Volkswagen is one of those brands that offer something for everyone. If you want a relatively cheap, yet perfectly usable and well-equipped commuter, the VW Jetta is the one to get. If you want something large that is both safe and comfortable for a large family, you should just go ahead and buy the VW Atlas.
If you add in all the coupes, sedans, hatchbacks, SUVs, crossovers, and even race cars, VW has a pretty expansive catalog that is only going to grow as time goes on. If you want a VW station wagon, you can buy the upcoming VW Passat wagon, the VW Arteon Shooting Brake, and the VW Golf Variant in certain markets.
The Passat is the flagship station wagon and VW is likely going to make it really competitive since they dropped the Passat sedan altogether for the 2023 lineup. The Arteon Shooting Brake is positioned as the more stylish “coupe-ish” Volkswagen Wagon designed for younger people wanting both practicality and style in a single package.
Finally, we come to the VW Golf Variant which is simply a VW Mk8 Golf, but with a wagon/estate back. Either way, in this article, we are going to tell you all about 2023 VW station wagon models, what to expect, and how they compare against each other.
2023 VW Passat Wagon
About a year ago, VW released a statement in which they decided to discontinue the Passat sedans after almost half a century. However, the Passat nameplate is not going to die because VW is going to come out with a Passat station wagon that will fit neatly as the flagship VW family station wagon.
This makes quite a bit of sense since the Arteon is the top-end sedan and because Passat wagon models are actually more popular in some parts of the world than the sedan. We can expect the new Passat to drop by the end of 2023 and it is going to feature a much more futuristic exterior styling with a sportier grille and thinner lights all around.
The interior has already partially leaked and it shows the new Passat with the familiar steering wheel, but with a huge central vertical touch screen that is going to control everything. All in all, the Passat wagon is the largest, most spacious, likely most comfortable, and most usable VW station wagon out there. Price is not yet available, yet is likely to be around $25,000 – 30,000.
2023 VW Arteon Shooting Brake
The Volkswagen Arteon is a newcomer to the VW family as it was first revealed 5 years ago. A short while after the sedan/coupe version came out, VW also showcased the VW Arteon Shooting Brake, as a more practical wagon version of a car that is a 4-door coupe version of a sedan.
Yes, you read that correctly, but it does seem like the Arteon Shooting Brake has won many hearts in Europe thanks to its gorgeous lines. The Arteon Shooting Brake costs a few grand extras over the $40,000 starting price of the regular Arteon which makes it the most expensive currently available wagon from VW.
There are virtually zero other changes between the regular Arteon and the Shooting Brake version which is no bad thing since the Arteon is a really well-put-together car. All in all, it is not as spacious as the Passat, it is not as practical, and it is more expensive, but it is more dynamic, better-looking, and way more interesting and special.
2023 VW Golf Variant
For a large number of VW customers, the VW Golf is the perfect car which is why it is and always has been the beacon of VWs catalog. However, because station wagons are popular in Europe, VW started offering the Variant (wagon) version of the Golf for the Mk3 Golf in 1993. The Variant model of the Golf is exactly the same as the Golf, but is longer and features a classic wagon rear end.
The Volkswagen Variant is around $2,000 more expensive than the regular hatchback, yet it loses value on the second-hand market a lot faster. If you like the VW Golf, but you want more space for people and cargo, the Golf Variant is a great choice.
As such, the Golf Variant is the cheapest wagon VW makes which means that it isn’t able to compete with either the Passat wagon or the Arteon Shooting Brake. Even so, it is the best-selling VW wagon anyway.
FAQ Section
Which VW station wagon is the best?
The Volkswagen Passat station wagon is not out yet so we can’t judge it properly, but if all the rumors are to be true, the new Passat station wagon is going to be the best VW station wagon ever. It’s safe to assume that VW does not want to jeopardize the Passat brand name, especially now that the sedan is no more. Because of this, and many reasons more, the Passat station wagon has to be really good.
However, you really can’t go wrong with either the Arteon Shooting Brake or the Golf Variant as all three of these station wagons are great. The Arteon SB is the one to buy if you want a wagon that can also fit in a corporate car park while the VW Golf is, well, it is a Golf, one of the best cars of all time.
Is Volkswagen going to offer an electric station wagon?
Not long ago, VW revealed the upcoming ID. Aero, but it also seems like the ID. Aero B has been green-flagged. The Aero B is going to be a station wagon version of the Aero sedan, but not only that because VW also says that they will eventually come out with the ID.7 which is going to essentially be an electric station wagon version of the Passat.
Why do people like station wagons?
A station wagon portrays a message that you didn’t just buy your car for the show. Be that as it may, some modern-day station wagons look better than their sedan counterparts. In my opinion, the VW Arteon Shooting Brake is a much more special and better-looking version of the Arteon because it is much rarer and cooler. Station wagons make sedans much more practical which is why so many people like them.