I like station wagons. But you get the idea. If you've got something to haul, a station wagon can do it. Plus, it drives like a car, not a truck.
Gas mileage is better, too.
The subject of this week's test drive is the Ford Focus wagon, a compact that has replaced the Escort and Contour in Ford's product line. Overall fit and finish seems to be above average for a car in this price range. The five-door hatchback that is so popular abroad is not sold here. The exterior is clean and simple, while the interior is an excellent marriage of youthful exuberance tempered by functional simplicity. The instrument panel, for example, is a series of bold curves and varied textures.