Here’s a not-so-secret fact:  the quickest way to get me to fall in love with a sedan that I generally approve of but am not excited about is to turn it into a station wagon.  Tack a cargo area on the rear end, and a competent sedan turns into a chariot made of awesome.  That’s just the way I roll.

That said, it’s no surprise that I was happy to hear of Cadillac’s plans to create a sport wagon out of the CTS, and even happier to meet it.  The CTS is a standout among compact luxury sedans, combining Cadillac’s angular and upscale new styling with competent road manners without losing its basic American-ness.  Taking that existing goodness and adding a boxy cargo space on the back?  A surefire hit, at least in my eyes.  But will the rest of the world agree?  After all, this would be Cadillac’s first attempt at a true station wagon–those Caddy wagons that you might have seen occasionally during the 1950s and 1970s were all coachbuilt vehicles, not true Cadillacs.

Luxury sports wagons don’t find success easily–witness the short-lived Lexus IS300 SportCross and the relative rarity of BMW’s 3-Series wagon.  These days sport wagons also have to justify their existence in the face of competition from compact crossover vehicles with car-like handling.  I have to admit that even I wondered what the point of the CTS Sport Wagon was, considering Cadillac’s downsized 2010 SRX crossover.

Happily, the CTS Sport Wagon acquits itself with aplomb, carving a niche for itself with a much more visceral driving experience than any crossover could hope to offer.  The additional bodywork at the rear hasn’t dulled the CTS’ performance abilities in the least.

The CTS Sport Wagon is handsomely and extravagantly designed.  Bodywork is shared with the CTS up front, with a big bold eggcrate grille and large Cadillac badge leading the way.  At the rear, where many wagons seem to forget all about styling, the CTS Sport Wagon’s striking family lines continue, with a sculpted tailgate flanked by massive taillights.  The distinct V-shape that dominates the rear aspect of the CTS sedan is present on the wagon as well–even more noticeably so, because of the additional sheet metal.  The center brake light is integrated smoothly into the spoiler.

Interior appointments are shared with the CTS sedan, so the CTS Sport Wagon is dressed to impress with a hand-stitched dashboard, indirect LED lighting at night and a choice of satin finish aluminum or Sapele Pommele wood trim.  The dash is contoured to match the exterior, and the angular theme is carried through the interior trim.  Rear-seat accommodations are spacious, and the standard power tailgate opens up a cargo area that’s twice the size of the sedan’s even with the seats up.  Cadillac’s smart keyless entry system automatically locks and unlocks the doors according to the remote’s proximity, and a remote start is also available.  Additional amenities include heated and cooled seats, adaptive headlamps, Bluetooth connectivity, and a Bose 5.1 surround-sound audio system.  The large navigation/information display rises out of the dashboard, and it’s one of the easiest-to-use that I’ve dealt with.   A full-length sunroof is available.

Prowling around town in the CTS Sport Wagon is a rewarding drive, thanks to an independent suspension with short-long arm construction up front and a multilink rear.  An underhood strut tower brace is also used.  In keeping with GM’s performance tradition, there are three suspension tuning levels available:  FE1, FE2 and FE3.  The last is the most extreme, requiring rear-wheel drive and summer tires only.   StabiliTrak and anti-lock brakes are standard equipment.  Whatever suspension is chosen, the CTS Sport Wagon rides on unique nineteen-inch wheels and feels like it’s tuned for performance.  There’s more sport than luxury in this wagon; buyers hoping for a soft, isolated ride will be better served by the SRX.

A choice of V6 engines is offered.  Shared with the CTS sedan, both of the CTS Sport Wagon’s engines feature direct fuel injection, which improves emissions and fuel economy, and both the 270-horsepower 3.0 liter and the 304-horse 3.6 provide enjoyable performance.  The 3.6 liter V6 doesn’t always make pretty noises, but it doesn’t disappoint when it comes to getting the power to the road.  The standard six-speed automatic transmission puts the power down through the rear wheels, which proved to be a slight liability when dealing with deep snow, but the CTS Sport Wagon’s brief flirtation with tractionlessness was nothing a set of snow tires wouldn’t cure.  Live where the snow falls regularly?  The CTS Sport Wagon is also available with all-wheel drive.

At speed, the CTS Sport Wagon can cruise with the best of the best from Germany–at this rate there won’t be much point in benchmarking “the Germans” in a few years, because Cadillac will be known for being just as good.  The CTS Sport Wagon rides less heavily than the BMW 3-Series, and with a slightly harder edge than the Audi A4 Avant.

Though my objectivity goes right out the window when it comes to station wagons, I’ll still say that the CTS Sport Wagon is my favorite current Cadillac product.  Like the sedan it’s based on, it carves out a place for itself among its European competitors and matches their performance while remaining staunchly and uniquely American in its execution.  This isn’t a patriotic observation so much as it is one of personality; the CTS Sport Wagon is excellent without having to copy anyone else.  My tester was equipped with the more powerful 304-horse 3.6 liter V6, and stickered for $49,490.

Specifications:
All specs are for the 2010 Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon
Length:  191.3 in.
Width:  72.6 in.
Height:  59.1 in.
Wheelbase:  113.4 in.
Cargo space:  25 cu.ft. (seats up); 53.4 cu.ft. (seats folded)
Base price:  $48,665
Price as tested: $49,490
Engine:   3.6 liter DOHC direct-injection V6
Drivetrain:  six-speed automatic transmission, rear-wheel drive
Horsepower: 304 @ 6400
Torque:  273 @ 5200
Fuel capacity:  18.0 gal.
Est. mileage:   18/26

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