No matter how much the dog and I might love this midsize wagon, Mazda doesn’t agree and is dropping the extended version of its popular sedan for 2008.

I have a soft spot in my heart for wagons. My first car was a wagon, then a hatchback, another wagon and then my aging ’98 Outback, all with manual transmissions.

That pattern is certainly out of step with the state of affairs in America these days. Sure, car buyers have started to pick up on the just-right compromise offered in smaller hatchbacks: all-around utility, space for moving or large purchases and better fuel economy and road feel than is to be found in an SUV.

But the wagon itself is still fighting its way back into the mainstream. The fates of family-movers are generational: Wagons ruled until those reared in them bred in turn, turning to minivans, whose former passengers then bailed for SUVs when the nesting instinct blossomed. Maybe the wagon’s day will come again, but it hasn’t arrived yet.

Customer demands

When Mazda first introduced its handsome 6 wagon, in a fit of hopefulness, a manual transmission was offered — something we aren’t likely to see again for a long time, unless the car is pricey and German, because few Americans buy wagons and fewer still choose to shift for themselves, even in the face of rising gas prices. I can only assume buyers weren’t lining up because Mazda soon pared down the wagon lineup, taking away the manual option on the wagon.

For 2008, it gets worse, as the wagon disappears completely, more than a year before the next-generation 6 bows: “To better meet customer demands for the Mazda 6 Sports Sedan and 5-Door, the Mazda 6 Sport Wagon will be discontinued for the 2008 model year.” That pretty much means now; the same goes for the turbocharged and all-wheel-drive Mazdaspeed 6 sedan.

On other 6 models, for 2007, you can choose a 2.3-liter four that produces 156 horsepower and 154 pound-feet of torque while returning 24 mpg city and 32 mpg highway with the manual transmission.

The step-up engine for 6s models and all wagons is a 3.0-liter V-6 that whips up 212 hp and 197 lb-ft torque. In the non-wagon models, sedan and hatchback, you can pair this engine with a five-speed manual or the six-speed auto that is the only shifter in the wagon.

That’s not terribly tragic because, Mazda says, the 6 is the only vehicle in its class to be offered with six gears in its auto: The wide number of ratios improves performance, drivability, smoothness and gas mileage.

The 3.0-liter V-6 is just slightly behind the times as the 6 prepares for a new generation. It lacks the overwhelming punch of the six-cylinders you’ll find in other midsize offerings — it can feet relatively flat-footed when it comes to absolute acceleration up an onramp hill — but more than outright power, a Mazda is about the bigger picture of how the engine, transmission and suspension work together to wring the most out of a twisty road. The V-6 proves smooth and linear as power spools up confidently.

Those gorgeous huge alloy wheels hold serious rubber that grips the road with a friendliness that makes you forget there’s a huge cavern behind the driver’s seat. Take a corner, and the 6 confidently settles in, nicely transitioning from quiet highway cruiser to enjoyable sports car — and back, at your whim.

The automatic lets you choose gears through the shifter, but it’s quick enough with the downshifts that taking such action is rarely necessary. But I still lament the loss of the stick.

Few pet-hauling options

My shelter mutt, Scout, is the smartest dog I’ve ever met. Because she lets me sleep in (late), knows all the commands (plus “inside,” “outside” and “back up”) and rations her food like a devout Weight Watcher, the least I can do is have a wagon that gives her room to roam. A sedan doesn’t have the space, most SUVs require planning to jump into, and in a minivan, she’d have to sit in a seat to see out.

So, a wagon it is; we loaded up the 6 and hit the road to visit family in Las Cruces. The rear seats fold pretty-much flat and open up a huge cargo area, as a wagon should. As an added bonus, they fold at the touch of a lever located near the tailgate or on the seatbacks — and you don’t have to remove the headrests.

The 6’s main wagon competition comes from Dodge, Subaru and Volvo. But the Dodge Magnum is in another class entirely: bigger but with smaller windows, a truly American take on the wagon. Volvo offers the V50 version of its S40 sedan, but prices are higher, and it feels smaller inside than the Mazda.

I used to love the turbocharged Subaru Legacy wagon, but first its base models went away (higher prices and no more cloth seats), and then, for 2008, Subaru has decreed all wagons will be Outbacks and all sedans Legacies. The Outback (or the manual-available turbo Forester Sports, though it’s more tall than long, affecting what fits in the cargo hold) is a good alternative. But it isn’t cheap: Though you can get a four-cylinder Outback, the only turbocharged model starts at $31,640, and a six-cylinder version costs even more.

Also, the wagons mentioned above offer all-wheel drive, an important distinction, but the more-powerful Subarus ask for premium gas when the Mazda is happy enough with regular.

Other options include the not-long-for-this-world Chevy Malibu Maxx, the updated Saab 9-3 (finally with all-wheel drive) and the Germans: Audi, BMW and Volkswagen. Maybe the wagon isn’t dead, but it sure is getting expensive.

Plenty of kit

Inside, the Mazda 6 is a stunner, even four years after it bowed. The ambience from the driver’s seat is serious: all different shades of black with red lighting for the gauges and stereo readout.

The sporty interior has a three-spoke leather-wrapped steering wheel that tilts and telescopes into position and has buttons for the cruise control and stereo. There are three levels of 6 wagon, and the lower two, Sport and Touring, get a six-speaker stereo with an in-dash six-CD changer while the test Grand Touring model boasted a 200-watt Bose sound system that gains a subwoofer and amplifier.

It also ingratiated itself on our drive with Sirius satellite radio, which made miles fly by, though the small stereo readout doesn’t make the best of all the info available on satellite. A navigation system is optional on Grand Touring models.

Every 6 model comes with plenty of kit, as the British would say, including air conditioning, automatic headlight shutoff and power windows, mirrors and locks. After that, it’s a complicated matrix of models, engines and options, but that all depends on your interests and funding.

The 6 wagon proved very comfortable on the highway, and Scout soon settled into a car shaped very much like her usual ride. This wagon rivals some SUVs with its impressive cargo capacity — 33.7 cubic-feet with the rear seats up and a generous 60.4 cubic-feet with them folded — but it trumps them all with its sporty driving character.

So, here it is, the end of the line this time around. The Mazda 6 wagon has all the sporting and hauling credentials you’d expect from this resurgent brand. It also looks stunning with its big wheels and bold nose. But it’s fading fast: If you can’t find a 2007 model, there are no more 6 wagons to be had. So, either hurry out to grab yours or try Subaru for the next best thing.

Jay Binneweg is automotive editor at The New Mexican. E-mail him at drive@sfnewmexican.com.

• Base price: $24,785
• As tested: $28,825
• Type: Front-engine, front-wheel-drive, five-passenger sport wagon
• Drivetrain: DOHC 24-valve 3.0-liter V-6 producing 212 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 197 pound-feet torque at 5,000 rpm; six-speed automatic
• EPA mileage: 20 mpg city/27 highway, regular unleaded
• Length: 187.8 inches
• Wheelbase: 105.3 inches
• Weight: 3,483 pounds
• Built in: Flat Rock, Mich.

Vehicles and animals: made for each other

A friend has been looking for a dog, so this past weekend, I dropped by the Española animal shelter. There, I met an astounding array of amazing dogs, but it was Lola that I fell in love with. A calm and mature shepherd mix, she walked well next to me and sported a riot of colors that made my heart melt.

I fear I’m not ready for a second dog, just as Scout and I have found mutual comfort in our delightful, low-maintenance life. But animals and cars go together like, well, well-trained animals and caring owners, so I encourage anyone thinking about adopting to check out the Española shelter (map), in addition to our Santa Fe shelter.

Also, we at Drive have been thinking for a while about a feature on animals and their cars: what car best suits what animal, how they love or hate going for a ride. Send us photos and tell us about your animal and your car. It’s universal. — Jay Binneweg, drive@sfnewmexican.com