s the affordable enthusiast’s wagon that punches far above its weight in driving joy.

2004 Volkswagen Passat W8 Wagon 6M

Ah, the glorious lunacy of VW stuffing a 4.0L W8 under the hood of a Passat and offering it with a 6-speed manual! With 275 hp and a wonderfully complex exhaust note, this Passat wagon epitomized understated luxury with unexpected secret muscle. All-wheel drive kept it surefooted. Today, it’s rare and maintenance is a huge gamble, but find a clean one, and you own a piece of wonderfully eccentric automotive history.

1996 Buick Roadmaster Estate

Possibly the last true American land yacht. Powered by a Corvette-derived LT1 V8 with 260 hp and enough torque to uproot trees, the Roadmaster Estate floated down highways on a cloud. Woodgrain panels, a rear-facing third-row seat, and a cargo bay that rivalled studio apartments made this wagon a true road trip legend. Few cars scream “Americana” like a big Buick (or Chevy or Oldsmobile) wagon with a V8 burble and enough space for your entire life.

1996 Subaru Legacy Outback

The Outback’s official birth year. Subaru lifted the humble Legacy wagon, added chunky cladding and all-wheel drive, threw in some marketing genius and effectively created the crossover segment. The 2.5L boxer wasn’t thrilling even with the 5-speed manual gearbox, but this Subaru wagon could bomb down snow-covered trails without breaking a sweat. It remains an icon of rugged practicality, the wagon that made outdoorsy cool, and cemented Subaru’s reputation for building cars that laugh at winter.

1988 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser

This one’s entirely personal as countless memories were created in one of these, be it as a kid with the family, or a teenager borrowing it for my own use. The Olds Custom Cruiser came with a lazy 5.0L V8, rear-wheel drive, and a colossal footprint. It had a power rear window and enough wood appliqué to outfit a cabin. Comfort trumped handling, but few wagons offered the same blend of plush bench seats and 8-passenger capacity. It’s nostalgia on whitewalls, best enjoyed at a leisurely cruise, not a sprint.

1966 Ford Fairlane Squire Wagon

Nothing captures mid-60s suburbia like the Ford Fairlane Squire with its fake wood sides and chrome luggage rack. Available with a small-block V8, it was equally ready for family vacations or Friday night drag-strip runs. The clean lines, tail fins easing into the ‘60s, and wide bench seats make it a beautiful time capsule. Few sights stir the soul like a Squire loaded with camping gear, rolling out at dawn toward summer memories.