Cadillac CTS Sports Wagon: Does It Re-Define The Touring Segment?

I wish we could get teh C Class wagon here in the states

The D-pillar is a little too tick, makes the car looks very massive on picture. Need to see it in the metal before judging.
In north america, only Caddy and lincoln are used buy coachbuilders for hearses. With the new "strong" brand image of Caddy, especially for front-ends, The sighting of this car, especially painted in black, makes me think about hearses. Does not look like it, makes me think about it.

I guess europeans can say the same about e-class and volvo stations wagons.

Unfortunately, I don't think it's going to sell very well, but congrats to GM for having the guts of doing it.

A Wagon-V in matte black body and rims would be spectacular !

Just when the others are dreaming up innovative rides like the GT Turismo and Sportback, Cadillac announces a wagon.

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weird... I thought those were just fancy names for station wagon and not actually classes of cars.

Someone is a little to hard on Cadillac, and giving way to much Credit to Audi and BMW. The sportback is an old concept it was done a million times over in the 80s, and the mazda 6 among others most recently(and yes there are more than one car companies with cars similar to the Sportback.) Nowhere near a new concept, nor that great of an Idea, not to mention. The GT bwm fan or not, is again an old concept other than the overly complex rear hatch. A car that fights directly with BMW's X5, X6, 5 wagon, all while offering very little in the way of reasons to buy over any of the vehicles mentioned above. IRonically Hyundai did the whole 5 door GT awhile ago with the Elantra, a vehicle just as oddly styled, and with a wrong name. Cadillac at least isn't going with the create anything and they will buy it idea, and actually introducing a legitimate add on the CTS line the 3, and C both come in several versions whats wrong with Cadillac doing it.........

Exactly! Eventhough I like it, it's not segment re-defining. That honor should go to the Dodge Magnum. When it was release in 2004, a lot of people forgot about their wagon fears from the 80s and 90s. The Magnum offered loads of interior seating and rear storage space. The rear hatch door opened at a modified angle to allow for easier ingress of items with a larger opening.

Then the Magnum Hemi and SRT8 models came along and really tore the streets up for about 1-2 years. I think if I had the spare coin today, I'd opt for a loaded AWD Hemi Magnum (maybe even used).

Honda minivan or a sexy CTS... hmmm

Oh by the way, where are you getting your numbers?

Honda Odyssey = 17/23 mpg.

The last thing on the earth I'd want to drive is a honda minivan.... If I had to drive a minivan itd be a dodge/chrysler. neighbor has a town & country... oddly enough it is loaded with gadgets and cool stuff (can't believe im saying this).

Family friend has the Honda... POS.

Actually Honda doesn't post what you'd think on their main "Come see the oddysey" page...

its 17/25 for the version equipped with cylinder de-ac, 16/23 without.


Have to hand it to Honda, their de-ac seems to be getting good results, especially with the accord V6 (although personal experience reminds me of low-weight and flimsly build-- well put together but not solid-feeling)

That's a beautiful wagon.

Is the entire CTS line-up in direct competition with the Lexus IS, Mercedes-Benz C-class, BMW 3-series, and Audi A4? The A4 is larger than its competitors by quite a bit, especially the 3-series, and the CTS is even bigger.

The TL is also a very large car in this class in fact its dimensions maybe larger than those of the CTS its very close in size to the RL

Cadillac's CTS line is actually a 'tweener' product, one that essentially delivers the space, pace, and grace of the (mid-szed) BMW 5-Series, while being priced (in most cases) less than the compact BMW 3-Series. It's an outstanding value for the money, comparing favorably with any sport sedan in the world when it comes to styling, driving dynamics, and luxury, and this estate versio only makes it more appealing - IMO

Looks like a hearst

or is it hearse? However you spell it!

O wow GM nice job turning a square into a rectangle. Such an amazing job. Do you want a cookie?

Veyron1001,

no one thinks like you, you are just a GM detractor. shut it already, you are nothing more than a giant annoyance. Do everyone a favor and go play in traffic.

To the agents, I can't view profiles on this site, nor submit anything in the contact us link. I get this error.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v39/joe_limon/error.jpg?t=1250571592

Between Buick and Cadillac constantly rating at the top of the quality index, I don't see an issue.

Wow, what timing. Cadillac just today tied with Lexus in consumer satisfaction.

invisible, I thought you were smarter than a knee jerk bias response dude...http://www.cadillac.com/cadillacjsp/experience/news_2009_KBB_brand_image_awards.jsp
Awards Honor Top New-Car Brands Based on KBB Market Research Consumer Perception Data

The 2009 Brand Image Awards, presented to the top brands in 10 categories, are based on consumer automotive perception data from Kelley Blue Book Market Research's Brand Watch study. Brand Watch is an online brand perception tracking study tapping into 12,000+ in-market new-vehicle shoppers annually on Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com. The highly comprehensive Brand Watch report provides a detailed look at in-market new-vehicle shoppers' perceptions of brands, and important factors driving their purchase decisions while they are in the midst of the shopping process. The results of an entire year of Brand Watch research and consumer opinions determine the 2009 Kelley Blue Book Brand Image Award winners.

http://www.autotropolis.com/autotropolis-columns/car-buying-review/cadillac-receives-a-top-quality-honor.html
AutoPacific
One of General Motors true success stories over the last several years has been the resurgence of the Cadillac brand. With the renaissance has come a pledge of quality and satisfaction. GM continues on the right course with Cadillac, where for the second year in a row AutoPacific has given the brand the title of top dog in their annual Vehicle Satisfaction Awards.

http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/markets/industries/media/jd-power-associates-reports-embattled-automakers-make-substantial-gains-initial/

"Even in the face of unprecedented challenges, the Detroit automakers are keeping their focus on designing and building high-quality vehicles, which is a precondition for long-term success," said David Sargent, vice president of automotive research at J.D. Power and Associates. "High quality generally translates into reduced re-engineering costs and lower warranty expenses during a vehicle's life cycle. High quality also enhances an automaker's reputation for reliability, which is a critical purchase consideration for many consumers."

i have a WRX wagon and love it, was able to get a samsung 50" DLP TV in the back of my Rally car!

WRX is a awesome car, my friend just traded his sedan for a weak Z4 model. But I would like to know what does your car have to do with the title subject?

I wish Audi had decided to import the Avant (station wagon) version of their S4 model. The sedan is fine, but I think the Avant looks even cooler and is more practical. And isn't that what the S4 is supposed to be - a high-performance car that is also practical?

Audi S4 is a awesome car, would love to have anything Audi. But I would like to know what does the S4 have to do with the title subject other than it would compete with Cadillac's up coming CTS-V Sports Wagon?

That wass precisely the point that I was trying to make, inspirion7. I wish Audi had offered the Avant version of the S4, so that it would compete with the Cadillac CTS wagon. I almost bought the CTS, but didn't because the seatback of the front seat was too low for me to fit comfortably. (Long story.)
I was trying to point out that a high-performance station wagon might be the best solution for someone who wants a car which is fun to drive, but can handle "grown up" duties like transporting spouse and kids, hauling groceries, light cargo-carrying, etc.

Point taken.

When did Hyundai began ranking in the top 10 Must be recently. J.D. Powers shows that not to be the case looking back as far as 2005
http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2005-06-29-power-dependability-chart.html
NAMEPLATE RANKINGS

The J.D. Power and Associates vehicle dependability study measures problems experienced by original owners of 3-year old, 2002 model-year vehicles. The survey is based on responses form 50,635 owners.
How the auto brands rank (problems per 100 vehicles) :
Lexus 139
Porsche 149
Lincoln 151
Buick 163
Cadillac 175
Infiniti 178
Toyota 194
Mercury 195
Honda 201
Acura 203
BMW 225
Ford 231
Chevrolet 232
Chrysler 235
INDUSTRY AVG 237
Saturn 240
Oldsmobile 242
GMC 245
Pontiac 245
Mazda 252
Hyundai 260
Subaru 260
Volvo 266
Jaguar 268
Dodge 273
Nissan 275
Mitsubishi 278
Mercedes-Benz 283
Saab 286
Jeep 289
Suzuki 292
Audi 312
Daewoo 318
Isuzu 331
Volkswagen 335
Mini 383
Land Rover 395

Hatchbacks are awesome! That's what it has to do with the title subject.

Hyundaismoke, I deal with stats and facts. Print info. So some info so we can compare.

This is interesting. Please read.

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA—For the first time,(THIS IS 2005)


Korean-branded vehicles outpace both European-and domestic-branded vehicles in initial quality, according to the J.D. Power and Associates (www.jdpower.com) 2004 Initial Quality Study (IQS).
Manufacturers of Korean-branded vehicles, strongly driven by Hyundai’s performance, have aggressively cut initial quality problems by 57% in the past six years—dropping from 272 problems per 100 vehicles (PP100) in 1998 to 117 PP100 in 2004. This improvement is in contrast to the state of initial quality among the Korean-branded vehicles in 1998, when they trailed the industry-leading European-branded nameplates by 116 PP100. The Koreans now lead the Europeans by 5 PP100 and the domestics by 6 PP100, but trail the Japanese by 6 PP100.

"A decade ago, as Korean manufacturers struggled with a universally poor reputation for vehicle quality, no one would have predicted they could not only keep pace, but actually pass domestics and other imports in terms of initial quality," says Joe Ivers, partner and executive director of quality/customer satisfaction at J.D. Power and Associates. "This demonstrates how vastly more competitive the market has become—which is good news for consumers, who will ultimately benefit."


This means Hyundai quality has only been worth mentioning in the last, oh 4-5 years. Where does 14 years of quality for Hyundai come into play?

After 3 years of use, where does Cadillac fall to 31st place?


The study, which measures problems experienced by original owners of 3-year-old (2005 model year) vehicles, finds that, on average, customers report experiencing 75 percent more problems in the third year of ownership than during the first 90 days. Those models with the largest increase in problem levels show the most pronounced declines in satisfaction and the likelihood of owners to recommend their vehicle model. In addition, while no model has fewer reported problems in the third year of ownership compared with the first three months, those models that average less than 35 percent problem growth actually demonstrate improvement in overall satisfaction during the three-year period.
The study also finds that five of the top 10 problems reported industry-wide in the 2008 Vehicle Dependability Study were also among the top 10 most frequently reported problems in the 2005 Initial Quality Study, suggesting that the problems are identified by owners during the initial ownership period, but have not been rectified by automakers during the three-year ownership period.

The problems include:
Excessive wind noise
Noisy brakes
Vehicle pulling to the left or right
Issues with the instrument panel/dashboard
Excessive window fogging

Cadillac ranks 3rd Hyundai ranks 13th. I don't know maybe I'm wrong, but this is J.D. Power.

"Show me the money".- Cuba Gooding Jr.

I can see Pontiac G6 but the Enclave, Saturn Outlook or the Acadia didn't hit showrooms until 2007, under the 3 years. If anyone has seen the triplets will tell you the quality is extremely good. GM overall in the past has been questionable, but Steve Wonder can tell you how good the cars are. I can see the CTS in some cases falling below in interior quality. Didn't like the computer styled display center. But I challenge anyone to find a used CTS. Check out the price on one if you can find them. Maybe its because they are limited but are hard to find and holds value extremely well. Just as well as other entry level luxury cars.