10 Fastest Station Wagons

2017 Subaru Outback Touring ・ Photo by Subaru

Just because you need a practical vehicle with lots of luggage space doesn’t mean that you’re stuck buying a lumbering SUV or a boring minivan. While there are fewer station wagons on the market than in their heyday, there are still a number available that combine copious amounts of cargo room with good acceleration. Other advantages of a wagon over the SUV or minivan alternative include better styling, higher fuel economy and more exciting handling. Check out our list of the 10 fastest station wagons, sorted by their 0 to 60 mph acceleration times (as we assume most readers will be unable to take advantage of any of these cars’ top speeds).

10) FIAT 500L

The compact 4-door FIAT 500L might be the slowest wagon on our list of the 10 fastest station wagons, but it’s no dog. All models come standard with a 1.4-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine that makes 160 HP, which is enough to get the 500L to 60 miles per hour in 8.3 seconds before reaching a top speed of 126 mph. Transmission options include a manual (which may be going away for 2017), an automatic, and a twin-clutch, all with six ratios. While the 500L is more practical than the smaller 500 that it’s styled after, its extra bulk means that it’s equally less entertaining to drive, and the ride quality isn’t great. On the plus side, it is spacious, and offers Chrysler’s excellent Uconnect infotainment system.

Photo by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles

9) Volkswagen Golf SportWagen

The Volkswagen SportWagen is a 4-door wagon version of the compact Golf, powered by a 1.8-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine that makes 170 horsepower. Both front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive models are available, either of which should accelerate to 60 miles per hour in around 7.5 seconds before hitting a top speed of 125 mph. Also available is the Alltrack, which is essentially a SportWagen with beefed-up suspension. Unfortunately, we don’t get the R model, which is available in Europe with nearly 300 horsepower; if we did, the SportWagen would be further up our list (all the way up in spot number three). Still the Volkswagen Golf SportWagen places respectably on our list of the 10 fastest station wagons.

Photo by Volkswagen

8) Subaru Outback 3.6R

Though Subaru calls it a crossover SUV, the Outback is actually just a ruggedized 4-door station-wagon version of the midsize Legacy. That said, its additional ground clearance makes it surprisingly capable off the pavement, and ready for nearly every situation. The quickest models are powered by a 256-horsepower 3.6-liter flat-6 engine mated to a continuously variable transmission, and like most Subarus, power is sent to all four wheels. The sprint to 60 miles per hour is dispatched with in 6.9 seconds, and top speed is 139 mph. Inside you get a comfortable and roomy interior with good outward vision. If you’re looking for a quick yet reliable go-anywhere wagon, the Subaru Outback deserves serious consideration, and makes our list of the 10 fastest station wagons.

Photo by Subaru

7) MINI Clubman John Cooper Works ALL4

The subcompact MINI Clubman ALL4 is surprisingly quick in top of the line John Cooper Works trim, with power coming from a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine that’s good for 228 horsepower. The ALL4 designation indicates that the power is sent to all four wheels, helping the JCW accelerate to 60 miles per hour in six seconds flat before hitting a terminal velocity of 147 mph. While older models had three doors (the two normal doors plus a small "Clubdoor" on the passenger side), the current generation has four doors. Unlike the others on our list of the 10 fastest station wagons, the Clubman uses split-opening cargo doors that swing open to the side, leaving you exposed to the elements when tailgating.

Photo by MINI

6) Audi A4 allroad

The A4 allroad is a 4-door station wagon version of the compact A4 sedan, and one of the last remaining wagons in Audi’s range. Power comes from a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder that sends 252 horsepower through a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission, and the allroad tag means that wagon features increased ground clearance and a few off-pavement tweaks to go with its all-wheel drive system. Performance is lively, with 60 miles per hour being reached in 5.9 seconds and a top speed of 130 mph. If you need the cargo capacity of a wagon and a little bit of off-road capability, the A4 allroad is the quickest vehicle that fits the bill, and earns its spot on our list of the 10 fastest station wagons.

Photo by Audi

5) BMW 330i Sports Wagon

The BMW Sports Wagon is a 4-door estate version of the compact BMW 3 Series, and in 330i trim is a decently quick car (unfortunately, unlike the sedan, the wagon is not available in 340i trim). Power comes from a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine that’s good for 248 horsepower, which is sent to all four wheels via an 8-speed automatic transmission. The run to 60 miles per hour is completed in 5.7 seconds, and top speed is 130 mph (or 149 mph with performance tires and increased top speed limiter). The 3 Series wagon handles almost as well as its sedan counterpart, making it the driver’s choice out of all the cars on our list of the 10 fastest station wagons.

Photo by BMW

4) Volvo V90 T8

The Volvo V90 T8 is an impressive and thoroughly modern machine. Power comes from a combination of a turbocharged and supercharged 4-cylinder engine that makes 320 horsepower and a rear-mounted electric motor that makes 87 horsepower, for a total of 407 system horsepower. That combination is good enough for a 0 to 60 mile per hour time of 5.2 seconds and a top speed of 143 mph, making this midsize 4-door wagon another in the long line of quick and functional Volvo estates. The V90 should also live up to Volvo’s reputation for making some of the safest cars on the market, though its attractive good looks do shy away from the boxy designs of the traditional Volvo.

Photo by Volvo

3) Volvo V60 Polestar

In Polestar trim, the compact Volvo V60 is one of the fastest wagons you can buy today, thanks to a 362-horsepower turbocharged and supercharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine that’s backed by an 8-speed automatic transmission that sends power to all four wheels. The sprint to 60 miles per hour is over in just 4.5 seconds, and top speed is 155 mph. The car’s pleasant interior is let down by the out-of-date infotainment system, but is otherwise comfortable. Handling is secure, but not all that involved (though slightly better than that of the previous version, which had a heavier inline-6 engine). Who would have ever thought that there’d be two Volvos on our list of the 10 fastest station wagons?

Photo by Volvo

2) Mercedes-Benz AMG E63 S Wagon

The AMG branch of Mercedes-Benz is well known for its over-the-top cars, and the midsize E63 S Wagon is no exception. Its 5.5-liter turbocharged V8 puts out an impressive 577 horsepower that is sent to all four wheels via a 7-speed automatic transmission. Top speed is an Autobahn-worthy 186 miles per hour, and 60 miles per hour is reached in as little as 3.6 seconds. Unfortunately, the AMG E63S isn’t available with the third row of seats (available in the slower but still plenty-quick E350 wagon) that would make it the perfect family hauler. Still, the E63 offers a combination of practicality and performance that’s hard to beat, earning the number two spot on our list of the 10 fastest station wagons.

1) Ferrari GTC4Lusso

The Ferrari GTC4Lusso is an all-wheel drive, 2-door, 4-passenger shooting brake, combining the sportiness that comes with a coupe and the inherent practicality of a wagon. Power comes from a fire-breathing 6.3-liter V12 that makes 681 horsepower and can rev to 8,250 RPM. The race to 60 miles per hour is over in a supercar-quick 3.4 seconds, and the top speed is 208 mph. If you’re interested in a slightly more economical model without all-wheel drive, the GTC4Lusso T is also available with a turbocharged V8 that makes 601 horsepower. No matter which model you go for, the Ferrari GTC4Lusso tops our list of the 10 fastest station wagons, making it the estate to go for if you rank speed above all else.

Photo by Ferrari