Review 2010 Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon: If Monster Garage built a wagon from scratch

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The 2010 Cadillac CTS AWD Sport Wagon reminds me of programs like Monster Garage. Here’s a plain old station wagon, let’s put it in the hands of someone who’s not afraid to add a whole lot of character, and shazam! You get a car with some serious character. I love the look of the CTS Sport Wagon, it doesn’t cave to the tendency to look bubbly or soft. It turned some heads, and that is always fun. The low profile and large grille looked aggressive, and that’s exceptional in a segment that isn’t known for anything resembling aggressive. Even the tailgate is angled and looks like a stealth version of a regular wagon.

The CTS Sport Wagon is long. But it’s a bit deceiving because the wagon
doesn’t feel roomy. It’s comfortable, there’s decent enough legroom in
the back, but the space is definitely not sprawling. Maybe because it’s
a Cadillac I expected to have tons of real estate around me, so when I
didn’t I was caught off guard.

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That being said, my 6-foot tall husband was comfortable in the passenger seat and the kids in the back didn’t say a word about their legs or feet being squished. But they could definitely reach each other in the back-it was narrow. Their booster seats fit okay, there was still a gap between the booster and the back of the seat which can be frustrating for them. But the latch connectors were incredibly easy to locate and use, even though they were hidden by some pretty obvious zippers. It’s all good though, I can handle that sacrifice.

The cargo space too, is long. The load floor seems high though, so the CTS Sport Wagon made me feel like maybe it wouldn’t handle larger loads with the same ease as its competition. But let me be clear, it will handle groceries, golf clubs, and the vast majority of your loads with ease. Dogs? Small ones, short ones. Bring them to the test drive with you. Shopping at the membership warehouse? Check. Camping? Not so much. You wouldn’t get this puppy anywhere near the mud though, right?

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Once again though, the ergonomics were so good. It was snug, but not tight. The fit and finish of all the materials was quite nice, the car had everything I wanted and nothing I didn’t. I loved the stitched leather, the wood trim, and even the metallic plastic looked quite nice, not cheap. It felt luxuriously efficient. My favorite feature was the easy-to-use navigation and entertainment system whose screen would pop up or recess into the dash with the push of a simple, easy-to-find button. Thank you, Cadillac. Thank you.

The 3.6l V6 engine was powerful enough, but I was expecting a little more punch from it. Don’t get me wrong, I was never lacking for speed, I just wanted a little more oomph off the line. What it lacked in oomph, it again made up for in character. I loved the growly sound of the engine, and drove regularly with the window down to revel in it. I might have wished it was a little louder though. Can you blame me?

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The CTS Sport Wagon had nice handling, the steering might be a little lighter than your typical German offering, but we knew when you started looking at this car that maybe German isn’t what you wanted anyway, right? The automatic transmission shifted so smoothly I hardly noticed it. This may be a peeve for you. You might like to feel a little more interactivity with the vehicle. If so, the driver shift control will provide that for you (but it’s still pretty smooth).

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What is also nice about the Cadillac is that while the mileage is about average (18/26), it takes regular gasoline. Not many of its luxury counterparts offer that.

The 2010 CTS Sport Wagon with an as tested MSRP of $52,690.00 is a great addition to the luxury wagon segment. I loved driving it, I loved running errands in it, and I loved being seen in this Monster Wagon. 

On our TFLcar recommendation scale of:

Buy it

– Lease it

– Rent it or

– Forget it

Buyit_Buy-It!

Sara adds unless the rear cargo space is very important, then you should check out other options like the A6 Avant.  If you are okay with the space offered, then Buy It!

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Sara
Growing up in Colorado Sara Lacey was always kind to her cars.  These
days however, she spends her time punishing automobiles with the help of
her children.  Reviewing cars from the unique perspective of a woman
and mom, Sara also writes for MotherProof.com and Cars.com.  In addition, she sits on the board of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press Association.