For some of the world’s most well-known automakers, a certain model in their lineup is virtually inseparable from the brand’s identity.
For instance, it would be tough to imagine Ford or Chevrolet without its pickup trucks, Porsche without the 911 sports car or Honda without the Civic, Accord or CR-V.
However, this distinction does not seem to be clicking at Swedish automaker Volvo, whose CEO hinted that one of its fan-favorite models might be departing in lieu of more profitable models.
A 2024 Volvo V90 B6 AWD Cross Country. In reports by British motoring publications Auto Express and Autocar, Volvo CEO Jim Rowan suggested its days of station wagons are over.
Volvo
Volvo CEO hints at pivot to SUVs.
In reports by British motoring publications Auto Express and Autocar, Volvo CEO Jim Rowan suggested that the days of one of its signature products, its station wagons, were numbered.
He agreed when asked if he could see a future without a traditional Volvo wagon in its lineup, noting shifting customer preferences and patterns.
“Yes, because I think [the market has] changed, right?” he said.
According to its website, Volvo currently offers just two station wagons in the U.S., the V60 and V90 Cross Country, which are slightly more SUV-like, rugged versions of the station wagon versions of the respective S60 and S90 sedans.
Rowan notes that as it enters into a more competitive luxury car market, its customers prefer crossover SUV models like the XC60 over the V60, a cost-cutting opportunity right before him.
“It’s expensive to bring different models to the market, and it’s expensive to keep those models in the market,” he said. “So we need to make a choice: rather than bring out a [new] V90, for example, are we better to position [the XC60] in a slightly different way?”
“[…] It’s much, much cheaper, and much more cost effective for us to drive more volume through that same platform and that same form factor.”
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Although major car markets like the United States have long abandoned the station wagon in favor of alternatives like the minivan, crossover SUV, and giant full-size SUVs, these vehicles have a strong international enthusiast fanbase.
Notably, U.S. enthusiasts were overjoyed when BMW announced last year that it would bring the station wagon version of its high-performance M5 to the United States.
However, wagons do have a stronghold in some select markets. Rowan’s comments come after Robert Deane, the commercial director of Volvo UK, said that discontinuing the V60 and V90 in the country where wagons are called ‘estates’ in 2023 was a mistake, especially as both BMW and Mercedes still offer the vehicles.
“When you tell a retail customer [estates] aren’t offered, they go off and buy someone else’s,” he said.
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Volvo is in the middle of a very big year. The Swedes plan five new models in 2025, including the recently unveiled ES90 electric sedan and the soon-to-be-revealed all-electric EX60.
As for the rest of its lineup, Rowan says it is trying its best to counter the new, crowded market of crossover SUVs by adding their stamp to its products.
“We’re making very conscious choices about where we want to play the game,” he said. “Where we’re differentiating is with SUVs; nice high ride height, very safe – and we think we can protect that beachhead against the competition. It’s much easier than us becoming distracted by too many models.”
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