As much as there's nothing like a big, honkin' pickup when you need to do some serious hauling, when you need to do some serious haulin', there's really no match for the Cadillac CTS-V wagon.
The V wagon is a beast, packing 556 hp in a 4,390-pound package, giving it enough punch to flash to 60 mph in 4.0 seconds flat.
The rear-drive chassis, fitted with magnetic ride-control shocks, Brembo brakes and Michelin Sport Pilot rubber, is so capable that we found it advisable to use the handy built-in chrome cargo-floor anchors just to make sure our loads didn't shift under hard cornering, braking or acceleration. The heavily bolstered, leather-lined seats performed the same function for driver and passengers, keeping everyone planted as the wagon carved up the curves.
No wagon--even with the rear seats folded down--will carry the kinds of loads we stuff into pickup beds or SUV cabins. And while the car is listed as a five-seater, things get tight when three adults have to squeeze into the back seat. But I found the space ample for most toting needs, swallowing a few big hauls, including a five-foot folding table and some chairs. That said, given the lesser cargo capacity (compared with utes and trucks), no sport wagon should leave the dealer showroom without a roof rack installed. But I can forgive the oversight on this CTS-V because someone wisely checked “manual” when it came to picking the transmission. The six-speed gearbox, managed via an Alcantara-upholstered shifter and a shiny chrome clutch pedal, went a long way toward reducing the wagon's relative lack of utility to simply a minor annoyance.
In addition, the interior is sweet with the stitched leather, the perforated seating surfaces, the Alcantara shifter and steering wheel and the impressive illumination band wrapping from the door panels into the dashboard--very cool.
Whoever decided to put this supercharged engine into this wagon is a genius. This is by far the most fun family-haulin' wagon I've ever driven, and I did use it to haul the family around in it, too. My niece was laughing and squealing in the back telling me to go faster. We had some snow on the roads with low temps, and I tried to shake this car loose at a couple of corners (without my niece in the car, of course), but the car remained stable at all times.
I could very easily live with this, not just for its fun driving character, but for its roomy interior and attractive sheetmetal. It's not the normal cookie-cutter look but an elegant design that really stands out in the crowd with its long lines and extreme taillights. The interior is also very nice looking and feels inviting and very upscale.
Overall, good job, Cadillac.
When I got seat time in this particular CTS-V wagon, Cadillac had already picked up the car to swap a set of winter tires on it in place of the high-performance Michelin Pilot Sport PS2s, which is good being December and all. The really cool thing is that the winter tires came mounted on a set of sinister-looking gunmetal rims, which gave the V wagon a sleeker appearance. I encounter some cold, slick roads over the weekend, which made me appreciate having the winter tires even more. But if you're interested in a CTS-V of any kind, get yours with the gunmetal rims. You can thank me later.
I'm not very sure how many people out there are looking for a 556-hp wagon, but for the people who are, this Caddy is killer. Think about it: A powerful supercharged engine, a slick-shifting six-speed manual transmission, magnetic ride suspension and plenty of room to carry stuff. So basically this is a wagon that not only can haul a bunch of stuff, but light it up, too.
Straight-line thrust is, as expected, plentiful, and the suspension--when put in sport mode--does a good job of keeping all 4,390 pounds of this wagon pretty well composed around corners. Steering feel is responsive, and the brakes provide confident stopping muscle.
The cabin is first-rate with high-quality materials and is easy enough to navigate once you get the hang of the button-laden center console. The Recaro seats fit me fine and provided enough support to keep me happy and locked in place.
Either way, for the wagon-haters out there, a drive in this will banish those horrifying memories of the old wood-paneled family station wagon and make you a believer.
Base Price: $64,290
As-Tested Price: $69,585
Drivetrain: 6.2-liter supercharged V8; RWD, six-speed manual
Output: 556 hp @ 6,100 rpm, 551 lb-ft @ 3,800 rpm
Curb Weight: 4,390 lb
Fuel Economy (EPA/AW): 16/14.7 mpg
Options: Recaro high-performance seats ($3400); crystal red tintcoat paint ($995); midnight sapele-wood trim ($600); sueded steering wheel ($300)
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