Frankfurt - Car makers are suddenly discovering a market for trendy small station wagons and the recent Frankfurt Motor Show featured a host of new models in the segment. Until recently only two models were available in Europe, the Skoda Fabia and the Peugeot 206 after Volkswagen stopped production of the Polo wagonseveral years ago and Opel/Vauxhall did not even offer the Corsa Caravan on European markets.
Market analyst Henner Lehne says it is not surprising that more people are taking an interest in small vehicles as cars are generally becoming more expensive and space is an increasing problem in big cities.
"The cars are coming at just about the right time," he said and they offer a combination of a variable load volume, moderate fuel consumption and also the possibility of taking the family on a holiday.
Peugeot has meanwhile replaced the 206 with the 207 model and the new Fabia wagon is some seven centimetres longer than the predecessor model with 10 per cent more interior space. It has a load volume of 480 litres.
The Renault Clio Grandtour, scheduled for release later this year, is 20 cm longer with a volume of 439 litres.
The new MINI Clubman, which sells for 19,900 euros (27,608 dollars), is not really part of the mini station wagon segment.
"We like to see it more as a Shooting Brake or a sporty coupe with a little more storage space," says BMW spokesman Cypselus von Frankenberg. The car has a load volume of 260 litres that can be extended to 900 litres.
While the producers of the bigger models like the Mercedes C-Class T-Modell put more emphasis on the load aspect the smaller vehicles are designed as "lifestyle vehicles".
Peugeot for instance has a sporty lifestyle version, the Escapade, alongside the 207 SW. It orientates itself on the VW Cross models with more ground clearance and bigger bumpers.
The Escapade will however only be available as a front-wheel drive just like its counterpart the Fabia Scout, which was presented as a study concept in Frankfurt.
Car market expert Ferdinand Dudenhoeffer argues that the small lifestyle vehicles suit the markets in southern and eastern Europe as well as Latin America especially well.
"These cars are cheap, small and versatile with lots of space," he says.
