Top 6 Used wagons

[svgallery name="Used_Wagons"] By John LeBlanc Maybe you didn't get the memo – the one announcing that the station wagon is dead. Well, in name only, at least. Wagons still exist. They're now called crossovers, tall station wagons without the National Lampoon's Vacation movies' less-than-fashionable image. Or, if they do exist, wagons are given fancy names like "Touring" or "Avant." But if you dip your toe into the used-car market, there are still a few, true station wagons out there. And the six listed even offer some fun from the driver's seat. So here, in ascending order of preference, is our choice of the top half-dozen up-to-$15,000, pre-owned, fun-to-drive haulers: 6: 2005 - 2007 FORD FOCUS ZXW Benefitting from a midcycle refresh before being dropped entirely in 2008, the Ford Focus ZXW Wagon presents a compelling value equation. The front-wheel-drive Ford's 136 hp, 2.0-litre, four-cylinder won't threaten anyone with neck problems, even with the snappy five-speed manual transmission. And a contemporary Jetta wagon will have a nicer interior, better build quality and an import badge. The current generation Focus may have been made in America for the past decade, but it was bred for European drivers. Going down the road, the little Ford hauler rewards.Its steering has tons of feel. And there's enough feedback from the chassis to let the driver know what's going on at road level. It's not a Mini Cooper. But the rear of the Focus can be coaxed into thinking it's part of the fun. Pricing: An '04 Focus ZXW with 100,000 kms sells for $6,000 to $7,000; while loaded (leather, ABS, cruise) '07 models with 60,000 kms can be had for under $13,000. 5: 2005 SUBARU LEGACY GT WAGON Compared to its better-known sibling – Subaru's SUV-wannabe Outback – the Legacy GT Wagon is one of the few remaining used midsize wagons you can buy. The turbocharged versions were still a year away (and out of our budget). But the first year of the fourth-generation Legacy, available with the familiar and (relatively tepid) 168 hp, 2.5-litre flat-four-cylinder engine, is a confident handler. Perhaps Legacy's most important safety feature is its full-time all-wheel drive. Manual transmission models use a viscous limited-slip centre differential, giving the car a neutral 50/50 front-to-rear torque split. Pricing: '05 Legacy GT Wagons with 100,000 kms cost between $13,000 and $15,000. 4: 2005 - 2007 DODGE MAGNUM R/T Station wagon or hot rod? Family hauler or Euro sports wagon? It's hard to pigeonhole Dodge's Magnum R/T. The full-size, rear-wheel-drive wagon's combination of a European suspension (Mercedes E Class) with good ol' American muscle underneath the hood makes it a unique utility vehicle. You can get a base Magnum with a 190 hp V6. But life's too short for that. The Magnum to get is the R/T. Yup. It's got a Hemi. As in a 340 hp, 5.7-litre V8. With the most power of any Dodge car since the 1970s, the Magnum R/T has the kind of power that any driving enthusiast will enjoy. Matched up to another piece of Mercedes engineering – the mandatory five-speed manumatic – this nearly 2,000-kilogram wagon has moves any CFL linebacker would relish. Pricing: An '05 Magnum R/T with 100,000 kms can cost between $10,000 and $12,000; while an '07 with 60,000 kms can be had in the $14,000 to $16,000 range. 3: 2003 - 2005 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA WAGON GLS 1.8T Introduced three years after the sedan arrived in 1999, the Jetta Wagon offers solid German engineering. When properly equipped with the right engine, it's a relatively fun-to-drive compact wagon. The Jetta came with a variety of gas and diesel engines. The 180 hp, 1.8-litre turbo four-cylinder, though, almost turns the Jetta into a wagon worthy of a GTI badge. If a bit rough over potholes, an optional sport suspension with 17-inch wheels delivers sharper steering responses and more road grip than lesser Jettas. While the sedans were built in a number of locations, all Jetta Wagon models were screwed together in Germany. As expected, build quality is worthy of a luxury brand. Pricing: '03 Jetta Wagons with 140,000 kms go for $6,000 to $8,000. Well-equipped (leather, moonroof, upgraded sound) '05 models with 100,000 kms can cost as much as $12,500. 2: 2005 - 2006 VOLVO V50 T5 With generous luxury and safety features and an athletic compact platform, the V50 is one of the most appealing Volvos ever. The front-wheel-drive V50 T5 uses a 218 hp, 2.5-litre turbocharged five-cylinder engine. The industry's first "floating" centre console attracts plenty of attention. Other ergonomic highlights are orthopedically correct front seats, a wide cabin that belies its compact roots, and excellent all-around visibility. With its distinctive fiver growl, the V50 T5's turbo boost is light and the compression ratio is quite high (9.0:1) so maximum torque (236 lb.-ft.) is available throughout the rev range. Getting to 100 km/h from zero takes about 6.5 seconds using the standard six-speed manual transmission. There is little body roll in hard cornering in the V50 T5, and comfort levels are still high. Thank the excellent Euro-Ford suspension gurus that breathed that on the Volvo. Pricing: '05 V50 T5 with 100,000 kms go for $11,000 to $13,000; '06 models with 80,000 kms cost more than $13,000. 1: 2004 - 2007 MAZDA6 SPORT WAGON A blend of sports sedan and wagon, the Mazda6 Sport Wagon is our pick for a used hauler. From a features standpoint, the car is typical Japanese-brand "loaded." Traction control, ABS and electronic brake force distribution, optional on other Mazda6 models, is standard on the wagon. A 220 hp, 3.0-litre V6 can be matched to a five-speed manual transmission. And despite the front-drive setup, you can find a nice, neutral balance without a threat of oversteer. But benchmarked against contemporary sport wagons like the BMW 3 Series Touring and Audi A4 Avant, the Mazda's handling is positively entertaining – without the caveat that it's a wagon. Pricing: '04 Mazda6 Sport Wagon with 120,000 kms can cost between $7,000 to $9,000, while '07 GT models with 60,000 kms range from $13,350 to $15,675.

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