best wagons 2023 Page 14

“Best wagons 2023” is a crowded picnic rug, but three standouts keep stealing the sausage rolls.

• Skoda Octavia Wagon: Pros—roomy boot, efficient 1.4–2.0 TSI engines, sharp value; Cons—options creep, occasional DSG jitters if abused.
• Subaru Outback: Pros—tough ride height and AWD confidence, comfy seats, long warranty; Cons—performance merely adequate and thirstier than the spec sheet suggests.
• Mazda6 Wagon: Pros—classy cabin, sweet steering, reliable 2.5 petrol; Cons—no hybrid, and tyre noise on coarse-chip Aussie highways.