the new CTS Sport Wagon as a bookend to and from our first drive of the Cadillac SRX Turbo earlier this month. But we're willing to lay on the other pretend itinerary to point out how not-American the Sport Wagon seems--let's be clear, that's "not-American," not "un-American."Why that? In between commutes in the Sport Wagon, we hammered the SRX crossover ute around Milford in a revealing back-to-back comparison. The two cars might land on top of each other in price and vaguely in shape, but they're dimetrically opposed in their appeal. The 2010 Cadillac SRX is a crossover based on front-drive parts, with optional all-wheel drive and an expanded cargo area, and it's aimed at the crossover crowd also shopping tall, all-weather utes like the Land Rover LR2, BMW X3, Benz GLK, Audi Q5 and Volvo XC60.
The changes to this version of the CTS are from the B-pillars rearward. Weighing in at 4212 pounds, the Sport Wagon is 241 pounds portlier than the last CTS sedan we tested. Much of the weight increase can be attributed to the extended roofline, the structural buttressing, and the electric hatch, but some is likely due to the glass roof that came on our test car. So the wagon is heavier than the sedan—a clear disadvantage—but the extra mass is offset by improved weight distribution. Sport Wagons are less nose-heavy than CTS sedans, with 48.6 percent of the mass over the rear wheels versus the sedan’s 46.7 percent. With more weight resting on top of them, the rear tires don’t have any trouble putting the power to the ground.
However, our Sport Wagon’s 304-hp, 3.6-liter 24-valve direct-injection V-6—the base engine for 2010 is a 270-hp, 3.0-liter V-6—did seem somewhat overcome by the extra mass. Running from 0 to 60 in 7.0 seconds isn’t criminal, but the sedan does the deed in six flat. Cadillac folks say that roughly 0.3 second is sacrificed to the weight and another 0.3 is lost to the newly optional and heavier 19-inch wheels and larger brakes of the FE3 suspension. There’s also a revised torque converter that is supposed to increase smoothness and efficiency, and it, too, may have contributed to the Sport Wagon’s off-the-line sluggishness.
The CTS’s excellent handling, brakes, and steering remain untainted. The Sport Wagon’s great advantage over the sedan’s 14-cubic-foot trunk is its beautifully lined, 25 cubic feet of cargo space (53 with the rear seats folded). From the floor rails that provide attachment points for various tie-downs to the perfectly trimmed carpet, Cadillac seems to have created an exact replica of the cargo compartment of the Mercedes E-class wagon.
Unlike the utilitarian Benz wagon, the Cadillac’s crease-intensive sheetmetal gives it an air of sportiness. In fact, we think it’s more attractive than the sedan. And the base version starts at $40,655, or $3100 more than the base sedan. The only option our $54,635 Sport Wagon lacked was all-wheel drive. Even at that price, the Caddy wagon is still less expensive than comparably equipped competition from Audi, BMW, and Mercedes. Nevertheless, we still don’t expect the car-buying public to notice, so the Sport Wagon will remain a well-kept secret for fans of cars with D-pillars.
GM's premium division desperately needs the two new models, the first due to its entry-level placement and sport-oriented, image-boosting role, and the second because of high profitability and luxury-oriented, yet still image-boosting role. The first is a true BMW 3-Series fighter dubbed ATS, smaller than the CTS that already targets 3-Series, Audi A4 and Mercedes-Benz C-Class buyers, to name a few. While the CTS will likely grow in size to more directly go after the 5-Series, A6 and E-Class customers, the new model will allow Cadillac to expand into global markets that buy smaller cars more effectively.
Currently that market is being serviced by Cadillac's Euro-only BLS sedan, a front-drive derivative of Saab's 9-3. It's not a true Cadillac, but it serves a purpose for the time being. The new ATS will be rear- and all-wheel drive, however, so it appears that Cadillac has its priorities right. It will likely be based on the next-generation CTS architecture, which is already under development according to Cadillac general manager Brian Nesbitt. Power will certainly include an updated version of GM's 3.6L V6, while its new fuel-efficient 3.0L V6 may also be offered, as could possibly be an even more efficient four-cylinder.
Visually, think of a shrunken CTS with the same abbreviated trunk, although the headlights are more pronounced as they follow each fender further back towards the windscreen. Expect a sportier two-door coupe to surface some time after the sedan, with a convertible and even a wagon possible, if the CTS wagon proves to have legs.
