and I think that this is a crossover.
and I don't think Buick makes them (station wagons) anymore.
could someone tell this oldtimer the difference between a station wagon and a crossover?
About $15,000
Answer: None
Station wagon is a slightly stretched car, Traditional SUV is a pick-up with the bed made into the rest of an enclosed vehicle (remember cars are now unibody without a frame but trucks still have frames) so a crossover is basically an SUV (usually a little smaller but nowhere near as small as a car) without the frame, or a much taller station wagon...
and I think that this is a crossover.
and I don't think Buick makes them (station wagons) anymore.
That's easy.
Station wagons were eeevil gas guzzlers that were mandated away by CAFE regulations, then returned Phoenix-like from the ashes in the form of the even more eeeevil truck-based SUV (people want to engage in all sorts of eeevil abominations like carrying lots of passengers and towing trailers, you see).
Since truck-based SUVs are so eeeevil, auto manufacturers now make less eeevil crossover SUVs based on newer car platforms, so they are more palatable to the public (not so eeevil).
Hybrid crossovers are availble too, so automotive sainthood is available to those who want it.
The average person can wash the top of a station wagon without a stool.
“could someone tell this oldtimer the difference between a station wagon and a crossover?”
1. Unlike a “real” SUV, a crossover is built with unibody construction like cars.
2. “Crossovers” usually offer all wheel drive, whereas station wagons usually did not.
Most companies dropped station wagons—GM, Ford, Chrysler, Toyota and Honda. (Chrysler recently built the Dodge Magnum-the only domestic station wagon I can think of.)
Station wagons are still sold/built by Mercedes, Audi, BMW, Volvo, VW, and Saab-all but Saab offering all wheel drive.
There are a lot of really nice vehicles in these categories. I am currently getting by with the smallest BMW station wagon with rear wheel drive, which with a 6 cyl. engine can achieve 30 mpg on the highway.
With higher fuel costs, a niche for small-medium station wagons could be filled by the domestic companies, IMO.
How about a retro Chevy Nomad with the latest technology?
“could someone tell this oldtimer the difference between a station wagon and a crossover?”
Zero differene other than that th EPA doesn’t like station wagons, but the crossover seems to have confused them.