SPORTWAGON SAMPLER; When it comes to performance and practicality, maybe the Japanese do know what is best for us.(News)

Byline: DINO DALLE CARBONARE

Here in the sport/utility-lovin' United States of America, it's hard to imagine a day will come when the simple station wagon will once again claim a sizeable portion of our nation's highway space. But in Japan, wagons are all the rage, thanks to loads of cargo room and practicality combined with fuel-sipping sensibility in a land where fuel costs reach into the stratosphere.

Toss in a touch of sporty performance, as we found in the latest crop of Japan-market wagons, and you'll be wondering whether it might be time to trade in that behemoth-class ute crowding your driveway and replace it with something a little more, well, sensible.

If you live in Japan, you might be picking from among these top-notch performance wagons:

Nissan's Stagea AXIS is essentially a wagon version of the Infiniti G35 sedan built on the same front-midship chassis as the G35 and 350Z. Powered by a 3.5-liter, 280-hp V6, our Autech-tuned test car ($35,150) featured a bespoke suspension setup, aggressive body kit, 18-inch aluminum wheels and a hand-stitched leather interior. Autech has done an excellent job of turning the Stagea's somewhat soft ride, and image, into a car that tackles the most demanding corners with incredible composure, keeping body roll in check and using all the grip the Dunlop tires have to offer. The smooth, torquey V6 is a perfect match for the rest of the package, and the five-speed transmission does a good job of letting you push the car's dynamics to the limit.

Add in the Stagea's huge load capacity (which nearly doubles in capacity with the rear seats folded) and it is a very complete wagon, which can thrill the demanding driver as well as offer real-world comfort and practicality.

The Subaru Legacy Touring Wagon B4 2.0 GT spec.B WR-Limited (surely the longest name for a car ever) is clearly more extreme. Built to celebrate Subaru's involvement in the World Rally Championship, this Legacy wagon ($31,900) features the obligatory mica-blue body color and gold ...