This would have been considered a big wagon even in the '50s and '60s, and by today's standards it's simply huge - more than 2 ft. longer than a Ford Taurus Wagon. Which is precisely why it persists. For all the popularity of minivans and sport/utility vehicles, there are still folks who prefer the look, ride and power of a traditional full-size rear-drive wagon.It's not an enormous market, but GM has it all to itself. Ford dropped the Country Squire from its Crown Victoria lineup a few years back, and there aren't any other players. The Caprice wagon is available in two models: the well-equipped Classic and the even-better-equipped Classic LS, which we tested. There were vast woodgrain trim panels on the sides of our test car, an element of the good old days that frankly we could do without. That goes for the optional wire wheel covers, too. GM research indicates that most Chevrolet big-wagon buyers prefer the woodgrain trim, but you do have a choice here - it's a delete option. There are no choices concerning the powertrain, but we think you'll like what's offered. Unlike the standard Caprice sedan, which is powered by a 200-hp 4.3-liter V8, the wagon comes with a Corvette engine (Chevy's LT1 V8) and a 4-speed automatic transmission. We aren't suggesting this makes the Caprice some sort of sport wagon. But it does provide plenty of punch for passing and stoplight getaways. Like all members of the Caprice lineup, the wagon includes 4-wheel anti-lock brakes as standard, as well as dual airbags. An element of this car's safety appeal that's more difficult to quantify is its construction. The Caprice is a body-on-frame car - the body and frame are separate elements, unlike a unit-body car, which combines the chassis and body as one piece. Unit-body construction reduces weight by a lot, which is why most of today's cars use this technique. But body-on-frame gets high marks for its ability to take punishment, and it puts a lot of mass between you and whatever you might run into.
The time warp gets even stronger when you climb inside. Although there's a 55/45 split between the front seats, they can easily accommodate three across, which was once the American standard. The middle seat is a bench, again with room for three, and there's a smaller seat behind that, suitable for two - preferably two kids. We found the seat padding to be a little on the soft side, one element of the nostalgia trip that probably wouldn't suffer from an update. With all the rear seats folded, the Caprice Wagon has an impressive cargo bay. It's not as versatile as a minivan - the low ceiling does impose limits - but it will swallow a large quantity of ordinary family gear, or enough groceries to feed a platoon. The double-hinged rear door makes it easier to exploit the cargo space. Pop up the rear window, then swing it down and it's a loading platform. Swing it out, like a door, and it's not as much of a stretch to reach deep inside. Although a digital speedometer and dual airbags are hardly retro touches, the concept behind the Caprice instrument panel echoes the 1950s, when all you really needed to know was how fast you were going. There are also fuel and temperature gauges, but that's about it. Uncomplicated. However, simple doesn't mean spartan. Not here, anyway. The basic Caprice Wag-on includes air conditioning, an AM/FM/cassette sound system, power locks, a tilt wheel, tinted glass, map pockets in the door panels, intermittent wipers and a rear wiper/washer. There are extras available, of course, such as leather upholstery and sound-system up-grades. An interesting addition to the audio inventory is a new GM radio that automatically adjusts the volume to the vehicle speed. Faster equals louder, and vice versa. |
