I have to say, I love the look of the Mercedes C-Class wagons [which, naturally, they stopped selling in the US in 2005], and I hate hate hate everything about the new C-Class coupe except the headlights.
So even though there's supposed to be another wagon, and maybe even a diesel in the lineup, you'll understand if I'm a little wary about the 2008 redesign of the mid-sized Mercedes line that's scheduled to hit the market in 2007.
And from the spyshots of a 2008 C-Class sedan on Edmunds.com, I don't see any reason to get my hopes up that a cool wagon will be forthcoming.
What surprises me, though, is how the idea of a scaled down version of the giant GL SUV actually doesn't suck. Dubbed the GLK and slotted as a 2009 model, the spyshots of this mid-sized BMW X3 competitor show Mercedes may finally be listening to customers whose kids aren't in college yet.
Spyshots: 2008 Mercedes C-Class Compact Sedan [edmunds]
Mercedes GLK Spyshots [edmunds via jalopnik]
My wife has been driving a 2003 C240 sedan since she bought it new and has never had a complaint or a problem. I do think it's a great car. My only issue is that it's a bit too small.
But if you want a good small wagon, I think the best one on the market is the Audi A4 Avant. That's my daily driver, and I love it - a bit roomier inside, best all-wheel drive on the market, and the nicest interior.
Almost forgot to mention that a wagon would be a much better choice than an SUV, in my humble opinion. No amount of design is going to change the laws of physics - SUVs are always going to be bigger, heavier, more top-heavy, and less fun to drive than cars or wagons... So no thanks on the GLK!