2010 Cadillac CTS AWD Sport Wagon

BY KEVIN “CRASH” CORRIGAN | PHOTOS BY SIMON BURN


AS SOME OF YOU MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW, before venturing into the automotive world I spent a while in the family’s building business. My father believed in kids learning from the ground up, which I suppose could be looked upon as a plus when your dad owns the largest roofing company in South London!

However, after doing my time on the tools, I was finally placed in the company’s estimating department, which meant swapping my grubby coveralls for a dapper three-piece suit, and also allowed for a trade-up in transport. My sad looking work truck was replaced by a shiny, almost new, Mercedes-Benz C-Class station wagon.

Now that might sound a little over-the-top for a building company representative, but a large scale business needs to maintain a certain image. My father believed that the vehicle portrayed us as a successful company, while at the same time, being a wagon, it said that we were still thinking business. The idea worked and is perhaps what gave me the liking for up-market wagons.

There are two companies, BMW and Mercedes, which have pretty much dominated this area of the market, until now that is… Let me introduce you to the new 2010 Cadillac CTS AWD Sport wagon.

Some of you may expect me to compare this new GM to perhaps a Volvo or possibly an Audi product, but no, I’m going to place it right up there in the big league, where I feel it belongs.

For a start, the exterior styling truly makes it stand out in a crowd. In fact, I’d place it ahead of both the aforementioned German producers. GM has gone to great lengths to disguise the typical boxy station wagon form and succeeded in creating a vehicle which, even from the rear, doesn’t immediately shout “wagon.” However, when required, there’s a 58 cu ft load carrying capacity available (with the second row seats down). It even has a useful under-floor compartment which is handy for hiding away valuables.

Stepping inside reveals what has to be one of the best laid out interiors in the business. The main instrument panel has a sporty appearance and flows nicely into the overall dash layout. I also love the way GM has managed to hide its large Navigation display screen away until it’s actually needed. Who wants to constantly stare at a massive TV screen when you only occasionally require it? In the CTS, a simple push of a button allows the screen to rise from within the dash and then disappear almost completely when not in use.

I also like the genuine Sapele Pomele wood accenting which has been thoughtfully positioned throughout the cabin. A lot of companies are turning away from wood nowadays and towards that dreadful aluminum (inside-of-a-coke-can) look. When you see an interior as nicely laid out as this in real wood and leather, you realize that it’s the only truly acceptable finish for a luxury vehicle.

My test vehicle came with the optional Ultraview twin sunroof and such niceties as a heated steering wheel, heated & ventilated front seats, and an amazing Bose sound system which my cameraman even admitted was one of the best he’d ever experienced.

The leather seating in the CTS is extremely comfortable, although I would have preferred a tad more side bolstering on the bottom cushions, especially when driving the vehicle spiritedly.

Speaking of spirited driving, forget what your grandparents told you about Cadillacs. This new breed is as far from that as one can imagine.

Performance comes as standard and my test vehicle’s 304hp 3.6L V6 backs me up on that. When coupled to a superb AWD system, this vehicle simply grips and goes!

I would have preferred a slightly firmer suspension setup but, as my tester was not fitted with the optional performance package, I was rather impressed with how the vehicle handled the twists and turns.

Big brakes are a must on a vehicle like this and I’m pleased to say that GM follows my line of thinking. The vehicle tracks extremely well and, even under severe braking, the CTS is well behaved.

We now come to price…the 2010 Cadillac CTS Sports wagon is available from just $44,325 (3.0L V6), although my AWD tester with the 3.6L V6 and a few of the nicer packages topped out at $64,735.

In summing up, I would recommend this vehicle to anyone looking for a luxury load carrier. It ticks all the right boxes. Well done GM!

RATING 87%

Pros: A classy upmarket wagon without being too over-the-top.
Cons: Suspension a tad soft, particularly with its rather low roof height… ouch, my head!

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