In modern times, we've seen countless station wagons pushed out of local line-ups in favour of SUVs, and we can't blame the brands, because SUVs account for a large majority of vehicle sales.
Despite this massive shift, some brands are still set on the wagon dream, and Volkswagen has recently shown its true colours, whipping the covers off the latest iteration of the hardcore Golf R Wagon.
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Just like the regular Golf R, this wagon gets a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine beneath the bonnet, making 234kW and 420Nm of torque. This is sent to all four wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.
In terms of performance, the wagon is slightly slower to 100km/h (4.9 seconds compared to 4.7 seconds), but retains the top speed of 205km/h with the Performance Package.
It's worth noting that the German brand might be underrating these 0-100 times significantly, as we've seen footage of a regular Golf R holding its own against a Mercedes-AMG A 45 S, which will complete the sprint in 3.9 seconds.
For the first time ever, Volkswagen has decided to include a 'Drift Mode' in the Performance Package, which sends a large majority of power to the rear wheels, allowing excessive oversteer. It also benefits from a "Nurburgring" track driving mode.
In terms of size, the wagon is about 80kg heavier than the hatch, but more than makes up for this with its added practicality. As well as the 611 litres of cargo space with the seats folded down, it can also tow 1900kg.
On the inside, the wagon gets an identical interior to the regular Golf range with its touchscreen display and touch-sensitive buttons. While it shares the same tartan seats as the GTI, it gets blue accents instead of red.
Considering that we're scheduled to get the new Golf R near the end of the year, we can imagine that Volkswagen New Zealand will be trying to bring this wagon into the country.
