Porsche/Volvo/Mercedes-Benz/Audi
The station wagon hasn’t been prevalent on U.S. roads for decades now, but the body style still has some life left in it. We have Europe to thank for the estate car’s continued presence here, especially when it comes to the luxury market. Marques like Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, and Volvo continue to bring long-roof models to our shores, much to our delight. They’ve also, in recent years, finally started bringing over the high-performance wagons enthusiasts have long coveted but never dreamed they’d get, like the Audi RS 6 Avant Performance and Mercedes-AMG AMG E63 S Estate. The options aren’t exactly plentiful—although more are on the way—but there’s enough choice out there to find the perfect wagon for you.
With that in mind, here are the best six luxury station wagons you can buy today:
—Best Overall: Audi A6 Allroad and RS 6 Avant Performance
—Best Electric Option: Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo
—Best Powertrain Options: Volvo V60 Cross Country
—Best Looking: Mercedes-Benz E Class Wagon
—Best SUV Alternative: Volvo V90 Cross Country
—Best Value for Your Buck: Audi A4 Allroad
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Best Overall: Audi A6 Allroad and RS 6 Avant Performance
Image Credit: Audi No automaker seems more committed to the idea of the performance wagon than Audi. The German marque has been building the kind of longroofs enthusiasts lust after since the 1980s. There’s no model that fits this bill stateside right now better than the RS 6 Avant Performance, which is the range-topping version of the A6 wagon. Sure, like all Audis it doesn’t have a design that inspires, but its engine is more than noteworthy enough to make up for that. It’s powered by a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 that generates a brutish 621 hp and 627 ft lbs of power, which is routed to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission. Thanks to all that oomph, this wagon can sprint from zero to 60 mph in 3.3 seconds and hit a top speed of 155 mph, two numbers that help explain why this thing costs over $125,000.
In Production Since: 1994
Top Powertrain Option: Twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8
Power: 621 hp and 627 ft lbs of torque
Zero to 60 mph: 3.3 seconds
Top Speed: 155 mph
Starting Price: $69,300 ($125,800 for the RS Avant Performance -
Best Electric Option: Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo
Image Credit: Porsche Porsche lost a wagon model when the model year calendar flipped from 2023 to 2024, but the one that is left is still pretty impressive—and the only fully electric option you can currently buy in the U.S. As has been the case now, the automaker offers four Taycan wagons, each of which carry the Cross Turismo name. Although each is impressive, the pick of the quartet is the Turbo S Cross Turismo, which in classic Porsche Turbo fashion is a beast. It’s two E-Performance electric motors combine to produce a hair-raising 938 horses and 818 ft lbs of torque. Thanks to that this all-wheel-drive speed machine can hit 60 mph in under three seconds. Yes, under three seconds.
In Production Since: 2019
Top Powertrain Option: Dual permanently excited synchronous powertrain motors
Power: 930 hp and 774 ft lbs of torque
Zero to 60 mph: 2.4 seconds
Top Speed: 155 mph
Starting Price: $111,100 -
Best Powertrain Options: Volvo V60 Cross Country
Image Credit: Volvo They may not be the sexiest of automakers, but if you’re in the market for a wagon Volvo’s long had you covered. The Swedish marque currently sells two wagons, the first of which is the “compact” V60. It’s basically the same Volvo wagon you may have been driven to school in as a kid but with a smoother, less boxy shape. The V60 comes in two flavors: the Cross Country and the Recharge. They’re the same except that the Recharge is a plug-in hybrid that sits lower to the ground (the Cross Country is gas-powered). Its electrified powertrain pairs a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder with an electric motor that combines to generate 455 hp and 523 ft lbs of torque, allowing the vehicle to sprint from zero to 60 mph in just 4.3 seconds. On top of this, the electric motor gives it an all-electric range of 41 miles and helps boost fuel economy to 31 miles per gallon.
In Production Since: 2010
Top Powertrain Option: Turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder and electric motor
Power: 455 hp and 523 ft lbs of torque
Zero to 60 mph: 4.3 seconds
Top Speed: 114 mph
Starting Price: $50,300 -
Best Looking: Mercedes-Benz E Class Wagon
Image Credit: Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-Benz wasn’t about to let Audi have all the wagon fun. Last year, the luxury marque announced that it was bringing a long-roof version of the redesigned E-Class to the U.S. Two models are available, the E450 4Matic All Terrain and the AMG E63 S Estate, which both pair a sleek design with a potent powertrain. This is especially true of the latter, which is powered by a handcrafted twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 that produces 603 hp and 627 ft lbs of torque. The model’s 16-mpg city mileage leaves something to be desired but the ability to get to 60 mph in and hit a top speed of 186 mph helps make up for that.
In Production Since: 1993
Top Powertrain Option: Twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8
Power: 603 hp and 627 ft lbs of torque
Zero to 62 mph: 3.9 seconds
Top Speed: 186 mph
Starting Price: $71,250 ($113,950) -
Best SUV Alternative: Volvo V90 Cross Country
Image Credit: Volvo The bigger of Volvo’s two wagons, the V90 Cross Country, is a mid-size option for drivers who want to always have plenty of cargo room at the ready. In the case of this surprisingly stylish wagon, that means you’ll have access to 69 cubic feet of room which is more than enough for most of us. It’s not a performance wagon by any stretch of the imagination, but thanks to its turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder with a mild hybrid system it can still hit 60 mph in 6.1 seconds. And, as the “Cross Country” part of its name may have given away, it has all-wheel drive.
In Production Since: 2016
Top Powertrain Option: TK
Power: 295 hp and 310 ft lbs of torque
Zero to 60 mph: 6.1 seconds
Top Speed: 112 mph
Starting Price: $59.800 -
Best Value for Your Buck: Audi A4 Allroad
Image Credit: Audi The Audi A4 Allroad may be the least expensive model on this list, but that doesn’t make it a compromise. The first of the German marque’s two wagon models is a compact luxury vehicle that has all the gear it needs for some off-road fun. The wagon sports a surprisingly sculpted look and standard quatro all-wheel drive. It’s engine isn’t anything to write home about, but the turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder mill has some pep, producing a respectable 261 hp and 273 ft lbs of torque. Despite its diminutive size it has plenty of cargo room, making it an ideal option for people who need space but don’t want to give in and buy a crossover.
In Production Since: 1994
Top Powertrain Option: Twin-turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder
Power: 261 hp and 273 ft lbs of torque
Zero to 60 mph: 5.5 seconds
Top Speed: 140 mph
Starting Price: $47,600
