Station wagons were one of the favorite choices of European families for decades, but their future is becoming increasingly uncertain. Following a recent statement from Mercedes, now Hyundai also says it does not plan significant investments in the development of new station wagon models.
Xavier Martine, director of Hyundai Motor Company's European branch, stated that demand for station wagons is not high enough to justify new investments.
According to him, buyers in the US and China are generally not interested in this type of vehicle, while demand in Europe is stable but insufficient for serious segment development.
Beside weaker demand, there is another important reason. SUV models bring higher profits to manufacturers.
"We usually earn more on an SUV model than on a station wagon," Martine admitted, confirming what has long been considered the main reason for the explosion in popularity of crossovers and SUVs.
This does not mean station wagons are disappearing overnight. Europe remains their last stronghold, and models such as the Volkswagen Golf Variant, BMW 5 Series Touring, and Audi A6 Allroad still have a loyal audience.
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Interestingly, Hyundai is reducing its focus on station wagons, while its sister company Kia is expanding its offering in this segment with the new Kia K4 Sportswagon.
Although station wagons have not yet had the last word, market trends clearly show that SUV models continue to take an increasing share of the pie, leaving traditional station wagons in an ever more difficult position.
