The automotive industry is an ever-changing climate where the consumer tastes can shift on a dime, you never know which vehicles might be the next big thing. Unfortunately, when it comes to figuring out consumer tastes, it can be a hard distinction between comfort and the next fad of vehicle design.
The modern station wagon was the family car of choice long before the modern crossover and the minivan became popular. During the eighties, there was just about a wagon for every type of consumer taste. Knowing this, it can be a bit difficult to actually remember all of the unique wagons that came across during this time.
The eighties were a magical and rather strange time for the automotive industry, as there was still a good deal of international automakers attempting to sell vehicles domestically such as Peugeot. To this day, the station wagon is still a reasonable choice for the family that needs versatility as well as the functionality that a wagon can provide without the need for an over-sized SUV or a minivan.
The station wagons of the eighties were some of the most memorable (and odd) designs in the automotive industry, with many models featuring the classic wood paneling look that made these vehicles the staple of the modern family during this time. There were also more unique wagons such as those from AMC that offered an off-road driving capability, which was quite unique at the time.
23 1985 Buick Century Station Wagon
The 1985 Buick Century has always been a value-oriented model, slotting right under the identical Regal model. What made the 1985 Buick Century Station Wagon a great car was the stellar interior volume which made the car a great deal for growing families or just about anyone who needed a one of a kind family car.
The 1985 Buick Century Station Wagon was also powered by a smooth running V6 engine, which helped the wagon to lead its segment in terms of power and ride quality.
22 AMC Eagle
Perhaps one of the most iconic wagons to date, the AMC Eagle is known for being a one of a kind blend of style and off-road capability which made the wagon both fun to drive and increasingly versatile.
The AMC Eagle was never a massive seller and the car was released at a time when the AMC vehicle company was in major financial trouble. The AMC Eagle was a stellar wagon that was designed to really give the driver a different type of off-road experience and something that is not generally seen out of a wagon.
21 Datsun/Nissan Sentra
The eighties was a period of transition for the Nissan brand, which was still gaining a foothold on the U.S. market.
The Datsun/Nissan Sentra also came in a wagon version which offered the most amount of interior volume that you could get in a compact wagon at the time. This was a great option for growing families who couldn’t afford a large V8 powered wagon but still needed a good amount of interior space and the versatility of a wagon.
20 1986 Pontiac Parisienne Station Wagon
Based on the Chevrolet Caprice, the 1986 Pontiac Parisienne Station Wagon was a brand name that you probably haven’t heard of. Being one of the rarer cars to roll of a GM assembly line, the 1986 Pontiac Parisienne Station Wagon is a one of a kind choice for a family wagon that you might not have seen or experienced.
The 1986 Pontiac Parisienne Station Wagon also used one of the more powerful V8 engines to be featured in a large family wagon. The interior features and standard option made the car a pleasant experience for most families to drive.
19 Buick Skyhawk
The Buick Skyhawk was one of the more innovative compact wagons released during the band's heyday in the eighties and here's why. For starters, the little wagon offered a good deal of the innovative Buick luxury features, which made the little wagon one of the more responsible choices for a family car.
Buick cars already offer more options than your average run of the mill vehicles and the Buick Skyhawk is evidence of that, offering a one of a kind blend of sportiness and functionality.
18 Peugeot 504
Yes, there was a time when Peugeot was a known brand domestically, and one of the most infamous models that were sold by the automaker was the Peugeot 504.
In terms of an interesting design, the Peugeot 504 was just about as ahead of its time as you can get, combining an interesting blend of sportiness and family value that makes the wagon something to be revered. Nevertheless, the Peugeot 504 never really managed to do all that well in terms of sales and thus the little wagon was discontinued.
17 Renault 18i Sportswagon
The eighties turned out to be a good time for the station wagon, as the car industry had not started to explore other options for family transport as of yet - the only vans on the market were big and truck-based which made them impractical for most growing families to drive.
The Renault 18i Sportswagon was a well designed and quite fast little family wagon. It was known for a zippy engine and a well-designed interior. The model was highly regarded by the automotive press in most aspects.
16 1985 Mercury Marquis Station Wagon
The corporate cousin of the of the Ford Crown Victoria, the 1985 Mercury Marquis Station Wagon was known for being a stellar combination of style and comfort that translated into an even better family wagon.
The 1985 Mercury Marquis Station Wagon had a notable wood exterior which was quite popular on family wagons at this time. Not to mention the advent of the powerful V8 engine which is known for being reliable as well as powerful. The 1985 Mercury Marquis Station Wagon was a one of a kind choice for a family wagon.
15 Peugeot 505
Another unique wagon model was the Peugeot 505, which was made during the eighties and featured a traditional looking design that added a level of sportiness to the model which hadn’t been seen previously.
The Peugeot 505 is a stellar wagon that gave the family car a new looking design and a different more unique exterior styling. Although the sporty little wagon never managed to grab on with consumers, the end product was something very special, to say the least, making it one of the more unique wagons.
14 Mercury Colony Park
For some wagon models size was everything, and the Mercury Colony Park was the large and well-designed family wagon that offered a good amount of interior space and a big smooth running V8 engine that Mercury was famous for implementing in their vehicles.
The Mercury Colony Park had the unique wood exterior paneling that made the cars of this time famous and the interesting design was actually one of the most classy of the family segment. The Mercury Colony Park also boasted a huge amount of trunk space, even competing with the modern vans of today.
13 Toyota Cressida
The Toyota Cressida was a popular family car long before the Camry made its way onto Toyota showrooms. This is with good reason, the car excelled in many aspects.
The Toyota Cressida Wagon was a more versatile wagon compared to many other models that were on the market at the time. It excelled in having a very luxurious interior as well which was a new thing for a wagon. The Toyota Cressida is one of a kind vehicle in its own right, and one of the most memorable Toyota models.
12 Volkswagen Quantum
Long before the Passat, there was the Volkswagen Quantum, and the wagon model was quite a winning combination of style and performance. The family wagon was a lot more luxurious than those models that you would find on the domestic market at the time, this made for a winning combination of driving performance.
The driving characteristics of the Volkswagen Quantum made the wagon very desirable, and the model is quite a rarity as well. The Volkswagen Quantum is definitely one of the most memorable wagons of the time.
11 Audi 5000
Speaking of performance wagons from Germany, the Audi 5000 is a one of a kind choice to drive, offering a good amount of interior space and the legendary Audi driving experience.
The Audi 5000 is fairly rare to this day and if you manage to find one in the Quattro format, you will be greeted by a wagon that really drives better than many other models at the time. When the Audi 5000 hit the market, it was far better than any other wagon from Germany on the market in terms of design quality and the overall feel of the ride.
10 1984 Pontiac Sunbird Station Wagon
The collection of compact cars sold at GM during the eighties was quite unique, to say the least. The Pontiac variation was known as the Sunbird. The Sunbird Station Wagon was an interesting little wagon model that was based on the Buick Skyhawk and the Chevrolet Cavalier.
The 1984 Pontiac Sunbird Station Wagon was also a much more sporty looking model, which gave a good deal of fun to a family friendly car that was otherwise a bland segment.
9 1985 Mazda GLC Station Wagon
When it came to sporty family wagons, the 1985 Mazda GLC Station Wagon was a one of a kind product that really showed what the brand was capable of doing with a family ride at the time.
The 1985 Mazda GLC Station Wagon was a carryover model with a new interior design and a stellar rotary engine that made the wagon drive a lot different than anything else, compared to what was on the market at the time and within its price range.
8 1985 Mitsubishi Mirage Station Wagon
Mitsubishi is probably the last company that you would ever think of when it comes to a family wagon, but believe it or not, there was a wagon designed and sold by the company during the eighties.
The 1985 Mitsubishi Mirage Station Wagon was sold during the eighties as an entry into the crowded family wagon landscape. The 1985 Mitsubishi Mirage Station Wagon was known for having a peppy engine and a lightweight design, which made the wagon an easy to drive ride.
7 1986 Ford LTD Station Wagon
Utilizing the same design as the Ford Crown Victoria, the 1986 Ford LTD Station Wagon was a one of a kind design which entered the family wagon market. The 1986 Ford LTD Station Wagon was known for being a unique design with a roomy interior that even had a third row which was optional.
The 1986 Ford LTD Station Wagon was an excellent alternative to many other larger wagons that were on the market, making for a great choice for the family. Especially for those that didn’t want a much larger and expensive wagon.
6 Dodge Omni Wagon
During the early eighties, Chrysler was at a point where they were trying to innovate, and the Dodge Omni Wagon was known for being a gas efficient and quite roomy for the lightweight size of the car.
The Dodge Omni Wagon was similar to the later Geo Metro 5-door which was sold during the nineties, there were many positives to choosing the Omni over the much larger traditional wagon models. The Dodge Omni Wagon was produced well into the nineties and ended up being one of the most popular models.
5 Plymouth Horizon Wagon
The corporate cousin of the Dodge Omni was known as a more fuel efficient variation and it included a lot of standard features for the price. The Plymouth Horizon Wagon was a great choice for young families, especially in the segment for a lightweight and affordable car.
The Plymouth Horizon Wagon is also one of a kind choice, and one of the best selling compact cars of the eighties. It helped in revitalizing the Chrysler brand and the compact car segment in general in the domestic market.
4 1986 Mercury Sable Station Wagon
The Mercury Sable and the Ford Taurus revolutionized the family sedan and wagon market, offering a new and easy to drive a family car that was roomy enough for even the largest of families.
Offering a powerful V6 engine and a one of a kind exterior style that looked like a spaceship, the Mercury Sable was a unique car that managed to sell for three decades. It goes down in history as one of the best selling passenger cars to roll off of a Ford production line.