2010 Cadillacs join the wagon train

PREVIEW: The new CTS Sport Wagon and redesigned SRX mix cargo capacity with luxury

Sep 05, 2009

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Special to the Star

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.–Station wagons haven't enjoyed much popularity in North America since the days they sported woodgrain. That said, they retain a small but hardcore group of fans, and Cadillac's going after them with the latest version of its popular CTS sedan, the CTS Sport Wagon.

GM introduced it to the press earlier this week, along with a completely new version of the SRX, now a mid-size SUV that should be more familiar to buyers than the outgoing model. They're part of a brand renaissance that aims to get the Cadillac name into as many segments as possible.

The Sport Wagon is essentially a CTS sedan with a different rear end: the two are identical from the rear doors forward, sharing powertrains and dash. The standard folding rear seat is unique to the wagon, and the suspension is tuned for the extra weight.

Engine choices are a 270-horsepower 3.0 L V6, starting at $44,325 in rear-wheel-drive, and $46,950 in all-wheel; and a 304-horsepower 3.6 L V6, at $50,755 and $53,790. The sedan offers a manual transmission, but the wagon comes only with a six-speed automatic. The all-wheel system runs 30/70 front to back under normal driving, but can deliver up to 100 per cent torque to either the front or rear axle when needed.

My time with the wagon was spent with the 3.6 L. The lunch stop was at a track, where journalists could thrash the 556-horsepower CTS-V sedan if they chose. And so when I asked a U.S. Cadillac rep why there weren't any 3.0-litre-equipped wagons to drive, I was told that "the dichotomy of driving the 3-litre and then the V would be too much."

There's corporate-speak at its finest. Translation: the smaller engine's 270 hp, and more important, its mere 223 lb.-ft. of torque, isn't something they want me to assess.

Will there be a high-performance version, sharing the CTS-V's supercharged V8? The answer: "Stay tuned."

The 3.6 L is a solid engine, and its 304 horses puts it a nudge above its wagon competitors, including the Audi A4 and A6 Avant, BMW 328i xDrive and 535xi Touring, Volkswagen Passat Wagon and Volvo V70. (Mercedes-Benz has redesigned its E-Class, and the wagon won't return until next year, as a 2011 model.) Both the 3.0 L and 3.6 L take regular-grade gasoline.

But it does suffer slightly in the name of fuel economy. One or two miles per gallon make a huge difference with tightening U.S. standards, and the transmission has been tuned to squeeze a couple more.

It sometimes feels like it's bogging down, and while you can "drive through it" with more throttle, it doesn't feel like traditional European sportiness.

It handles very Well, though, sharing the CTS sedan's quick steering response and good road feel. It's also handsome, both inside and out, with a full contingency of expected features, including an available navigation screen that rises up out of the dash, now a Cadillac signature.

The Sport Wagon naturally outdoes its sedan sibling for cargo capacity: 736 litres with the rear seat up, and 1,642 with it folded down, versus the sedan's trunk capacity of 385 litres, easily accessible via the top-hinged liftgate. The SRX is larger, but not by a huge margin: 826 litres with the rear seat up, and 1,732 with it folded. Lift the floor and there's a deep cargo bin.

There are a few places where softer-touch materials would give a better impression, but overall, the interiors look good: the centre stack echoes the sharp-edged exterior styling, seats are very supportive, and carpets are dark-coloured so they won't look dirty as fast.

Small but nice touches include double-stitched seat edges, liftgates that can be set to rise to specific heights, and on the SRX, a driver information centre in the middle of the speedometer that starts up with a fading in of the Cadillac crest.

The Sport Wagon's biggest hurdle in this segment will probably be its American heritage (it's built in Michigan), since with the demise of the Dodge Magnum, every wagon out there comes from across the pond. That could put the Sport Wagon into no-man's-land: domestic fans don't buy wagons, and wagon fans don't buy domestic. Given that Canadians are more in tune with hatches, you may see more of them here than south of the border.

I expect more widespread appeal for the SRX. It shares only the name with the outgoing version, an underappreciated model that straddled the wagon and SUV segments, and didn't really tap into either. The old one was rear-wheel drive; the new SRX comes in front-wheel or in an all-wheel version that can transfer power front to back, as well as side to side.

It shares the Chevrolet Equinox's 3.0 L V6, but GM says its chassis and body structure is unique, and it's made in Mexico, rather than in Ontario as the Equinox is. Pricing starts at $41,575 for FWD, and $44,875 for AWD, and here the all-wheel is available on all trim levels.

It's an exceptionally comfortable ride, but wait until December. That's when an optional turbocharged 2.8 L V6 will be available. It will add $3,000 or so to the price, but it's the only way to go. The 3.0 L – the engine they didn't want me driving in the Sport Wagon – isn't particularly lively in the Equinox, and with the SRX's extra 537 kg, it's a slug. The problem is 223 lb.-ft. of torque that doesn't peak until 5,100 r.p.m. It feels like a four-cylinder, it's noisy, and on any type of incline, the six-speed automatic continually hunts for a gear.

I'd all but written the SRX off, save for one turbo the company brought along. A short toot up and down the road was convincing, even with five people on board. All is forgiven: buy it this way, and you won't be disappointed.

It's tough to balance fuel economy and performance, but if Cadillac's going to play against the imports – it's aiming SRX at the Lexus RX 350 – something has to happen when you push the long pedal. Get that right, and the rest will follow.

Toronto Star