2011 Cadillac CTS

And on this tip, the drawbacks to the CTS are here in spades. If you're no fan of the sedan's Art & Science theme, it doesn't get any softer in the Wagon, and certainly not in the Coupe. The CTS Coupe especially turns heads, and if you're a glutton for attention, the CTS Coupe is a buffet. The Sport Wagon's clearly more visually kinky than the four-door. The far line of its upright roof pillar is intentionally out of skew to its rear glass edge. V-shaped details on the tailgate remind you of Cadillac's tailfinned past, gently. And those cues all usher your eye right down the slab sides of this body, and make a compelling—sexy?—statement about its rather sizable tuchis. The Sport Wagon and Coupe, ladies and gentlemen, have got back.

The 2011 Cadillac CTS interior design is attractive, but it might not suit everyone's tastes, especially those who are used to Teutonic design approach of less is more. It's smooth and flowing in its contours, but far glitzier than any Audi you may have sampled, and some plastic pieces seem to stand front and center for attention. It's also quite busy, with most of the controls mashed into the V-shaped center-console area. But the design redeems itself a bit with its nice trims as well as the navigation screen, which rises up from the dash only when being used and otherwise stows mostly away, only using the top portion as an audio display. It's an elegant solution, both stylistically and functionally.

Base, Luxury, and Performance trims of the CTS Wagon come with a 270-horsepower, 3.0-liter V-6, while the Performance and Premium trims can be had with a 304-horsepower, 3.6-liter V-6 that has nearly the same EPA fuel economy. Sedans and Wagons can be had with either engine, while the CTS Coupe comes only with the larger V-6. The base engine is a 3.0-liter V-6 with direct injection and 270 horsepower, and since the manual geabox isn't especially enjoyable here, we recommend the larger 3.6-liter V-6. It's the better choice because of its zippy acceleration and ample power. The first time you step on it—especially when passing—it'll surprise you. The main reason behind that stealth is that the throttle is quite linear; it's not artificially boosted just as you tip into the gas pedal like in many new vehicles.

The CTS models aren't downright quick off the line, even with the 3.6. Peg the accelerator to the floor from a standing start and the CTS doesn't lose much composure; it just hunkers down and goes, becoming much more inspired as the revs build. The engine is truly in its sweet spot when it's singing its BMW-like song at full throttle in the 4,000 to 6,000 rpm range. Zero to 60 mph comes in about seven seconds for Coupes and Sport Wagons, or a bit less for the lighter sedan.

Back-seat room is generous—even the new 2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe—which isn't a surprise given the CTS Coupe has the same wheelbase as the sedan. Headroom is at a bit of a premium, but as long as taller rear-seaters keep their noggins in the niche carved into the ceiling, they'll be (mostly) fine. But even in sedans—due to small door openings—getting in and out can be surprisingly tough for lanky or large adults. The CTS Sport Wagon's a different story; it's relatively easy to enter and exit, because it has longer doors and wider door openings at floor height-and that makes all the difference for those extra passengers. For Coupes, the main drawbacks inside can include the too-intrusive center tunnel that plagues all CTS models if you're cursed with the long legs of the six-footer club—and of course the long doors that make ingress and egress tough in tight parking spots.

The Sport Wagon makes even more of a difference for their carry-on stuff. The sedan isn't as useful because its trunk opening is small; the Wagon's hatch opens especially wide, has easy seatback releases, and the hatch itself can be propped in several positions. Cargo space for the sedan is 14 cubic feet; the CTS Sport Wagon adds on 25 cubic feet to the passenger space, and lets owners flip down the rear seats for a total of 53.4 cubic feet of room. It's easily accessed, with a power tailgate standard and a roof system that adds uncovered capacity to its cargo-hauling profile (but that would spoil the shape, no?). Under the flat cargo floor and built into its sides are trays and hooks and all sorts of Cirque du Soleil attachments to tie down anything you'd care to tie down back there. With its permission of course.

Standard safety equipment includes six airbags, as well as traction and stability control; all-wheel drive is an option on CTS Sport Sedans, standard on CTS Sport Wagons.

Adaptive lighting and parking sensors are available as options on the CTS.

The base sedan comes with power doors, locks, and mirrors; cruise control; automatic dual-zone climate control; a power driver seat; a tilt and telescoping steering wheel; an AM/FM/CD/XM audio system with auxiliary jack; an air filtration system; and automatic headlamps. Base cars come with 'leatherette' vinyl seats, a Euro-like touch that's disappointing. The Sport Wagon adds a power tailgate to that list. The Performance package adds standard 18-inch wheels, the FE2 suspension, and high-intensity discharge head-lamps. The same package on the bigger V-6 nets standard surround sound and a USB/iPod interface.

Rolled up with all the major options—a panoramic sunroof, all-wheel drive, a 40GB hard drive for navigation and music files, heated seats, and Bluetooth connectivity—the CTS Sport Wagon will tingle the nether regions of a $50,000 sticker. It's still in the range of an Audi A4 Avant—and superior in many ways.