Here’s the 2018 essay that took the stuffing out of me. Sharing it is now an annual tradition. Enjoy and hope you all have a nice holiday!
Circle the Wagons! Eight Interesting Estate Unicorns
My Dad was a station wagon guy, and maybe someday I’ll own one if I tire of having an SUV. It’s a family tradition. I’m not sure what keeps me from moving in that direction. A couple of CarMax unicorn wagons hit the inventory, so I searched the inventory for more interesting ones that might be worth sharing. CarMax has 2,400 cars listed as “wagons,” although many are questionable. Four-door hatchbacks, really. I’m going to run through eight of them a little differently than usual and see if I can get this out quickly before they’re all gone. The “Highs and Lows” are all from Car and Driver reviews.
2015 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG S
The E63 is a legitimate unicorn—a high-performance enthusiast car that has depreciated a bunch. At $48k, it’s just above my unicorn threshold, but maybe it’ll come down in price? It’s a beautiful color with low miles and a badass motor. Unfortunately, there are no rear-facing third-row seats like in normal E-wagons to let the kids watch the traffic disappear behind them.
HIGHS: This is not a vehicle for the measured and rational. It’s absurdity overload, unchecked enthusiasm manifest. It’s all ate up with hedonism
LOWS: It doesn’t have the 664 lb-ft this engine makes in the full-size S-class AMGs.
THE WHOLE CAR AND DRIVER REVIEW
2013 Acura TSX
I’m bracing myself for Roger’s wrath, but I’m intrigued by this 11-year-old Acura with only 900+ miles on it. I have no idea why people don’t drive their cars. It’s not a terribly sporting vehicle, yet you don’t see many of these on the road. It’s in a three-way tie for second place (whatever that means) on my list at $24,998. Last, probably no need for MaxCare for this Acura, although you could get coverage until it’s damned near vintage and another 140,000 miles!
HIGHS: One of those rare cars that needn’t be fast to be fun or have a trunk to be stylish.
LOWS: One more gear, please.
THE WHOLE CAR AND DRIVER REVIEW
2019 Volkswagen Golf Alltrack SE
What’s so special about a VW Golf Alltrack? Well, it’s one of two wagons at CarMax with a manual transmission. The other one is a VW Golf Alltrak also. That said, with AWD and a slightly elevated suspension, the VW could make a case that the Subaru Outback is also a wagon. Subjectively ruled the Subarus out for this. The other interesting thing about this wagon is it’s five years old and still under manufacturer warranty for another year and 24,000 miles. Again, no MaxCare is needed. How proud would my Dad have been if I had a manual transmission wagon?
HIGHS: Energetic handling, refined interior, generous cargo space.
LOWS: Below-average fuel economy, lazy infotainment-screen response, costly compared with the less SUV-ish Golf SportWagen 4Motion.
THE WHOLE CAR AND DRIVER REVIEW
2019 Buick Regal Tourx Essence
I like this Buick wagon way more than it deserves, first and foremost because it’s a German Opel, albeit with an American motor—like my Merkur. You’d think I’d know better. This is Buick’s first wagon since the enormous Roadmaster gave up the ghost almost 30 years ago. This Regal has nothing to do with the Buick Regals manufactured in the US until 2004, or the Buick Regal wagon of the 1980’s. Buick started importing Opels as Regals from 2008-2017, and then this estate from 2018 until it was discontinued in 2020. Makes this Regal a true unicorn, since it’s extinct.
HIGHS: Nice lines, huge cargo hold, low starting price.
LOWS: Recalcitrant transmission, commodity-car interior, neither sporty nor rugged.
THE WHOLE CAR AND DRIVER REVIEW
2014 BMW 328 XI
For $2,000 less than the Buick, you can get a more refined German compact estate, the BMW 328 XI. It’s five years older than the Buick and a few more miles. The drivetrains are similar – 2.0 liter turbo four cylinders making 240-250 horsepower and AWD, both hit 60 mph in about six seconds, but the BMW gets far better reviews as a driver’s car. The Buick has more modern features, like Apple CarPlay. Tradeoffs. Of course, I like the gold over tan senior citizen color combo.
HIGHS: Low and nimble feel, wagon cargo versatility, nearly 50/50 front-to-rear weight balance, closet hatchback.
LOWS: Creamy six-cylinder no longer available, gets pricey with options.
THE WHOLE CAR AND DRIVER REVIEW
2018 Jaguar XF S
Now that I think about it, the Jaguar XF S saloon may be the most solid unicorn wagon overall. Pricing, at $36,000, is right in the middle of the pack, and so is performance from the six-cylinder supercharged motor—a low five-second 0-60 mph. The “shooting brake” is also a lovely design. The only British car in the bunch.
HIGHS: Stunning looks, lithe dynamics, it’s a wagon.
LOWS: Lacks refinement for the price, subpar interior environment.
THE WHOLE CAR AND DRIVER REVIEW
2024 Volvo V60 Recharge PHEV T8 Polestar
A Swedish made, plug in hybrid, designed by “Polestar” and manufactured in a Chinese-owned factory? Third quickest to 60 mph on today’s list, after the E63 and RS6? Way too much for my simple blogging brain to digest. I understand Polestar to be Volvo’s acquired tuning shop, like AMG and Alpina, although entirely electric currently. As a 2024 model the Volvo Polestar is the most modern and well equipped on the list.
HIGHS: Impressive EV range, solid hybrid performance, did we mention it’s a wagon?
LOWS: Slow AC charging, modes buried in menus, limited front-row storage.
THE WHOLE CAR AND DRIVER REVIEW
2021 Audi RS6
Finally, the all around world class champion of high performance wagons, the Audi RS6. A few more horsepower and a little faster than the E63. The RS6 is considered to be more exclusive with far more limited production numbers than the E63. Can and Driver bemoans the exotic price, but if you have $90,000 to spare…..?
HIGHS: Mind-melting, brain-rattling V-8; light-footed dynamics; fun for the whole family.
LOWS: Thirstier than a salmon in the Sahara, exotic price.
THE WHOLE CAR AND DRIVER REVIEW
LET’S TAKE A LOOK INSIDE?
(NO PARTICULAR ORDER)
The Polestar. You know it’s fast – it has yellow seat belts! Heated and cooling seats, Bowers & Wilkins audio, Apple CarPlay, auto cruise control, panoramic sunroof. Comfortable car.
The BMW 328. Could be just about any BMW 3-series. Clean tan interior belies 40,000 miles and 10 years old. Not much in the way or modern features. Not even a rear view camera. Pretty straight forward and ideal for folks who complain about too much automation?
The Acura TSX. Looks a little dated and despite less than 1,000 miles looks more tired than the BMW of the same age. CarMax calls it a “10” although all it has over the BMW is a rear view camera. Reliability over personality, I guess.
The Buick. Clean and Germanically efficient, too. Apple CarPlay, heated steering wheel, Bose sound system, navigation, and remote start. Nothing great to say. Nothing bad either.
The Jaguar. Has a sporting look to it. The same interior across the Jaguar brand in 2018. Heated and cooling seats, Meridian audio, navigation, safety stuff like cross traffic alert.
The Mercedes. I once owned a 2010 non-saloon version of this from CarMax for about 48 hours until something blew under the hood and I returned it. But in that 48 hours I found the cockpit to be a friendly place where everything was right where it was supposed to be. Well, except for the odd seat controls wedged between the driver’s seat bolster and the center console. Seems odd. This E63 is loaded. Auto cruise control, self-parking, seat massagers. If it had self driving and Apple CarPlay I would ditch my GLE63 and buy this.
The Volkswagen. That third pedal would be the clutch, and that’s what makes this more special and fun. This 2019 car also has Apple CarPlay, cross traffic alert, and heated “leatherette” seats. Adequate. A simple, functional, fun wagon to drive yourself.
The Audi. The interior says “RS” with the stitching and the upholstery. It’s high-tech. The cargo floor (way down below) has a motorized cover. It’s got the Driver Assistance Package and Executive Package. Auto cruise control. Heads up display. No seat massagers. I’m out.
CAN YOU IDENTIFY THE WAGON FROM THE “WAYBACK”?
(Answers at the end!)
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1. Buick. 2. BMW 3. Mercedes 4. Jaguar 5. Volkswagen 6. Acura 7. Audi 8. Polestar
WHAT MAKES IT GO?
2021 Audi RS6
- Engine & Drivetrain: 4.0L twin-turbocharged V8, 591 hp, 8-speed automatic, Quattro AWD.
- 0-60 mph: 3.5 seconds
2015 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG S
- Engine & Drivetrain: 5.5L twin-turbocharged V8, 577 hp, 7-speed automatic, AWD.
- 0-60 mph: 3.6 seconds
2024 Volvo V60 Recharge PHEV T8 Polestar
- Engine & Drivetrain: 2.0L turbocharged I4 + electric motor, 415 hp, 8-speed automatic, AWD.
- 0-60 mph: 4.3 seconds
2018 Jaguar XF S
- Engine & Drivetrain: 3.0L supercharged V6, 380 hp, 8-speed automatic, AWD.
- 0-60 mph: 5.3 seconds
2013 Acura TSX
- Engine & Drivetrain: 2.4L I4, 201 hp, 5-speed automatic, FWD.
- 0-60 mph: 7.6 seconds
2019 Buick Regal Tourx Essence
- Engine & Drivetrain: 2.0L turbocharged I4, 250 hp, 8-speed automatic, AWD.
- 0-60 mph: 6.1 seconds
2014 BMW 328 XI
- Engine & Drivetrain: 2.0L turbocharged I4, 240 hp, 8-speed automatic, xDrive AWD.
- 0-60 mph: 6.0 seconds
2019 Volkswagen Golf Alltrack SE
- Engine & Drivetrain: 2.0L turbocharged I4, 250 hp, 8-speed automatic, AWD.
- 0-60 mph: 6.1 seconds
AND FINALLY THE ADS, LINKS, STOCK NUMBERS AND VINS
This 2014 BMW 328 XI is here in Austin, Texas. It’s a single-owner car that got bumped in the butt once. Just dropped in price by $1,000. Wonder why?
Original MSRP: $42,000.
STOCK NO: 26476987 VIN: WBA3G7C50EKN36268
This 2013 Acura TSX is currently reserved here. It’s a one-owner car that spent the last 11 years in Dallas, Texas. Did I mention it has less than 1,000 miles?
Original MSRP: $32,000
STOCK NO: 25846374 VIN: JH4CW2H60DC000678
The 2019 Buick Regal Tourx Essence is being transferred to Columbia, South Carolina, at the moment. Here’s the link. It’s a two-owner Florida wagon. Buy MaxCare. It’s German.
Original MSRP: $41,000
STOCK NO: 26522155 VIN: W04GV8SX6K1015943
The 2019 Volkswagen Golf Alltrack SE is reserved here in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. It’s a one-owner car that spent the last five years in Baltimore, my home town!
Original MSRP: $31,000
STOCK NO: 26154364 VIN: 3VWM17AU6KM503666
The 2018 Jaguar XF S is a two-owner car that’s been in Ohio and Kentucky and is reserved here in East Haven, Connecticut.
Original MSRP: $70,000
STOCK NO: 26512200 VIN: SAJBM2FV6JCY65617
The Mercedes E63 AMG S is currently reserved here in Irvine, California. It’s a two-owner California car that had one minor accident in 2021.
Original MSRP: $105,000
STOCK NO: 26554952 VIN: WDDHH7GB4FB123539
This Polestar is currently here in Orlando, Florida. Single owner, accident-free. Was leased just a few months ago – default?
Original MSRP: $63,000
STOCK NO: 26522012 VIN: YV1H60EP1R1616556
The 2021 Audi RS6 Avant is reserved here in Tampa, Florida. It’s a one-owner car that unfortunately rear-ended someone in Miami in 2023. Going too fast in a too fast car? Had to be towed away. Still the hottest wagon CarMax has.
Original MSRP: $116,000
STOCK NO: 26508128 VIN: WUA1CBF28MN903542
THANKS FOR READING!
Quick Hit – Two of Two Thousand – Final Edition 2023 Chrysler 300C
Chrysler ended production (again) in 2023 with a limited run of final edition 300C models – 2,000 for the US market and 200 for Canada. A bit of a unicorn. Rumor has it all 2,200 cars were preordered within a half-day of becoming available in 2022. Chrysler beefed up some parts and trim here and there, but the coup de grâce was the upgrade to a 6.2-liter V-8 pumping 485 naturally aspirated horsepower. More than the SRT-8 but not as much, not even close, to the Hellcat motor that was never offered in the 300C anyway. Well, CarMax has two of these Final Edition models for sale. Autotrader has another 28 for a little more money, although none sell above the MSRP of $56,000 when new. Folks probably weren’t buying them as investments anyway.
The Chrysler 300C debuted in 2005 (not the 1950’s version) and hasn’t changed a whole lot since then. Car and Driver posted, “The 300’s styling, interior comfort, and driving dynamics earned it 10Best honors in 2005 and 2006.” The second generation spawned in 2011 and got a facelift in 2015. For better or worse, the 2023 Chrysler 300C is almost a straight-line descendent of the original. Sales started to plummet in 2019, and the model was discontinued in 2023. We will miss all the cool trim levels. Not just the SRT-8, but the Varvatos, the Uptown, and the Motown trim levels as well.
(My apologies to regular readers for plagiarizing here and there from my blog two weeks ago that included the 2019 300S. I’m hoping to cross-post this on David Fesz’s Facebook page, “Unique Cars For Sale 2.0“. Give it a look. Moderator Rick Jaeger is way more clever than I will ever be.)
The 2023 300C Final Edition got four-piston Brembos and a limited-slip 3.09:1 rear end. With an eight-speed automatic, it hits 60 mph in 4.4 seconds. I got a chuckle from Car and Driver’s review: “Chrysler unlocked a couple of unique achievements with the 300C. At wide-open throttle, we recorded 88 decibels, an absolute roar that tops even the Lamborghini Urus Performante. And this long, angry barge is also the only car in recent memory that can use every bit of its 160-mph speedometer.” Something to be proud of.
Inside, in addition to specially stitched and logo-embossed Laguna leather seats, the Final Edition gets a 19-speaker Harman Kardon audio system, panoramic sunroof, auto cruise control, heated and cooling seats, rear heated seats, heated steering wheel, automatic headlights, and Apple CarPlay. And some carbon fiber here and there.
I have my own history with the 300. Back in January 2016, we had a blizzard in Northern Virginia on a Sunday morning, and I needed to be in North Carolina to work by Monday morning. My neighborhood was impassable. Airports and Amtrak were shut down, but the National Car Rental at Reagan National had a few cars for rent. I answered an ad on Craigslist offering 4×4 rides for $100, not much more than a regular taxi! I asked my daughter to take down the license plate of the Jeep when it came in case I got murdered. I did not. I rented a very nice Chrysler 300S and raced in the night down the single-plowed lane of I-95. It was a remarkable ride, and I had no complaints about the Chrysler. Like many rental cars, I could see myself owning them…..for a while.
The 2023 Chrysler 300C Final Edition is currently reserved here in Fresno, California. You can track it using that link or search on CarMax for the stock number or VIN below. It’s an accident-free car that oddly lists three owners on the road in just over a year. I wonder if that’s a paperwork issue, a repossession, or a sale and return to CarMax? It’s the lowest-priced 300C Final Edition I can find, and it’s still under manufacturer warranty for another two years and 26,000 miles. If MaxCare were cheap, and sometimes it is because you’re only buying the handful of years post-manufacturer warranty, I might recommend it mostly for the electronics and higher-tech doodads. The motor and drivetrain should be fairly reliable for this old design. As reliable as a mass-produced Chrysler can be. Scroll down if you’re interested in the second 300C Final Edition!
Stock No: 26506546 VIN: 2C3CCAPJ5PH542472
There is no need for screenshots of the lower-mileage one below, which costs $5,000 more. It’s an identical twin but with 3,000 fewer miles. This one is coming soon to my local CarMax in Dulles, Virginia! Here’s the link. You can also find it by the stock number and VIN below.
Stock No: 26187633 VIN: 2C3CCAPJ0PH501957
