Remember your last trip to Europe?  If you rented a car, chances are that it was probably smaller, far more fuel-efficient, possibly diesel, and almost certainly NOT for sale here in the States.  What is with that!?

Even if that coveted car was from Ford, GM, Volkswagen or another brand that sells in the US – the likelihood of of being able to buy that car stateside is slim.

I was reminded of this frustrating situation by the introduction of the 2012 Ford Focus Wagon.  Long story short: this new wagon is aesthetically appealing, environmentally friendly and has some great features and options.  But…it will NOT be made available in North America.

Ford cites poor historical sales of wagons as the reason why this Focus variant will avoid our shores but I think that they’re missing a big shift in the way that Americans think about utility.  As with the stock market, past performance is no guarantee of the future and I hope that Ford will reconsider bringing this sleek, utility-laden wagon to the US.  Until then, we’ll have to (ahem) focus our attention on the few wagon choices currently available.

For those of you who are interested in thrifty vehicles with utility, check out these other smart choices at Honk.