2012 & 2013 Renault Wagon Reviews & Ratings

Renault began in 1899 when three brothers founded the automotive companies. Louis, an engineer, was intrigued with the design and production of vehicles. His brothers Marcel and Fernand preferred the business end of the company. The three of them would run the business for many years and produce a number of successful vehicles. An early interest in racing and rallies helped to build their reputation as the Renault vehicles fared well in the final results. Long past the time when the three bro... (full review continues below)

Renault began in 1899 when three brothers founded the automotive companies. Louis, an engineer, was intrigued with the design and production of vehicles. His brothers Marcel and Fernand preferred the business end of the company. The three of them would run the business for many years and produce a number of successful vehicles. An early interest in racing and rallies helped to build their reputation as the Renault vehicles fared well in the final results. Long past the time when the three brothers were in charge of the company, Renault has continued to sell a variety of vehicles including the Renault Wagon.

Like many other brands, Renault saw a surge in the sale of wagons during the 1980s and early 1990s. Several of the more common vehicles produced were also released in a wagon body style. The Renault wagon shared the brand's consistent quality and performance which made it a popular choice among buyers. As the wagon began to decline globally, so did the offerings of newer models. Today, most prefer to purchase vans or SUVs rather than a wagon. However, through the 1980s and early 1990s Renault had a couple of popular brands of wagon available.

The 18 was released in 1978, but originally came as only a sedan. It wasn't until 1979 when the R18 Estate was released. This Renault wagon was virtually identical to the 18 sedan with one minor exception. The rear suspension was larger on the R18 Estate out of necessity. The same vehicle was branded and sold as the AMC Sportwagon in North American from 1981 to 1986. In 1987 it was replaced by the newer model Eagle Medallion, another Renault vehicle. The Renault 18 continued to sell as a sedan until 1993 when it was officially discontinued from the market.

1986 brought the introduction of the Renault 21. The Renault wagon version of this vehicle was known as the Renault 21 Nevada. It began production with the sedan in 1986, but it was sold as the Eagle Medallion in North America. The Nevada was the successor to the R18 Estate which had become quite successful during its reign as the official wagon of Renault. The Nevada could seat seven people comfortably and was powered by a typical four cylinder engine. Production of the Nevada and the 21 sedan was stopped in 1994 as the demand for wagons was on a steady decline.

During the decades where wagons were favored by drivers, the Renault wagon fared well. Both the R18 Estate and the Nevada were quite popular and successful when they were being produced. Though they were sold under different names in North America, the design and components were identical. The rebadging was due to the popularity of those names and a relationship between the companies. As SUVs and Crossovers began to pick up in popularity, the wagon was no longer in demand. This caused automobile makers like Renault to stop production and turn their energy into vehicles that the public would prefer to have.