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2008 Volvo V70 estate. Body style alone does not establish a safety, efficiency or handling advantage. Photo: IFCAR / Wikimedia Commons , Public domain / PD-self. No content alteration; resized display. A wagon combines a passenger-car cabin with an extended roof and a large rear opening. That simple arrangement can make it an excellent family or work vehicle. Whether it is better than a particular SUV depends on the jobs the owner actually needs it to do. The useful comparison starts with real dimensions, equipment and running costs. A body-style label cannot tell you how easily a wheelchair fits, whether a child seat works behind a tall driver, or how much luggage remains possible with every passenger aboard. Why the estate format has lasted Volvo’s Duett history dates its own Duett to 1953 and describes the earlier PV445 chassis used by independent coachbuilders. That history illustrates the format’s practical roots: an enclosed load area can serve both passengers and goods. It...