The Good 12 v4.0 Part 3 - Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon

CADILLAC CTS SPORT WAGON

There are people who buy cars based purely on the vehicle's capacity to haul. If Vehicle Exhibit A can secure five people and 40 cubic feet of cargo, then Vehicle Exhibit B's 35 cubic feet of luggage space won't suffice. There are vehicles, even in The Good 12, designed to carry more people and more stuff than the car you see here. Most don't look half as good as the 2011 Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon, however. And most don't drive like the CTS, either.

In fact, most vehicles aren't this rare. General Motors always knew that the Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon's maximum audience was teeny-weeny-tiny. Even among wagons, an exclusive segment at the best of times in the United States, the CTS is considered off-the-wall. I mean, c'mon, it's a Cadillac. A Cadillac wagon. It's a Cadillac wagon, for crying out loud. Who thinks this stuff up?

Fortunately, the ignorance of others contributes to the CTS's excitement. There's a one-in-a-bijillion chance your neighbour's going to be driving the same thing. True, the same could be said of the Renault Le Car you bought in college, but the CTS is actually a cool car. 58 cubic feet of cargo capacity ain't enough for you? How 'bout when all those cubes are married to 304 rear-wheel-driven horsepower and a sublime chassis? 

When there are new vehicles available for purchasing as interesting and, dare I say, obscure as the Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon, there are no excuses for he or she who acquires a Lexus ES350 or Acura TSX V6. Try and stay cool.

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Engines: 270 horsepower; 223 lb-ft of torque from a 3.0L V6 or 304 horsepower; 273 lb-ft of torque from a 3.6L V6

Base USD/CAD Price: $38,265 / $44,130

City Fuel Economy: 18 miles per gallon

V-Series: Priced from $62,290, the Cadillac CTS-V Sport Wagon's 6.2L generates an absurdly wonderful 556 horsepower. Brembo brakes, 19-inch wheels, magnetorheological dampers, and a six-speed manual transmission are all present and accounted for in what may be the planet's most stirring station wagon.

Sales Stats: Overall Cadillac CTS sales were up 25.4% in Canada through the end of October 2010. During the same period, CTS sales in the USA jumped 15.1%. In October, Cadillac USA sold 4242 CTS sedans and wagons; Cadillac Canada sold 228.

The Good 12

Audi Q5 - Buick Enclave - Fiat 500 
Ford F-150 - Ford Mustang V6 - Infiniti G25
 Jeep Wrangler - Nissan Juke - Porsche Boxster Spyder

Porsche Cayenne - Toyota Venza

The Bad 8

Acura ZDX - BMW 5-Series GT- BMW X6
 Honda Accord Crosstour - Lexus HS250h
Lincoln MKT - Nissan Leaf - Nissan Versa Sedan

Rules & Nominees