More Dance Room Inside
When I was a kid wagons had all the sex appeal that minivans have today, about as alluring as a back seat full of kids with ice cream all over their faces can be. But today no such stigmas are attached. Rather, wagons, or 5-doors as they are now affectionately called, are all the rage.
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| Mitsubishi and other entry level brands are bringing sporty wagons into the market, following in the footsteps of the premium brands. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
While the premium brands, such as Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo, have produced sport wagons for some time, only a few entry level brands like Suzuki and Subaru have consistently produced wagons from early on, with their Esteem and Loyale, the latter which was replaced by the Impreza. More recently, Ford and Mazda began offering their Focus Wagon and Protegé 5 while Toyota and Pontiac followed up with their twin Matrix and Vibe models. Volkswagen also got into the game with the Jetta Wagon.
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| The 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback being introduced at the New York Auto Show. Check out the red EVO 8 hovering just above. The EVO's sporty DNA trickles down to all Lancers. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
With all the focus on 5-doors it makes sense for Mitsubishi, the automaker of choice for the up and coming generation, to offer the sporty styling and active lifestyle convenience of a two box design.