Wagon Reviews

Mahindra is better known for its agricultural machinery than its mainstream vehicles, but the Indian carmaker is hoping its Scorpio will change all that.This proper 4WD wagon has, on paper at least, a lot of appealing characteristics, including six seats, a low-range transfer case, an automatic rear diff lock and plenty of standard features for a price-tag at just over $45 grand.

The Jeep Wrangler Rubicon usually attracts all of the glory as the line-up's best off-roader, but it's more city-friendly stablemate, the Overland, is certainly no slouch in the rough stuff.And, while any Wrangler may be on the wrong side of impractical for many, the Overland still offers plenty of fun in terms of drivability and old-school-style 4WDing.

Cleverly, the GWM Tank 300 slots into a gap in the booming 4WD wagon market, above the popular Suzuki Jimny but below Nissan's Patrol, while infusing more than a hint of classic Toyota LandCruiser and Mercedes G-Class in its size and presentation. But retro-pastiche styling isn't the only drawcard, thanks to keen pricing, an alluring interior and a smooth ride. All the 300 needs is more polish.

The special 20th Anniversary Edition Mazda 6 wagon shows its history but what about its future? With some luxuriously-appointed rivals to contend with, does it offer enough to be considered by a modern family?

Alfa Romeo will launch an all-new, all-electric Giulia in 2025, but before that happens the Italian brand has one final flourish for its petrol-powered version. We headed to France to sample this performance hero's final upgrade that's due in Australia by the end of the year. It also celebrates the 100th anniversary of the brand's Quadrifoglio performance division.

The Volkswagen Passat 206 TSI R-Line offers sporty performance while offering space for a family, but is the price point going to be the sticking point?

Volvo has history when it comes to wagons, and even though the Swedish maker has embraced the SUV, it has also stuck to its roots. The V60 Cross Country is a neatly executed, mid-size, premium, five-seat wagon able to hold its head high in the city, with the sneaky ability to take you and your family on AWD adventures.

The Touring is the top grade in the Outback line-up and has a list price of $55,990.

The Sport XT is the turbocharged version of the Sport grade and lists for $52,190.The Sport XT has a 2.4-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine making 183kW and 350Nm, with a continuously variable auto transmission. Like all Outbacks the Sport is all-wheel drive, too.Subaru says that after a combination of open and urban roads the 2.4-litre turbo engine should use 9.0L/100km.Coming standard on the Sport are LED headlights, LED fog lights and LED running lights, roof rails, privacy glass and 18-inch alloy wheels. Inside there’s an 11.6-inch central touchscreen with sat nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, dual-zone climate control, power front seats, a proximity key, push button start, 'X-Mode' drive modes, paddle shifters, a power tailgate, heated front seats and sports pedals.A cool feature of the Sport grade is its water repellent seats. All Outbacks come standard with an excellent array of advanced safety tech including Subaru’s 'Eyesight' system which uses two cameras to scan the road ahead. 

The Touring is the top grade in the Outback line-up and has a list price of $50,990.This isn’t the most expensive Outback in the range, however. The Touring XT is more expensive because it’s the turbocharged version of the Touring.The Touring has a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine making 138kW and 245Nm, with a continuously variable auto transmission. Like all Outbacks the Touring is all-wheel drive, too.Subaru says that after a combination of open and urban roads the 2.5-litre engine should use 7.3L/100km.Coming standard on the Touring are LED headlights, LED fog lights and LED running lights, roof rails, privacy glass and 18-inch alloy wheels. Inside there’s an 11.6-inch central touchscreen with sat nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, dual-zone climate control, power front seats, a proximity key, push-button start, 'X-Mode' drive modes, paddle shifters, power tailgate, heated front seats and sports pedals.The Touring grades also has nine-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, a heated steering wheel and Nappa leather seats. The Touring also comes with a CD player… yes, really.All Outbacks come standard with an excellent array of advanced safety tech including Subaru’s 'Eyesight' system which uses two cameras to scan the road ahead. There’s AEB, autonomous emergency steering, lane keeping assistance, rear cross-traffic alert with reverse auto braking and blind-spot warning.