There was a time when wagons roamed the interstates ferrying families from one National Lampoon vacation to another. With the rise of the crossover, those looking for the original "looks practical but handles like a sedan" mode of transport have few options and most of them live in the luxury segment. Let's count them before we go too far. We have the soon-to-be-cancelled TSX, the last-generation Cadillac CTS (the new wagon may arrive next year) Jetta, E-Class, 3-Series and Prius V. Even if you expand things to include "off-road wagons"the list only grows by three (Allroad, Outback and XC70.) Despite the shrinking market, Volvo's brand has long been associated with practical wagons that it's almost hard to believe it has been three full years since Volvo sold one in America. That's about to change with the 2015 V60. Back in 2010 Volvo was selling two wagons in America. The V50 was based on the compact S40 sedan and the V70 shared its soul with Volvo's 5-series competitor the S80. Although the V70 is still sold in Europe and the V40 (the replacement for the V50) splashed down in 2013, Americans will have to settle for Volvo's middle child: the V60 wagon. Based on Volvo's S60 sedan, the V60 competes internationally with wagon variants of the 3-Series, C-Class, Audi A4 and many others. But this is America and Volvo's only direct competitor is the BWM 328i xDrive wagon. More on that later. Despite ditching the boxy form years ago, Volvo's style remains the automotive Birkenstock to BMW's Prada. The entire Volvo lineup in America (except for the XC90) received a 2014 face lift with a more aggressive grille and more creases in the hood. Volvo has finally tucked their radar cruise control module behind a plastic panel that blends into the grille rather than sticking out like a gray sore thumb. Out back we get bumper cover integrates exhausts, a large black surround on the rear glass that made me wish it was separately hinged, and a continuation of those oh-so-sexy Swedish hips. Volvo's engineers kept the V60's roofline fairly high at the rear, but even the Swedes have given in to modern "coupé" styling cues, most notable in the greenhouse shape. The raked rear glass which looks sexier but takes a toll on cargo space. Birkenstocks are comfy. Prada? Hit and miss. (Or so I'm told.) And so it is with Volvo and BMW interiors. The S60 on which the V60 is based is now 5 years old. Aside from massaging color and trim options, the only substantive changes to the interior since it was launched is Volvo's LCD disco dash, a new steering wheel with shift paddles (optional) and a new gear shift knob. Despite its age, the Scandinavian chic cabin has what it takes to complete with BMW, especially now that the 3-Series has gone slightly down-market with more hard plastics in this generation. My only major gripe is the small 7-inch infotainment display that is clearly outclassed by BMW's ginormous iDrive screen. The V60 has been priced aggressively for 2015 starting at $35,300 that's an $800 upsell over then S60 and $6,150 less than a base 3-series wagon. Adjusting for feature content, the base V60 is still $5,000 less. If bargain wagons with premium badges are your thing, the TSX is king at $31,985 starting but the delta shrinks to less than two grand when you adjust for the V60's feature set. The $36,800 might be the more appropriate competitor for the AWD-only 3-wagon, but a more interesting match up is the $44,300 V60 T6 AWD. Configuring a 3 or the CTS wagon with the same equipment you find on the Volvo will set you back at least $2,000 more. In addition to the value factor, the Volvo brings 35% more power to the fight. The extra power and AWD go a long way in compensating for the better weight balance in the BMW or the Caddy. Since GM hasn't refreshed their wagon yet the 3.0 and 3.6 liter V6 engined are outclassed in every metric by the Swede. Option your V60 with every conceivable option and you end up at $54,480. As a former Volvo wagon owner I'm probably biased, but all the reasons I opted for a Swedish cargo hauler in 2006 apply to the V60. Aside from the fact that "value" strikes a fire in my loins, the Volvo is the clear performance option in this segment. Want more shove than the $44,300 Volvo? Pony up $64,900 for the CTS-V wagon or $102,370 for an E63 AMG wagon. I'll reserve my final judgement until I can get my hands on one for a more thorough evaluation, but in the mean time the V60 is quite simply the best performance and value option in this phone booth sized segment.

• published: 27 Jan 2014
• views: 3845