New Wagon-Killing Crossovers On the Horizon From BMW and Honda

Fans of station wagons around the world appear to have a new enemy: a brand new class of automobile that blends the traditional definition of a wagon with the sharply-tapered roofline of a hatchback. Two vehicles in particular are set to hit the North American market which feature this unique styling, targeting different buyers but ultimately employing the same type of design and functionality.

On the high end of the scale is the 2010 BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo (pictured). Stylistically, the vehicle is meant to evoke the presence of the standard 5 Series mid-size sedan while offering the same kind of downward-swept rear hatch found on the controversial BMW X6. The company appears to have taken a similar route as that originally mapped out by Volvo and Subaru when creating a crossover vehicle – that is to say, keeping away from any truck-like pretensions while still offering increased cargo space and a unique outward appearance. BMW claims that the Gran Turismo offers rear headroom equivalent to the X5 and leg room matching the 7-Series while still using the 5-Series platform. The rear seats can be folded down to provide a startling 59.5 cubic feet of cargo space, with a maximum of 20.7 cubic feet available with the seats fully upright. Engine choices and drivetrains will mimic those currently found in the 5 Series sedan.

At the other end of the market, Honda has created a very similar – although smaller – vehicle out of its popular Accord sedan. Dubbed the Accord Crosstour, the crossover takes roofline reshaping to a new extreme on its way to creating an unusually sporty-looking version of the four-door sedan it is based on. A rear glass roof section lets extra light in on second row occupants, and high tail lights and a large rear hatch dominate the new sheet metal at the back. The Crosstour is also slated to make its debut as a 2010 model, and it will ostensibly share the same platform and interior options available with its sister sedan.

While Honda has not manufactured a mid-size wagon for many years, having abandoned that area of the Japanese market largely to Subaru, BMW does have a strong tradition of building wagons based on 5-Series architecture. With so many similarities between the demographics associated with wagon and crossover buyers, it is hard to imagine that the current 5-Series wagon would survive should the Gran Turismo achieve sales success. Even more worrisome is the fact that BMW is considering producing a 3 Series Gran Turismo as well, which would seal the fate of the only remaining wagon in the BMW lineup.

It might seem as though BMW is about to drop out of the European wagon wars, leaving sporty family car shoppers to choose between Audi, Volvo or Mercedes-Benz. However, the Bavarian automaker would be best to not count their chickens before they are hatched. The backlash against the X6, which is stylistically very similar to the Gran Turismo indicates that the car company’s customer base is not always willing to swallow radical change – especially if it renders obsolete one of its oldest products.