A missing ingredient?
In order to make the CTS Sport Wagon appealing price-wise, the base car is equipped with a 270-hp 3.0L V6, a 6-speed automatic gearbox and RWD. Price: $44,325. Moving up to AWD adds an extra $2,625. My tester necessarily included every option under the sun. It therefore carries an asking price of just over $63,000. For this sum, you get the 304-hp 3.6L V6 and AWD, not to mention the arm-length list of features.
So what is the missing ingredient? Well, those in the “know” know that both the sedan and the coupe are available in “V” trim. The wagon is not. How insane would a 556-hp CTS-V sport wagon be? About as crazy as a Mercedes E63 AMG wagon perhaps... Ok, back to reality...
Great drive but...
As such, my wagon was a great drive. Cruising around town or motoring on the highway is a very satisfying affair at the wheel of this car. The 3.6L is powerful and willing to get the 1,900-kg (4,200-lb) car up to speed. As a side-note, the V6 generates an objectionable warble when at idle or when started cold; unfortunate given the standing of the car.
The “but” comes from my next complaint or should I say annoyance: the Hydra-Matic 6L50 6-speed automatic transmission. In a nutshell, it’s slow to react, even in Sport mode. No matter how much mashing the go-pedal gets, the ‘box takes its sweet time to downshift unless you do it yourself. Passing on a service road for example is downright unpleasant. As the throttle is only feathered at 70 km/h, you’ll have to plan your move well ahead of time if you do not want the next guy in the left lane up your keester.
Otherwise, the CTS provides a high-end ride that is nearly up to BMW and Audi levels, where it would like to be. I certainly got a great feeling at the wheel; whether it’s because I was driving a Cadillac, a Cadillac wagon or simply due to the poised chassis or solid construction, it’s tough to say. What I do know is that the strong positive brakes and precise steering played an important part.
Not quite midsize
Like most mid-size entry-level luxury cars, the CTS has a fairly restrictive cabin. Although I can live with that, the hard front and very tight rear seats put a damper on the experience. Sure, it’s constricted in the 3-Series, less-so in the A4, but the very limited front and rear legroom literally cramps this car’s style.
In order to make the CTS Sport Wagon appealing price-wise, the base car is equipped with a 270-hp 3.0L V6, a 6-speed automatic gearbox and RWD. Price: $44,325. Moving up to AWD adds an extra $2,625. My tester necessarily included every option under the sun. It therefore carries an asking price of just over $63,000. For this sum, you get the 304-hp 3.6L V6 and AWD, not to mention the arm-length list of features.
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| Fit and finish is especially nice and the choice of materials is worthy of the name Cadillac. |
So what is the missing ingredient? Well, those in the “know” know that both the sedan and the coupe are available in “V” trim. The wagon is not. How insane would a 556-hp CTS-V sport wagon be? About as crazy as a Mercedes E63 AMG wagon perhaps... Ok, back to reality...
Great drive but...
As such, my wagon was a great drive. Cruising around town or motoring on the highway is a very satisfying affair at the wheel of this car. The 3.6L is powerful and willing to get the 1,900-kg (4,200-lb) car up to speed. As a side-note, the V6 generates an objectionable warble when at idle or when started cold; unfortunate given the standing of the car.
The “but” comes from my next complaint or should I say annoyance: the Hydra-Matic 6L50 6-speed automatic transmission. In a nutshell, it’s slow to react, even in Sport mode. No matter how much mashing the go-pedal gets, the ‘box takes its sweet time to downshift unless you do it yourself. Passing on a service road for example is downright unpleasant. As the throttle is only feathered at 70 km/h, you’ll have to plan your move well ahead of time if you do not want the next guy in the left lane up your keester.
Otherwise, the CTS provides a high-end ride that is nearly up to BMW and Audi levels, where it would like to be. I certainly got a great feeling at the wheel; whether it’s because I was driving a Cadillac, a Cadillac wagon or simply due to the poised chassis or solid construction, it’s tough to say. What I do know is that the strong positive brakes and precise steering played an important part.
Not quite midsize
Like most mid-size entry-level luxury cars, the CTS has a fairly restrictive cabin. Although I can live with that, the hard front and very tight rear seats put a damper on the experience. Sure, it’s constricted in the 3-Series, less-so in the A4, but the very limited front and rear legroom literally cramps this car’s style.
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| The CTS provides a high-end ride that is nearly up to BMW and Audi levels, where it would like to be. |