Lap 4: Station Wagons

For the most part, it is hard to look and feel cool in a station wagon, but over the years there have been some inspiring performers. Cars whose dynamics, engineering and appearance have set them apart from the average family car. Able to manufacture 'street cred' in the school car park. So without further ado, let's get into it.

Holden VE SS Sportswagon 2011

Muscular, yet understated much like the sedan. The VF Sportswagon was a fantastic-looking machine with excellent driving dynamics and a cleverly engineered hatch that opened at an angle no longer the car. I drove a manual version when new and was really impressed with how easy it was to drive, even putting the boots in and flat shifting on a straight, clear road. It is unlikely that the manual was designed to do this, especially given autos were the popular choice, but it handled it well all the same. The V8 sounded great, the handling was predictable even with close to 2000kg of weight. Whilst the engine and transmission were sourced overseas, the VE architecture was designed entirely in Australia. I can't help but think that if the Commodore's interior was more modern and refined and consistent with fit and finish, it may have saved Holden from its demise. HSV made a hotrod version of the Sportswagon, much like the sedan. But I went with the top-of-range factory model because even the entry-level wagon was a pretty impressive car .

Volvo 850 T-5R 1994

Released in 1993, with a manual version and some Porsche engineering, the T-5R was the least Volvo, Volvo ever released. Whilst it still looked as though it had been designed specifically to carry your Ektorp sofa or Kallax shelves home from Ikea, the alloy wheels, lowered suspension and aero kit indicated that something else was afoot. The T-5R was a serious piece of kit, with a 20 valve 2.3 litre 5-cylinder with 185kW and 330Nm on 17X7 inch rims, taking it to 100km/h in 6.7 seconds. Quick even today! If you have one, hang onto it, they are becoming very rare indeed. I remember a friend had a rich uncle buy one when it first came out, we laughed as explained to us that the yellow brick has serious sporty credentials. Then he proceeded to scare and impress us all at once doing an obscene speed down the Eastern Fwy.

Alfa Romeo 156 GTA Sports Wagon 2001

I think the GTA is possibly the most beautiful of all the wagons on this list with one of the greatest sounding motors of all time - the 3.2 litre V6, 24 valve Busso. Add to that the aesthetics of the polished chrome inlet pipes and you have Italian perfection. The interior was sporty, well-appointed and classic Alfa Romeo. Just don't delve too deep into the build quality, reliability or even handling. The handling isn't bad, just not as sharp or performance-orientated as the German rear-wheel drive station wagons, nor is it as accurate as Japanese front-wheel drive cars. Despite its foibles, everyone should own or at the very least drive a Busso once in their lives.

Audi RS4 2001

Audi has a long history of producing outrageous station wagons under the RS nomenclature. There is something very cool about a European wagon, replete with aggressive air ducts, super large alloy wheels and the obligatory roof rack, just in case you need to get to the slopes, real fast. My friends and I once referred to this 'Alpine Spec'. Anyway, I digress, the RS2 was the genesis of the Audi sports wagon, however, we never received this Audi-Porsche collaboration. But we did get the RS4, a 2.7-litre twin-turbocharged V6 making 280kW and sprinting to 100km in under 5 seconds. That's a very quick school drop-off. With the improved suspension, brakes and Audi's famed Quattro AWD system, this car was a performance beast, with just a hint of Audi understeer.

Mercedes-Benz E36 AMG 1990

Before being bought by Mercedes-Benz, AMG operated as an independent engine developer and performance brand working in cooperation with Benz. The E36 was based on the S124 E-Class platform, still sporting the boxy aesthetic many performance cars had during the eighties. Hell, even the exhaust was square-cut. With 3.6 litre in-line 6 cylinder making 200kW and hitting 100km/h in just over 7 seconds. Whilst more powerful, outrageous wagons have come from AMG recently, it could be argued that this rendition started the legend.

Subaru WRX 2000

In terms of dollar per kilowatt, it is hard to beat the WRX wagon in stock form, add to that the sure-footed handling from the symmetrical AWD system wrapped in a practical wagon, and you have the complete package. A family car come-weekend warrior, minus a gaudy body kit or the exorbitant price tag. Not a big car and with a relatively cramped back seat compared to most medium to large wagons, but enough to convince the wife that's purely for practicality.

Skoda Octavia VRS 2011

For some reason, even as a VW fan, Skoda always seemed to get the better of the interiors, with a good mix between luxury and sportiness. The VRS was no exception, in particular, the Alcantara and leather bucket seats that did an excellent job of holding you in place when in the bends. The Skoda was a capable performer, with improved dynamics thanks to better brakes and stiffer suspension mated to the Golf GTI powerplant. Whilst the larger body performance was only slightly dampened compared to the Golf. Steering remained responsive, and grip was predictable. A more roomy and refined package than the WRX, minus the AWD system.

VW Golf R Wagon Wolfsburg 2016

Perhaps spiritually the combination of the WRX AWD grip and the refinement from the European VRS, the Golf R had everything you could ask for in a performance wagon. Understated to the point of being almost benign save for the 19-inch rims and quad exhaust pipes. I've always felt the Golf R lacked a little interior vitality compared to its GTI cousin, nonetheless, it is refined to handle long trips with the family. The Golf R is an incredible performer, completing the sprint to 100km in 5.2 seconds, with outstanding AWD grip, and a DSG gearbox that offers real control over the car when attacking a twisty road. A great sleeper, practical and luxurious and easy to live with on a daily basis.

Next Week Lap 5: The SUV