Station wagons, or “estates” as they are known across the pond, occupy that strange place in the auto market between SUVs, minivans and sedans. On the surface, wagons promise the holy grail of cargo schlepping and fuel sipping. But they’re not as sexy as a sedan, not as practical as a modern crossover and they can’t haul as much crap as a minivan. In the new world “station wagon” brings up PTSD style flashbacks of 1970s Country Squire wagons with a roof-rack and eight kids in the back on the way to summer camp, 8-track blazing, and your dad at the helm wishing he had a terrier and a 240Z instead. Thankfully, this is not your dad’s Oldsmobile Cutlass Cruiser. For this comparo we’ve selected the BMW 535xi Wagon, Mercedes E350 Wagon, Volvo XC70 T6 and the Volkswagen Passat 2.0T Wagon.
Exterior
Outside, all four of our Euro wagons could have easily been designed by the same person. The 535xi strikes the most masculine poses with the raked headlamps and long hood. Better yet, Chris Bangle was on vacation when the rear was designed. Overall, this German speaks of solid, unfussy design.
From the land of ABBA 2008, the Volvo has lost its trademark flat rear window (and with it some cargo room). And yet it still manages to be the mid-west farm girl of the pack: wholesome and attractive but miles and miles from sexy.
VW’s Passat retains the brand’s ubiquitous chrome schnoz while seemingly longing to be a Volvo and BMW all at the same time. Way to split the difference Wolfsburg!
And last, and in this department least comes the minger of the pack: the E350. Seriously Dr. Z, what’s up with that rear? Any self-respecting modern German with a trunk like that would have been on Nip/Tuck by now. Overall winner: BMW
Interior
While three of the wagons might look similar on the outside, the inside is where the differences really show. Mercedes seems to have picked “Buick chic” for their interior design theme. While there are high quality parts in this cabin, my tester’s were ill-fitted and accompanied by cheap feeling knobs, questionable plastic and an interior design from Detroit. Contact with the steering wheel when in motion is generally considered a requirement; sadly the E350’s tiller if full of highs and lows. I dig the burl wood and leather combo, but the rubbery buttons and oddly styled airbag are serious turn offs.
The E350 wagon’s only real advantage: seven passenger capacity. The Merc is the only hauler in this matchup that offers ye olde 70s flash back rearward facing child seats. Actually, as they’re sized for Lilliputians and their use precludes cargo, forget it. Despite being the second most expensive in this lineup, the fully loaded Merc wagon delivers none of the toys its 66 grand price tag implies: no radar cruise control, lane departure warning, blind spot info, no heads up display, night vision, not even parking sensors. In the gadget shoot-off, the half-price Passat beats the Merc hands down. For shame.
The 535’s interior is typical BMW: Goth. It’s assembled with proper Germanic precision, and the materials quality is suitably high. Other than anal retentive stylistic qualms about the arm rest, the awkward cup holders and the much maligned iDrive controller are the cabin’s only significant quirks. If you’re a gadget freak, the much-maligned mouse-driven controller is a boon; you can even adjust the percentage of air you or your passenger would like to come out of the dash air vents. iDrive 4.0 debuts in Spring 2009, promising even more with web updates and an integrated hard drive.
Inside the Swede, Volvo’s XC70 T6 has taken IKEA perfection to all new levels. The build quality is on par with the Bimmer’s, but Volvo’s ditched shiny wood trim for a subdued matte finish. Simplicity is the XC70s game: all the buttons are clear, logical, glove/blue rinse brigade-friendly and easy to use. Practicality is Volvo’s trump card; the XC offers a whopping 51 percent more cargo room than the BMW (seats upright) and more load carrying options than The Container Store.
The XC70 is also the only vehicle in this quartet rated to tow anything (3300lbs). Kiddie friendly features include an available dual screen entertainment system, booster seats and an available built-in kennel for multiple Vallhund transportation.
The Passat’s interior duplicates the BMW’s black theme, without the same attention to fit and finish quality. Buttons and switches feel solid, but don’t expect leather seats or other sybaritic touches. Gadget lovers will appreciate the umbrella holders, decent Nav system, keyless drive and a bevy of stanard and not-too-expensive optional features.
Engines
Crank-up the engines in these family haulers and the lines between them are drawn even more clearly. The Passat’s 2.0-liter turbo engine is an excellent four cylinder powerplant. But in this pack, two extra pistons buy far more refinement than VW’s highly evolved four-banger can muster. With 200 ponies under the hood and the lightest curb weight in the group, the Passat gets to 60 in a respectable 7.4 seconds.
The E350s 3.5-liter V6 looks great on paper. In reality, the power comes on late, especially when sampled back-to-back with the turbo engines in this crowd. And the Merc has more weight to carry around. Mercedes claims a 6.9 second 0 – 60 time, but I failed to break seven.
BMW and Volvo both come to this fight with a 3.0-liter inline six engine. BMW sports twin turbos; Volvo mixes it up with a single turbo with twin scrolls. These turbo wagons are far smoother and more aurally enjoyable than the Merc or the Vee Dub. Volvo’s T6 engine offers excellent linear response. Unfortunately, the Aisin automatic seems reluctant to shift when pressed hard; it ends up hunting for gears when things get hilly.
Push the go-pedal in anger— as grandfather clock-carrying antique dealers are wont to do— the BMW is the obvious winner. With a 5.8 second sprint to 60 (the XC70 does it in seven flat), you’ll find yourself forgetting you are piloting the mommy-mobile BMW. If “normal” cliff face depreciation isn’t painful enough, there’s even an optional manual transmission. Sleeper? Q-ship? You bet.
Handling
Throw a curve at these wagons and you can pretty much guess what happens. The Passat gets scared and runs for the edge of the road. The Volvo wallows (thanks to an SUV-like 8.3″ of ground clearance_. The Mercedes electronic nannies remind you that a station wagon is not supposed to be fun to drive. The BMW hikes up its flared fenders and carves up the road. With a near 50/50 weight distribution and a rear wheel-drive biased AWD system, the oxymoronic ultimate driving wagoneer has but one choice.
Safety
Sadly, IIHS and NHTSA crash test data is not available for all of these vehicles. So we turn to Euro NCAP, which gives a star rating along with a numeric score for adult occupants, child occupants and pedestrians hit by the car. Volvo’s five-star adult rating shows their reputation for safety is well deserved. The Passat and E350 run a close second (also five stars but a slightly lower score of 33 vs 34).
The BMW crashes in with a four-star rating and a score of 29. Child protection scores come in at four stars all around (child scores were not available for the E350). The XC70 comes equipped with Volvo’s WHIPS whiplash prevention system, rated best in the business by Euro NCAP. Combine that with built in two-stage child booster seats and an allergy free interior and the Volvo is the winner in this category.
Value
In terms of value (a.k.a. quality for the money), there’s a clear winner. The BMW is the performance and gadget king– but that will cost you with a price tag that easily goes over $70k. The Volvo is middle of the road at $37,250 base and $53,215 as tested, offering most of the same features as the 535 with the benefit of soft roader ability. The E350 crashes this party with the second biggest price tag, the fewest goodies brought to the table and styling only its mother could love. Advantage Passat.
Final Ranking
4. Mercedes E350 Wagon – If you want to get a wagon and all that matters to you is that it has a Mercedes badge on it, then the E350 Wagon is for you. Sure, it’s more exclusive than the XC70 and Passat , but it has to be based more on its lack of features and lackluster styling than its price tag and badge snob value would indicate. A well deserved last place goes to the E350 Wagon.
3. Volkswagen Passat 2.0T Wagon – The Passat is the undisputed value leader in this pack. The 2.0L turbo engine isn’t appreciably slower than the Volvo or Merc, but it is more frugal. Interior quality is very good for this price point and the feature/gadget compliment is competitive– with the notable exception of good iPod connectivity. Third place and best value pick is the Passat Wagon 2.0T.
2. Volvo XC70 T6 - Most wagon buyers are after kid, dog and crap schlepping ability. This is where the Volvo shines. With the largest cargo capacity, kid-friendly features and enough safety acronyms to provide Lincoln with model names for the next century, a very close second place and the overall practicality pick goes to the Vovlo XC70 T6.
1. BMW 535xi Wagon - OK, this is not one of those Car and Driver deals where the BMW always wins cause the reviewers don’t have to spend their own money and they tend to choose the best hoonmobile. The 535xi is a deeply satisfying vehicle, aesthetically and dynamically. You don’t have to be an enthusiast to love it. But if you’re not when you buy it, you will be later.
82 Comments on “Review: 2009 Euro Wagon Shootout: BMW 535xi Wagon, Mercedes E350 Wagon, Volvo XC70 T6, Volkswagen Passat 2.0T Wagon...”
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What, no Saab 9-5?
I think Mercedes’ best wagon-like product is the R series. I don’t know if it would take top honors in this crowd, but it might have compared better than the E.
Alex probably forgot they still offer the 9-5. Nearly everyone has. I’m not sure Saab is even aware that they still offer the car.
Then again, also no Audi A6.
On the test–this ranking makes sense to me. The VW is a bit of an apple in a bunch of oranges. The 3.6 would have been more comparable, at least in the powertrain department.
On the reliability front, TrueDelta has very limited info on the Mercedes (might be a bit troublesome) and no information on the new V70/XC70. Especially need more owners to provide data on these.
The 2008 BMW and VW both have low repair rates so far. Makes me wonder if these manufacturers have made some major improvements. Time will tell. With prompt updates every three months, we’ll track these cars closely as they age.
Latest results:
http://www.truedelta.com/latest_results.php
Wot, no diesels?
I don’t know what it is exactly, but I grow less and less interested in Mercedes products. I’d just as soon own an Infiniti G than a C-class.
But they’re not as sexy as a sedan,
Allow me to disagree. In Europe in particular, wagons are often considered MORE sexy than sedans, and with reason. It’s particularly true of smaller vehicles like the Subaru impreza, where the sedan is a sad sight. But even in larger categories, a well-executed wagon can generate more lust than a sedan trunk. The Audi A6, and even more so the A6 are examples in case. So’s the BMW 5-series, for that matter, where the wagon replaced the horrid Bangle-butt with something approaching decency. Those Peggy Guggenheim glasses – urm, I mean headlights – keep spoling the fun, though.
The only real advantage of a sedan overt a wagon is decreased road noise, and, in third world countries, a trunk locked separately.
In Europe in particular, wagons are often considered MORE sexy than sedans
True, true. And personally I think so too, most of the times.
Particularly the A6 looks great as a wagon, the sedan is kind of meh. The 3-series wagon vs sedan is also a good example IMHO, although after the recent facelift the sedan gained some ground.
Interestingly though, although the twinturbo I6 is BMW’s main engine now in many ways (not volume), we in Europe can’t get the 5-series wagon with this engine.
We do get the 520i with an I4, the 523i (2.5 I6) and two versions (525i/530i) of the normally aspirated (magnesium block) 3.0 I6 and finally the 4.8 V8 (550i). There used to be a 4.0 V8 (540i) as well but that recently got cancelled.
The only real advantage of a sedan overt a wagon is decreased road noise, and, in third world countries, a trunk locked separately.
You know what’s funny–or tragic–about that statement? One of the reasons I hear about why Americans avoid wagons is because of the potential for theft.
AKM, bingo on the BMW’s styling. The wagon does look better than the sedan for exactly the reasons you describe, but they all still look to me like mules on a test track wearing camo wraps. Somewhere beneath all that bloat and those creases there’s a good looking car trying to break out.
And if you did this comparo in Britain, you could call it the shooting brake shootout. I crack me up.
You know what’s funny–or tragic–about that statement? One of the reasons I hear about why Americans avoid wagons is because of the potential for theft.
Which makes the SUV-mania even funnier. Maybe some smallish soccer moms imagine that NOBODY is tall enough to see inside?
“What, no Saab 9-5?”
If you read the archives, Alex’s disdain for the 9-5 (and the marque in general) is well documented.
Probably best that this article concentrated on the more “modern” alternatives, without Dykensian piling-on:-)
Personally, among the Volvos I’d have wanted a comparo using the V70, with less of the tipsy suspension that the XC70 gets.
I love this category of cars. Coupla points:
I concur that these cars are often sexier than their sedan counterparts. I remember the first time I saw an A6 Avant on the highway, from the rear-three-quarters, a couple of lanes over, I did a double take and one of those moving over sveral lanes and accelerating to catch up and follow it. The kinda thing you’d do if you came upon a McLaren F1. That is one nice rear-end on the A6 (it was also the first application of LEDs I’d seen, compounding the sexiness factor).
As for my favourite in this category, the 535xi. The car used to be a difficult purchase decision to make back when in it was the 530xi (225hp/255hp); at that time it priced comfortably above its X5 stablemate, with its lucious V8. It’d be difficult to not get the X5 in that situation. Now that it has finally gotten real power and torque, it is an easy proposition. Not as sexy as the A6, but it would be my choice. [Audi's upcoming supercharged 3.0 V6 might shuffle the cards here though].
I live in Canada, and I hope to make my next car a sports wagon from the other category down: 3-series or A4 Avant. Or if I luck out and find a mint, no-longer-produced Volvo V70R. Sweet.
We were unable to secure an A6 Avant in time for this comparo otherwise it would have been included.
The 9-5 wagon is just too old to include in this lineup, perhaps when a new 9-5 is released.
The choice of the XC70 is simple: AWD and engine. The Merc and BMW have AWD and a 6 cylinder engine so that was the target. Since the V70 in N. America is limited to FWD and the 3.2L I6, the T6 was the better match for this test.
The Passat sadly is no longer available in N. America in 3.6L 4Motion trim or that would have been the test subject.
The 9-5 wagon is just too old to include in this lineup, perhaps when a new 9-5 is released
Yes, but it would have been funny to take a kick at the old girl. And besides, we’d be waiting four or five years minimum–assuming Saab survives–so why not throw’er in just for good measure.
This reminds me:
NOTE TO N. AMERICAN AUTOMOTIVE PRODUCT PLANNERS:
Considering wagons have, for now, limited sales over here, do not bring us a wagon that does not have AWD.
The wagon’s chance to establish a good beachhead in this market is as an SUV alternative. Make ‘em AWD.
I’m looking at you VW (Passat and new Jetta Wagen), Volvo, Saab, Mazda (helped us loose our 6 wagon), amongst others….
And, of course, no possibility of a Commodore Sportwagon.
A 6 cylider Passat may have been a better choice, except it does not appear to be an option currently available. The other vehicles do not appear to be base models and even fully upgraded the Passat barely approaches the base Volvo.
Joe,
The XC70 was “fully loaded” as was the E350, the 535xi had most available options except the manual transmission. The Passat has few options, but what was available it did have. The Passat 3.6 was not tested because it is no longer available in the 2009 model year.
Personally, I think these are all quite good looking cars. The VW’s lines could be less tentative though.
To me these cars are much more appealing than any SUV or CUV, or what I like to call “the new station wagons”, on the road at present.
I actually would have liked to have seen the Subaru Outback XT compared against these… I believe it would have taken the value proposition from the VW…
BTW- It is the one getting my money in January.
the 535xi had most available options except the manual transmission.
A strange sentence for a European to read that…
Nice work Alex – you’re spot on about the E class not delivering on the marketing hype.
The only disagreement I can offer is that the perculiar head lights on the 5 series are so ugly that I could never could own one. To me the Volvo actually looks better.
JJ, the manual transmission is a hard to find option on this side of the pond. If you want your 535xi with the row-it-yourself box, you need to order or take Euro delivery.
CarGuy, the Dame Edna lights on the 5 series are a love/hate deal. Personally, the long hood and overall look of the 5 edge out Volvo’s classic restrained styling. If the XC didn’t look like a raccoon on the front with those circles around the fog lights, it might have been the beauty pageant winner.
The BMW is the winner if performance, gadgets and comfort are your deal. If you need to actually haul crap, keep the kiddies entertained, are interested in safety and prefer your life to be less complicated or flashy, the XC70 is hard to beat.
Under value, its mother, not it’s mother. Please.
Nice comparison test.
CarGuy, the Dame Edna lights on the 5 series are a love/hate deal.
I thought it was a hate/hate deal, or perhaps an indifferent/hate deal. Does anyone actually love those headlights?
I am not sure why XC70 is being compared with the rest of the pack or even considered a “performance” wagon. Sure, it has the best engine of all Volvo wagons, but that doesn’t make it a performance wagon. The original intent was to make the XC series to people who want all-road capability. To someone who wants to take the wagon off the paved road, there are two choices: XC70 and Outback (and maybe audi’s all road and some CUVs).
V70 would have been a more appropriate car to use in this test..
Jacob,
The V70 is not available in N. America with the T6 engine. I have tested the V70 T6 AWD, you will find that in the reviews section, but this review focused on N. American vehicles available now, and in that line-up the XC was the best option. I never called the XC70 a performance wagon, it simply matched up the best to this competition so it was the natural vehicle here. The Passat 2.0T is certainly not a performance wagon, but that wasn’t the point.
Thanks for the comparo of my favorite type of car. I have a strange affinity for wagons. A while back I picked up a lightly used (25k mile, 2-year old) 2001 BMW 525iT with a manual transmission and a sport suspension package. It was a terrific car but by today’s standards didn’t have any of the electronic do-dads you seem so fond of. The cargo hold was huge but that generation of 5-series was a bit tight on back-seat room.
At the time, eBay seemed to be a real help to lovers of obscure vehicles like wagons with manual transmissions. There were at least 2 or 3 5-speed 5-series wagons available at any given time. After driving my car for a couple of years I sold it within 4 days (back on eBay where I found it) for a few hundred dollars less than I paid for it.
With the largest cargo capacity, kid-friendly features and enough safety acronyms to provide Lincoln with model names for the next century, a very close second place and the overall practicality pick goes to the Vovlo XC70 T6.
Since you mention acronyms, Lincoln really should produce a model named the “Vovlo” so they can poach sales from Volvo after Ford pawns their best division to the Chinese.
—-
I understand this was a Euro wagon comparo, but why not include the Outback 3.0R (the refined choice) or Outback XT (the sporty choice) as a point of reference?
excellent review, alex. i’m a 2002 v70xc owner so here’s my take on the volvo:
best seats, bar none.
they don’t hold their resale like bmw and mb which is good for me because you can get great deals on them used.
the build quality is great. people say there not as good as old volvos but compared to other modern cars they’re astounding. i find the best way to check this is look at the miles listed on used models on ebay. 200,000 is common and 300,000 isn’t that rare. now look up vw and laugh.
the bmw absolutely is a better driver’s car. the volvo is basically a fwd onto which they added a awd package. it is too high but you get used to it. it deals with the potholes of the nyc area with confidence. did i mention the seats?
I’ve lusted after that 5-series wagon for so long…
“$5b rear screen DVD system”? What, did we bail them out for it?
Too bad BMW doesn’t bring the 535iT, not everyone needs AWD. Anyway, still would pick the BMW out of this test.
But they’re not as sexy as a sedan, not as practical as a modern crossover and they can’t haul as much crap as a minivan.
Not as practical as a crossover? This is a new frame of reference for TTAC, if I’m not mistaken. I thought a crossover was a vehicle that manged to do none of the following well: on-road driving dynamics, off-road driving dynamics, cargo-schlepping, towing, and fuel economy. It would seem that the BMW, Volvo, and VW all do at least three of those five reasonably well.
Could the same really be said for an Outlook, a CX-9 or a Taurus X?
Det, The average crossover will tow, this is something that only the XC70 which is quasi-crossover will do. Also crossovers typically have more interior room. Personally, I would not buy a crossover or a minivan or an SUV as long as these wagons are around.
Wind, I would have to disagree. I’m a big fan of AWD and it really helps tame the manners of BMW’s high output 3.0L I6 by pushing power thru the fronts as well. If you are anywhere that gets rain or snow, AWD makes all the difference and it would mean you can stoplight race the 2WD competition without fear. As far as I’m concerned, there’s no disadvantage to the 535xi’s AWD setup.
Excellent review Alex. However, I think you’re going to take some heat from wagon aficionados for this part of your opening paragraph:
… not as practical as a modern crossover…
With our youngest now in possession of his own set of wheels, we sold our 2001 525iT last month after eight years of trusty service. As a 5 series, it was a brilliant driver. As a family hauler, well…
Like every male car reviewer since time immemorial, Mr. Dykes dismisses last row jump seats as too small to be useful. Wrong, wrong, wrong. In the classic two moms with two kids each configuration that modern yuppie-dom mandates, a five seater is one seat shy of usable for those trips to the water park or the mall or the whatever that mothers with older-than-babies find themselves taking on a regular basis. No more strollers, no cargo room required. And at the prices being charged for the non-VeeDubs in this crowd, the slightly older kids demographic is exactly what these wagons are all about.
Yes, those last row seats are tiny, use up the entire trunk, and are a safety hazard, but children can easily be origamied into position for the less than an hour trips that we’re talking about, stuff can be stuffed between stuff, and as to safety, well I survived a childhood of rolling around the way-back of a Rambler wagon unencumbered by either seat belts or even seats. The third row of a wagon has to be better than nothing (which is frequently the alternative.)
The lack of a last row jump seat was our number one complaint about the 5 wagon. And the number one reason why those of our friends who chose not to go the Euro “sports tourer” route sentenced themselves to years of joyless driving behind the wheel of a minivan or SUV. (For the record, I have the same complaint about reviewers trashing the micro-seats in the 911. They’re the difference between having a sports car and not for those with youngish children).
Nice review, thanks Alex. I was at my Volvo dealer this morning getting my oil changed on the XC90 and sat in the XC70. It seems like a really nice place to spend time while commuting.
I’ll look into the XC60 or 70 when my 90 lease expires in 2010. The XC90 has been flawless so far over 18 months.
66k for the Benz? Ouch. You’re spot on about the “Buick Chic” interior. The cheap knobs are especially distressing. I guess that’s why most people lease and never buy these things.
“Det, The average crossover will tow, this is something that only the XC70 which is quasi-crossover will do. Also crossovers typically have more interior room.”
Horse pucky. I think you will find that ALL of these cars have quite substantial tow ratings on the far side of the pond. They just get conveniently left out of the owners manual on this side. Wouldn’t want to lose that extra $5-10K of profit that the crossovers (wagon on stilts) bring from gullible Americans….
I want cargo space without compromising the driving experience, hence my having a succession of European wagons in the garage. Currently a Volvo 960, previously Mercedes 300TE, Saab 9-5, and sundry other Volvos and Peugeots.
I am firmly of the “crossovers do nothing well” mindset. And even though I live in snowy Maine, I have no use AT ALL for AWD. Expensive nonsense.
I will also add that if you were going to have the Passat in this, you should have had a 9-5 as well. Yes, it is older than the hills. But it is still a nice car, and with the deeeeep discounts and rebates you can buy one new for <$30K, and used they are the bargain of the century.
We abide by manufacturer recommendations and specifications. BMW, Mercedes and Volkswagen are very clear that towing with their vehicles is not recommended. Consequently if your tranny has an unrelated issue while towing and you go to your local BMW dealer with a well used hitch on your 535, what do you think the service guys will say?
@Areitu:
The Benz wagons are leased because they sticker at 66k. When we were looking at them last year, the dealer wanted 35k for a 3 yr old one. We thought that was still 10k too much. A quick search on Ebay shows that to be the case as well.
I liked the idea of the 530xi wagon, as there have been some cooling issues with the 535. Anyone have experience with this?
jkross22 :
I liked the idea of the 530xi wagon, as there have been some cooling issues with the 535. Anyone have experience with this?
Not sure if this is what you were talking about, but I know there were overheating issues with the turbo engine in the 335i and the automatic transmission.
Apparently BMW initially didn’t install an oil temperature cooler in those cars — but when they realized people were still driving the crap out of them even with the automatic, they installed the cooler.
Det [sic], The average crossover will tow, this is something that only the XC70 which is quasi-crossover will do. Also crossovers typically have more interior room. Personally, I would not buy a crossover or a minivan or an SUV as long as these wagons are around.
I’m raising the BS flag with krhodes1 on this. (And given what he’s written in the past, I suspect Paul Niedermeyer would agree.)
In the UK BMW dealers sell exotic accessories for the 5-Series Touring like the “Exterior mirror for trailer towing” and a “Trailer tow hitch” rated up to 2275kg. That’s 5015 lbs if you’re converting at home. Unless US-bound 5-Series wagons are made of angel hair pasta or recycled 1970s Fiats, my guess is that they’ll tow just fine. The UK XC70 is rated at 2100kg (~4630 lbs), about 130 lbs more than a Saturn Outlook with the 3.6L V6.
As for the crossovers’ advantages in interior room, this is true. Unfortunately, all that interior room comes at the expense of higher centers of gravity. By way of example, the Outlook carries an additional 1000 lbs of weight over the XC70, stands 10″ taller, yet somehow also has an inch less ground clearance, all of this with the resulting lame compromise of poor on-road and off-road driving capabilities.
BMW Reigns supreme again! Although pricing is jaw-dropping on every new bimmer these days, if you can get past iDrive there are few better cars on the road. From the 1-3-5 series it’s a blockbuster lot. The new 7 shows promise. The M series still kicks serious rear (Jeremy Clarkson called the new M5 the BEST car he has EVER driven…all things considered). ANd they offer things other companies don’t – manual trannies, wagons, AWD, RWD….it’s like they told Consumer Reports to go sc**w itself–> consumer reports did –> consumer reports came back and said “OK, you were right all along.” I’ve actually always been a fan of bangle-styling (except the huge 7-series butt), too….must be all you 50-somethings who long for the first 3-series box.
All in all, the 5-series wagon is the car that every man should be driving instead of those god-awful SUVs….enough room to carry everyone and all their stuff, gets your heart pounding, will keep you alive in a serious accident, and still turns heads. If your pocketbook cnd handle the cost. But pencil out the BMW maintenance plan and things aren’t too bad….plus the high resale value. Just keep buying Bimmers with 10K miles and selling them yourself at 50K once the warranty is up. As long as you have the initial cash, it ends up being as cheap as owing most cars considering cost per mile over a lifetime of driving.
this is not your dad’s Oldsmobile Customer Cruiser.
I don’t get it.
sadly the E350s tiller if full of highs and lows
E350’s; is (not if)
the rubbery buttons and oddly styled airbag is a serious turn off.
are serious turn offs.
Inside the Swede, Volvo’s XC70 T6 has taking IKEA perfection to all new levels
taken
Push the go-pedal in anger– as grandfather clock-carrying antique dealers are wont to do– the BMW
Ugh! Em dash please, not en. In Wordpress, type three hyphens and it will convert to em dash. — -
@ Justin:
I must have heard incorrectly. I thought the overheating issues impacted both the 3 and 5 series with the new turbo 6, regardless of transmission.
It’s odd that BMW would assume those buying the autos would drive less aggressively. I’d think just the opposite would be true.
factotum
I suspect what Alex meant was Oldsmobile Cutlass Cruiser
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oldsmobile_Cutlass_Cruiser
In 1978, my father bought the Pontiac version: The LeMans Safari. He not so fondly referred to it as the “bucket of bolts”, or the “piece of shit” when I wasn’t around (I was seven at the time). He never bought another GM product again.
factotum
Definitely a Monday before Christmas bit o’ work, eh? Maybe you should submit an application for TTAC proofreader-at-large.
Sorry, I completely disagree with your 1st choice.
Do you have children? Do you not care about their safety? Why would you pick a family car with the lowest crash rating? Because it drives better? So is this why everybody thinks of BMW drivers as arrogant and selfish? (don’t want to use that specific word)
Since the point of a station wagon is to transfer family comfortably on long trips, crash safety and overall comfort should be weighted higher than performance, handling and looks.