Best station wagon for expedition other than Subaru?

[Paddy]

Call me a VW hater! And I’ll throw in my suggestion, the always overlooked Suzuki’s. They are fun little rigs, cheap and easy to maintain, truck framed, light weight, straight axled, better off road than Subaru. Not sure bout sleeping in back but maybe.

I’m also against Subaru design. I don’t like the pancake engines, or the drivetrain layouts.

 

[Clutch]

Also don't forget that VW makes wagons, in both FWD and AWD variants.

VW seems to have a very "polarized" reputation: People either absolutely love them or absolutely hate them, there's no in between.

I love VW's! But they are the biggest POS I have ever owned...


OP: Best station wagon for overland travel?

Right here it is...

 

[yoggie]

Also, if you open your definition of wagon up, just about any of today's car based crossovers could count as a wagon. So could the Jeep Cherokee XJs. And if you really squint, some people consider the Suburban just be an over-sized wagon! You can find them used for fairly cheap and they are cheap to maintain, but they do burn a lot of gas. Maybe if it is cheap to buy, cheap to maintain, but expensive on the gas, it will even out in the end?

 

[balexander87]

I drive a ‘08 Saturn VUE. It handles dirt roads just fine. Integral load bars make it easy to load up the roof for some extra cargo capacity. The AWD has handled lake effect snow without flinching for the past 6 years - and that’s with cheap all seasons.

It has been pretty reliable (knock on wood). Approaching 100k and replacing the water pump a couple weeks ago is the first major maintenance it has required. Can’t complain about a vehicle you just have to put gas in and drive it.

The VUE is a shorter wheelbase version of the othe GM “crossovers” (registration calls it a wagon). The Equinox and Terrain have a little more space behind the front seats I think. They’d work better for sleeping in the back. I’m under 6’ and can’t atretch out in the back of the VUE.

 

[midlifecrisis]

If you're so inclined.....here's what I've done with my '15 OB.
https://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/2015-subaru-outback-expedition-retrofit.146548/