2012’s The Good 12 – Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon

As we usher the Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon in to The Good 12 for a second consecutive year, let’s make clear that this Caddy isn’t here as a result of its novelty factor. Attractive, atypical, practical, powerful, and prestigious are words that will be liberally sprinkled over the CTS Sport Wagon’s grave when it almost certainly dies off in the not-so-distant future due to a lack of popularity. 

Sure, it’s different. It’s a Cadillac wagon, for goodness’ sake. In CTS-V form this wagon is about as subtle as a pink and purple-striped Volvo 240. Fret not, lovers of subtlety, for the CTS Sport Wagon can be had in more discreet V6 trim.

Though tremendously desirable, the Audi A4 Avant is less powerful and hauls eight fewer cubic feet of stuff behind the rear seats. Volvo’s XC70 is worth fawning over, too, but people will think you’re trying to look like you’re driving an SUV. Because you will be trying to look like you’re driving an SUV. For now, the BMW 328i Sports Wagon is based on the older E90 platform, not the new 3-Series sedan’s F30 chassis. With the Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon, priorities meshed. There is no form before function argument, no function before form debate. Performance was not sacrificed because of a need to inject car seats. 

GM and Cadillac jointly impregnated the CTS after analyzing the varying needs and wants of automotive enthusiasts. The genetic amalgamation resulted in a fetus vehicle which was bathed in amniotic fluid characteristics stemming from those needs and wants. The CTS’s water broke, the delivery was painless, and the OB/GYN announced, “It’s a sport wagon!”

Engines: 270 horsepower; 273 lb-ft of torque from a 3.0L V6, 318 horsepower; 275 lb-ft of torque from a 3.6L V6, or 556 horsepower; 551 lb-ft of torque from a supercharged 6.2L V8

Base USD/CAD Price: $39,015 / $40,705

City Fuel Economy: 12 – 18 miles per gallon

It’s Not Perfect: For many younger buyers, the CTS Sport Wagon simply wears the wrong badge. Because it’s a Cadillac, the brand of car their grandparents bough in the latter stages of retirement, it’s impossible to consider the CTS regardless of its handsome roofline and thoroughly sorted chassis. For CTS Sport Wagon rejecters, the Audi A4 Avant, BMW 3-Series Touring, Volvo XC70, and Saab 9-5 SportWagon (if it ever reaches fruition) are all deserving of the attention of new car buyers looking to score a luxury wagon in 2012.

Sales Stats: How many CTS Sport Wagons have you actually seen in real life, on real roads, in the hands of real people? “Few, if any,” is the response most often heard. Cadillac’s CTS range sells with a measure of frequency, but how many of those CTS sales are coupes and wagons, well, that’s something GM keeps to itself. Monthly and yearly sales figures for the Cadillac CTS sedan, coupe, and wagon can be viewed here.