The 1978-1980 Toyota Cressida Wagon

[Jon Bailey]

Considering what people generally use automobiles for, I consider that Cressida First Generation the most perfect automobile (running on fossil fuels) ever. Period.

For 1979, Mercedes Benz unleashed an all-new new station wagon for the American market, but I think that was priced about 3x the Cressida even back then. It doesn't even compare in class. John Lennon owned such a '79 Mercedes wagon at the time he was killed.

I consider price, build quality, reliability, longevity, comfort, roominess, looks, safety, utility, practicality, fuel economy, usefulness, resale value, the sound of the name and quietness.

Using the 1979 Cressida wagon, I made a picture to compare other mid-size wagons of that year and era. The Town & Country wagon looked very messy on the exterior. At least GM and Ford then had clean, neat looking wagons with phony woody panels. The Volvo looks like an army jeep for beauty or lack thereof. Toyota Cressida surely outclasses everything else in this picture for the typical American working-class small family and large dog owner. I love that classic European "brougham" theme.

I definitely would have added a factory luggage rack to that Cressida and maybe have forgone the plastic woody panels for even more hard-nosed practicality. Those things can look crappy with weathering and age. Maybe a '79 Cressida in solid black, brown or cream. Fancier wheels may have been an option too.

As an American Boomer having seen classic station wagons in suburban neighborhoods with green mown lawns and Weber barbecues since small boyhood, I find the look of a wagon quite odd without a rooftop rack. The car just looks incomplete without this popular accessory. Of course, this can make waxing and detailing the top a bit of a challenge.