Wagon Automobiles

The Bottom Line: With its unique looks, excellent cabin tech, and spacious interior, the 2009 Ford Flex makes for a family vacation cruiser that you can be proud of.

Specs: wagon, LTD, Gas

The Bottom Line: Although the 2007 Mazda Mazdaspeed Mazda3 looks good and seems like a lot of fun at first, a few problems start to reveal themselves. While we never tire of good handling, a good stereo would also be nice.

Specs: wagon, Grand Touring, Gas

The Bottom Line: We come down on the side of appreciating the 2007 Audi A3's rowdy behavior off the line, although some people won't. The A3 is a great car by itself, but optional cabin electronics aren't as useful as they could be.

Specs: wagon, 2.0T, Gas

The Bottom Line: For its price, the 2007 Chrysler Pacifica compares very favorably with luxury brands such as Mercedes-Benz. Its gadget options are complete, although good interface integration is lacking, and buyers will need to accept a few quirks.

Specs: wagon, Limited, Gas

The Bottom Line: The style, space, and comfort of the 2007 Volkswagen Passat Wagon outweigh its lack of Bluetooth and MP3-player compatibility, but these tech flaws may hurt its desirability.

Specs: wagon, 2.0T, Gas

The Bottom Line: Mercedes-Benz is exploring new ground with the R-Class Grand Sports Tourer. With 4,800 pounds of heft, sport doesn't really apply to the 2006 R350, but with excellent passenger space and comfort, it's great for touring in grand style.

Specs: wagon, R350, Gas

The Bottom Line: The 2006 BMW 325xi offers fine performance and all-weather traction, small-wagon usefulness, and a complete suite of modern electronics.

Specs: wagon, 325xi, Gas

The Bottom Line: The Chrysler Pacifica offers a lot of tech for making traveling more comfortable, but its mediocre mileage calls for a fat wallet.

Specs: wagon, Limited, Gas

The Bottom Line: The Subaru Outback is well designed for camping trips and grocery runs, but its transmission could use some refinement.

Specs: wagon, 3.0 R VDC Limited, Gas

The Bottom Line: Solid performance marks this early-adopter car, but the Audi A3 gets pricey when all options are in.

Specs: wagon, Base, Gas