Kaiser Traveler History

Introduced for 1949, the Kaiser Traveler (and its lower-trim sibling the Vagabond) was a clever sedan-wagon hybrid: the rear seat folded flat and a two-piece rear hatch — an upper section hinged at the top and a lower tailgate — opened to turn a six-passenger sedan into a long-bed cargo hauler in seconds. It is frequently called one of America's first hatchbacks, though purists note its split two-piece opening rather than a single modern liftgate.

The utility cars were a genuine innovation and accounted for roughly a quarter of Kaiser's sales in their first year, but the body style was always a niche product. Traveler/Vagabond production ran through 1953 — in tiny numbers toward the end — and was dropped for 1954 as Kaiser's lineup contracted.