Hyundai Walks Away From Station Wagons: Demand Has Moved to Crossovers and SUVs
hyundai.com
Hyundai Europe boss Xavier Martinet says wagon demand isn't growing — none of the brand's five upcoming European models will be an estate.
Hyundai is effectively closing the book on station wagons in its European lineup — at least for the foreseeable future. As Auto Express reports, Hyundai Europe boss Xavier Martinet says the brand sees no growth in the segment. The i30 SW remains the only Hyundai estate on a handful of European markets, including France, Germany and Italy, but it has already vanished from UK showrooms.
According to Martinet, Hyundai barely talks about wagons for one simple reason: demand for them isn’t rising. None of the five new models the brand is preparing for Europe will be a station wagon either. Instead, the company is betting on SUVs and other body styles that fit current buyer preferences more closely.
The move makes sense as a business call. Wagons remain practical family cars, but the mainstream European buyer increasingly wants a higher seating position, a more “rugged” look and the versatility of an SUV. For automakers, these cars are usually more profitable: they are easier to sell at higher price points, especially when loaded with equipment and offered with hybrid or electric powertrains.
For fans of classic family bodystyles, it’s an unwelcome signal. The Hyundai i30 Tourer was a clear alternative to the Volkswagen Golf Estate, Ford Focus Estate and Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer: a big boot, a simple cabin and a friendlier price. But even those strengths no longer secure a place in the range when volume and margins lag behind crossovers.
