The first mainstream Peugeot Wagon introduced in France was the Peugeot 504 in 1970. It quickly became popular due to its durability and ended up being used across the globe in many strange locales such as in Africa as the most popular form of bush taxi. Peugeot Wagons have come a long way since the 1970's and now are known as sophisticated vehicles able to carry people and goods alike, with exactly the same level of luxuries as their equivalent Sedan models.
Having said that, Peug... (full review continues below)
The first mainstream Peugeot Wagon introduced in France was the Peugeot 504 in 1970. It quickly became popular due to its durability and ended up being used across the globe in many strange locales such as in Africa as the most popular form of bush taxi. Peugeot Wagons have come a long way since the 1970's and now are known as sophisticated vehicles able to carry people and goods alike, with exactly the same level of luxuries as their equivalent Sedan models.
Having said that, Peugeot Wagons and Wagons in general have come under intense competition in recent years with the growth in popularity of people carriers, minivans and SUV's. This is because people have branched out from the traditional family car into these newer alternatives. Even as short as a decade ago, there were many options available for families to choose from in terms of their family wagon. But, many manufacturers seeing the writing on the wall have already discontinued their lines of wagons and what remains now in effect is only two classes. The low budget end aimed to get those who can't afford an equivalent SUV and the very high end luxury Wagons. In 2012, the main competitors to the Peugeot Wagon are the Volkswagen Jetta Sportswagen, Kia Soul, Subaru Outback, Acura TSX and the Audi A4 Avant.
There are currently two main Peugeot Wagons that are still proving popular: the Peugeot 207 Wagon, a Wagon version of the popular sedan and the Peugeot Allure. Starting with the Peugeot 207 Outdoor A7 Series II starting at $27,000 for the gas version, it has a 1.6 liter engine with a 4 speed automatic transmission generating 118 horsepower and 120 foot pound of torque. 0-60 is a quite speedy 7 seconds considering the weight and the engine, and it reaches a top speed of 121mph. Fuel economy is reasonable at 21mpg in the city and 41 on the highway. The Diesel HDi A7 is slightly more expensive at $28,000 with a 6 speed manual transmission. It has the same size engine at 1.6 liters and generates 110 horsepower, has 200 foot pound of torque and manages 0-60 in 7 seconds. Its top speed is 119mph. Fuel economy is vastly improved however with it achieving 40mpg in the city and 57mpg on the highway.
The Peugeot 508 Allure is a dedicated Peugeot Wagon rather than a conversion of a Sedan and also has two trims: the first, the gas version starting at $43,000 with a 1.6 liter turbo engine producing 154 horsepower and 180 foot pound of torque to achieve 0-60mph in 5.9 seconds and a top speed of 134mph. Fuel consumption is about average at 22mpg in the city and 45mpg on the highway. The diesel starting at $46,000 has a 2.0 liter turbo engine with 120 horsepower with equivalent acceleration and top speed to the gas version but manages better fuel consumption at 30mpg in cities and 51mpg on highways.