Unless you pay a visit to Mr. Lang’s lot on the right day or really love Volkswagen, the only wagons available for Americans today are mostly Teutonic, and all come with a high price tag. According to GM North American President Mark Reuss, that’s a problem, and one he’d like to fix pronto.

Aside from filling holes in markets GM doesn’t have anything for as of yet — including compact vans like the Ford Transit Connect, or a Panamera-fighter for the Buick lineup — Reuss wants to give consumers “a contemporary wagon for mainstream America” that is more affordable than anything on the lots of BMW, Mercedes-Benz, or even Cadillac. He also promises, for what it’s worth, that the wagon won’t have faux-wood paneling as an option. Sorry, hipsters.

One easy candidate would be to bring over the Cruze Wagon from Europe; Reuss already has eyes on a five-door hatchback version of the compact when the second generation rolls off the ramp, but why stop there? Sometimes not even a hatch is enough for some tasks, and since there are no small pickups or utes around anymore (in the United States, anyway), a business case could be made in federalizing the Cruze Wagon for sale on our shores.

Of course, if a Cruze meets the criteria for “a contemporary wagon for mainstream America,” then what does that say about the Teutonic tourers or the art and science behind Cadillac’s CTS? Are they too Lady Gaga for the masses?

Photo credit: Chevrolet