BMW has released official photos of an M5 wagon and it is awesome. What's your favorite wagon out there? Mine is the Audi RS4 Avant (oh why don't they bring it here. . .)  

The problem for me with the M5 Touring is the basic question of "does it work?"  In the first place, the wagon versions of the current 5 just don't have the ability to impress me.  There's just no special look about these cars and they're just...there.  In addition, I would argue that the aggressive feminine features on the front end of the current 5 (and the 3) don't mix well with the elongated rear of the wagon and its masculine tail.  Add to that the significant price tag of this car and I would almost never consider purchasing the current 5 Series wagon, let alone its M5 variant.  What an unpleasant departure from the purposeful E34 Touring.

My favorite wagon?  Well I like my wagons functional, purposeful, distinctive, tasteful, reliable, accommodating, rare, fun to drive, compact-looking, and practical.  There are only a handful of cars that have made it to the United States that, in my view, contain a lot of the above features.  The only new wagon in today's market in America that suits me is the A4 Avant.  However, I also admire the aforementioned 1992 BMW 525i Touring and the absolutely stunning 2002 5 wagon.  But my favorite wagon?  That distinction goes, perhaps kind of shockingly, to the 1996 Toyota Corolla Wagon.  Ok ok, no one takes me seriously anymore now that I have listed BMW's and Audi's next to a 1996 Toyota Corolla.  But, I'm just trying to be objective and this car fits my criteria almost to a tee.  I love that it is an incredibly practical/functional/purposeful car (maybe the most practical ever built), that it is exceedingly reliable (probably the most dependable thing on four wheels ever made), that it doesn't ask for a lot of money, that it looks good (I realize this will be easily contested by some but I genuinely love the car's refreshingly compact...not in-your-face look, a bit like the Volvo 240 Wagon).  And, finally, this car is actually fun to drive (fun being a relative term but not towards the comparison purposes of this post).  I can only say that it's no wonder Toyota sells a lot of Corolla’s but it’s only too bad sales of the 1996 wagon didn’t seem to be very successful...for Toyota, but not for the unpresumptuous citizen who now finds him or herself owning a very rare 1996 Toyota Corolla Wagon.  

In a moment of an unbelievable level of forgetfulness, I cannot believe that I didn’t list the absolutely, mind-numbingly, gorgeous Audi B5 (2002) S4 Avant.  If one could toss aside concerns about reliability, practicality, and fuel economy, this would by far be my most favorite wagon.  Absolutely stunning is this car.  A true trophy many years down the road.

However, since I cannot dispose of the above concerns, the 1996 Toyota Corolla Wagon still wins it for me.  

subaru forester xt.  

although i recently fell in love with the mercedes-benz E63 AMG touring (thanks automobile magazine).  in terms of visceral initial reaction to the looks, it actually hits in a range close to the cobra supersnake.  i like it that much.

in real life tho, my forester is the perfect car for me - for now.

thanks for asking.  

If you like these cars, make sure to look at our Top 10 Wildest Wagons article here.