I want a Batmobile. Since I’m making requests, I’d also like an Alfred, too. In the absence of funds for either of those things, I’ll happily accept a 2011 Cadillac CTS-V Sport Wagon. I christened it the BatMOMbile, because driving it made me feel like a superhero and not at all frumpy. The 2011 CTS-V Sport Wagon is the kind of car that makes you forget you’re running errands and instead makes you feel like the world is as conquerable as picking up your dry cleaning.
The CTS-V wagon is stealthy. Outside, it looks like the Batmobile with its angles and sharp corners. On the inside, it wraps its passengers in comfort with a touch of sportiness and faux suede. This car will get you from the Justice League to the Commissioner’s office in no time flat. It’s got a 556-horsepower, supercharged V-8 engine and a standard six-speed manual transmission to make any parent transform from an innocent bystander to a vigilante grocery shopper who’s quicker than Superman in a phone booth. The CTS-V Sport Wagon is a performance-oriented car, and its manual transmission was a lot more fun than I imagined it would be. I really enjoy driving a stick-shift, but I was worried that all my stop-and-go driving would wear me out. But the response and the handling was thrilling and so very worth the effort.There’s no mistaking a Cadillac for any other car. The distinctive angles of the CTS-V earned some looks out on the road, and I won’t pretend I didn’t enjoy that. The grille was predominantly mesh and added to the masculinity of a typically female-oriented segment. It reminded me of a shield.
Under the hood, the CTS-V wagon has a 556-hp, supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 that was surprisingly quiet. I thought for sure there’d be a lot of rumbling and grumbling and throaty exhaust notes. I got them at idle and was pleased with the sound. However, when pushed, the CTS-V maintained its stealth status. I was expecting a lot more noise and would have enjoyed it. The CTS-V wagon gets an EPA-estimated 14/19 mpg city/highway and uses premium gas. With the optional six-speed automatic transmission, the wagon gets 12/18 mpg.
Where the BatMOMbile, er, Cadillac CTS-V wagon really saved this damsel was the interior. The Recaro-brand sport seats were infinitely adjustable and thus comfortable for fancy sport seats. They were lean and not cushy by any stretch, but they felt and looked luxurious with their faux suede inserts. They hugged me tight, like the warm embrace of Bruce Wayne.
I was worried about the CTS-V Sport Wagon’s backseat because I was sure that the rear seats would be too sculpted to find a good fit for child-safety seats.While the slanted seatback lessened the gap between it and the booster seat, there were some fit issues with the seat’s narrowness. The boosters occasionally traveled over the seat belt buckles, so there was definitely a “sweet spot” where the seat fit great. When the boosters weren’t in the “sweet spot,” it was a little frustrating for my kids. In this car, a booster seat with Latch connectors (Clek, for example) is a great idea to minimize whining and angst from kids (and parents) when buckling.
The CTS-V Sport Wagon has standard rear-wheel drive, adaptive headlights, all-disc antilock brakes, an electronic stability system with traction control, a backup camera with rear parking sensors, active head restraints and six airbags, including side curtains for both rows.
