BYDs am “abgehobensten” jüngster Sohn will mit Volvo um die Rationen kämpfen.

In the domestic automotive circle, there are many cars that receive good reviews but have poor sales. However, station wagons are definitely one of the most disappointing vehicle types.

Station wagons, nicknamed "Wagon cars", are a transliteration from the foreign name "Wagon". As the name suggests, they are vehicle types specially designed for family trips.

In the eyes of most consumers, station wagons are complete "oddities". They have the chassis and front end of a sedan but the trunk of an SUV.

In the view of the few consumers who appreciate station wagons, the number of domestic station wagon products is limited, and they are all quite expensive.

As a result, this vehicle type, which has a long history and is extremely popular in foreign markets, has become a perennial underdog in the Chinese automotive circle -

Statistics show that in 2019, the sales volume of station wagons nationwide was even less than 20,000 units, which is even lower than the sales volume of the Xiaomi SU7 in just two months last year.

With such dismal sales data, station wagons are also vehicle types that domestic automakers are not very willing to bet on. In the mainstream view, sedans and SUVs are still the mainstream vehicle types for civilian passenger cars.

However, now, station wagons have come into the public eye because of a new car from BYD, the Seal 06 DM-i Wagon Edition. Only then did people realize that domestic mainstream automakers finally seem to be on the right track.

Could 2025 really become the "Year of the Wagon" in China?

01

BYD, the Price War King, Sets Its Sights on the "Nordic Niche"

It is said that station wagons look like "oddities", but compared to the currently most popular SUVs, station wagons are actually the predecessors.

In the early 20th century, automotive products targeting family trips had already appeared in the US market.

After World War II, the automotive industry and automotive culture developed rapidly, and station wagons gradually evolved into the form we are familiar with today:

The most popular region for station wagons is undoubtedly the European market.

For Europeans who like to travel, SUVs are too large and wide to navigate through the narrow European cities.

Station wagons not only have the handling of a sedan but also good loading capacity. They have lower energy consumption and a more elegant appearance, so they have become the preferred choice for Europeans when traveling.

As a result, a group of automakers led by Volvo began to develop new station wagon products to meet such needs.

There are various opinions about which automaker produced the first modern - day station wagon, but when it comes to station wagons, Volvo is definitely a brand that cannot be ignored.

In 1953, the PV445 Duett launched by Volvo was considered by many Wagon fans as the "ancestor of Wagons" in their hearts and the pioneer of modern station wagons.

After that, led by Volvo, a series of brands such as Volkswagen and Audi began to launch their own station wagon models.

In today's European market, models such as the Audi A6 Avant;

The Volvo V90 Cross Country;

As well as the BMW 5 Series Touring; the Skoda Octavia Combi, etc., have become essential for European families and the favorites of domestic Wagon fans.

In 2024, 13 million station wagons were sold in Europe as a whole, indicating a large market.

For domestic Wagon fans, Wagon cars are easy to drive, have large loading capacity, and to a certain extent, represent the "European lifestyle", so they are quite popular among urban white - collars.

However, they face only one problem: Station wagons are both expensive and scarce.

For example, the Audi A6 Avant, which sells well in Europe, is priced at around 440,000 RMB in Europe, but its price in China starts at 500,000 RMB after being introduced.

The other popular models more or less face similar problems, and for some brands that launch popular station wagon models, the number introduced into China is also very small.

Domestic Wagon fans can only sigh helplessly at the high premium.

It is one of the happiest things for Wagon fans that BYD, known as the "price butcher", has decided to enter the station wagon market this year.

Not long ago, BYD launched the Seal 06 DM - i Wagon Edition, which is one of the few domestic products targeting the station wagon market. Its price has been reduced to around 100,000 RMB, making Wagon fans call BYD the "god of cars".

However, after the birth of BYD's Wagon, many people have questioned the positioning and market performance of the Seal 06 DM - i Wagon Edition.

After all, betting on a niche vehicle type does involve quite a lot of risks.

02

After Years of Intense Competition in the Automotive Circle, How Can There Still Be a Blue Ocean?

There are various opinions about why Chinese consumers are not fond of station wagons.

Some people say that the late development of the Chinese automotive industry has led to a fixed perception of "cars" among many consumers, that is, only sedans and SUVs are considered cars.

Others say that Chinese consumers are too busy and tired on weekdays and are not willing to travel, so there is naturally no market for "station wagons".

However, these two views are actually too one - sided. The author believes that the reason why Wagon cars occupy a niche position in China is very simple: SUVs got there first.

In terms of loading capacity, SUVs have no rivals; in terms of prestige, SUVs are large and imposing, making a powerful impression when driven on the road.

Whether it is for daily commuting or carrying New Year goods when returning to one's hometown during the Spring Festival, an SUV has already met most of the vehicle - using needs of Chinese families.

The preference for SUVs in the Chinese market has been a major trend in recent years, and their popularity is even catching up with that of sedans. No wonder Lei Jun once said: "SUVs are the real main battlefield in the automotive circle."

However, SUVs are not without flaws. For some consumers, the high chassis of an SUV gives a feeling of "driving a boat" during the driving process.

The large body size and weight of SUVs also result in less - than - ideal fuel consumption, passability, and maneuverability.

If there is a car that is lighter than an SUV and can still carry a lot, it must be a station wagon.

Actually, domestic automakers have produced their own products targeting the station wagon market in recent years.

For example, in 2021, Baojun launched the Baojun Valli, a station wagon. From today's perspective, this 100,000 - RMB car is definitely a standard "entry - level Wagon", with good looks and loading capacity.

However, due to the low brand influence of Baojun, the monthly sales volume of this car was less than 1,000 units, and it eventually faded away.

Later, when Geely launched its flagship product, the Zeekr 001, it also promoted the concept of the "shooting brake";

NIO also launched the well - received NIO ET5T during the same period.

Although in the definition of automakers, the "shooting brake" has a more sporty and leisure - oriented attribute and a more high - end positioning, in terms of actual appearance and use, it is quite similar to a "Wagon car".

However, both the Zeekr 001 and the NIO ET5T are mid - to - high - end products priced above 200,000 RMB. This price is almost on par with joint - venture Wagons, which means they are destined to have a limited audience.

Actually, in the eyes of the outside world, both shooting brakes and Wagon cars are products where "sentiment outweighs practicality", and brands like NIO and Zeekr mainly focus on emotional value.

For Wagon cars to really "become popular", the emergence of more popular, mainstream, and affordable products is a necessity.

The Seal 06 DM - i Wagon Edition launched by BYD this time can be regarded as a signal sent by a mainstream automotive brand.