Simple Buying Guide For A Wagon

The first wagon was a heavy 4-wheeled vehicle which is pulled by animals, mostly mules, horses or oxen and used in transporting goods and people. Today, wagons are four-wheeled motor vehicles used in transporting goods and people but driven by a fuel engine. Wagons have become a favorite for many due to their usefulness especially in a family setting as well as in transportation of goods. If you are planning to buy a wagon, then you should pay attention to the following simple buying guide.

Made popular by the pioneers of the frontier west, this was the first wagon
Image source: oregonhistoryproject.org

Size

The most important feature to pay attention to when you are shopping for a wagon is size. Wagons come in different sizes which are large compact, midsize, and compact. The market offers sport, luxury, crossover and economy. The size of the wagon will greatly depend on what you are planning to use the vehicle for.

Engine And Fuel Efficiency

Wagons should be highly efficient when it comes to fuel economy because they are used more often. Most of the available wagons can deliver over 10 kilometers for a liter of fuel. But there are some higher powered wagons that will do slightly lower than this. The engine should be efficient and powerful enough to handle towing as well as heavy loading because wagons are meant to carry a lot. Available engines range from 4, 5, 6 and 8 cylinder engines which can be turbocharged or normally aspirated. Since fuel is a major issue, you should pay attention to the economy on the wagon you are interested in because this will determine the maintenance cost. You can go for a hybrid if available.

The Audi A4 Avant is a luxurious station wagon
Image source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Station_wagon

Safety

Wagons are aimed at the family setting and this means that safety should never be compromised. Some of the features to pay attention to in safety include but not limited to airbags (front, rear and side) anti-lock brakes, stability control, rear-view cameras, parking sensor, impending collision warning, and blind spot intrusion. Pay attention to the crash scores which will show you how safe the wagon is according to the industry standards. Make sure that the vehicle has been fitted with features that will contribute to your safety and to the safety of other occupants.

Capacity

The capacity of the wagon is very important. By capacity there are two tings involved, passenger capacity and cargo capacity. If it is a family wagon, then you should go for a vehicle that balances the passenger capacity with the cargo capacity. For commercial wagons, the cargo capacity should be given priority. Again, it depends on what you intend to do with the wagon.

This is an old edition station wagon
Image source: justacarguy.blogspot.com

Price

Above everything else, the price of the wagon you are interested in is crucial. The price tag will determine your purchase because you will only buy what you cannot afford. The compacts and economy wagons are cheaper while the luxury and large wagons can cost quite a lot of money. Keep in mind that regardless of the price, the features the wagon offers are important and the cheapest can offer amazing features to meet all your vehicle needs. You can find different kinds of station wagons on Be Forward.