Volvo Says Wagons Are Cool Again

Wagons used to be everywhere, but over the past few decades they've evolved into a bit of a joke — at least, for those not erudite enough to worship at the cult of the brown manual diesel wagon. Their reputation got bad enough that even Volvo, makers of the most beautiful station wagons in the world, exited the segment entirely, announcing the end of V60 and V90 production. Now, though, it seems things are starting to come around.

Volvo thinks wagons are cool again, and it hasn't ruled out bringing more to market. The Drive spoke with Volvo chief strategy and product officer Michael Fleiss, who said that the wagon segment was heating up — or, in his own words, that the segment is now "hot sh*t." He claimed the automotive market is in a very different place than it was even 10 years ago, and that wagons may have the chance to finally make their long-awaited triumphant return. 

Fleiss even hinted that Volvo could take advantage of that warming market, telling The Drive to "watch this space" when asked about future product. The usual line we reporters get is "[brand] does not comment on future product, so a "watch this space" isn't necessarily as meaningless as it might sound. The very fact that it's almost an answer is remarkable in itself.

Don't expect Volvo to drop a slew of wagons in 2026, but it's possible the company will release some new electric longroofs within the coming years. If it does, maybe we'll be lucky enough to even get a Polestar variant down the line — sure, the companies are technically distinct, but we all know there's some serious connection between the two. It may be neither diesel nor manual, but I for one would certainly be excited for a torque-rich all-electric wagon in Swedish Racing Green.