2012 Cadillac CTS-V Wagon Review
Price Estimate: $15,556 - $22,103





+31
Edmunds' Expert Review
by the Edmunds Experts
Pros
- Stunning acceleration
- superb handling
- surprisingly comfortable ride
- generous cargo space
- distinctive appearance
- reasonable price tag
- excellent crash scores.
Cons
- Hefty curb weight
- standard front seats lack support
- poor rear visibility.
What’s new
The Cadillac CTS-V Wagon gets standard automatic wipers for 2012.
Edmunds says
The 2012 Cadillac CTS-V Wagon delivers a tough-to-beat combination of world-class performance, style and value in a practical wagon body.
For sale near Maple Grove, MN
5 listings
- $89,975fair price$2,738 above market
- 10,564 miles
- No accidents, 2 owners, personal use only
- 5 Seats, 14 City / 19 Hwy MPG
- Luxury Imports (341 mi away)
- Back-up camera
- Bluetooth
- Navigation
- Sunroof/Moonroof
- Upgraded Headlights
Close
Located in Geneva, IL
AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary
Accident Free Vehicle: Yes
Personal Use Only: Yes
History Provider: AutoCheck
Title Details: Clean Title
Salvage Vehicle: No
Frame Damage: No
Theft History: No
Lemon Status: No
Free History Report: No
Features and Specs:
16 Combined MPG (14 City/19 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN: 1G6DV8EP3C0108708
Stock: CTS-V-L
Certified Pre-Owned: No
Listed since: 06-29-2025 - 68,314 miles
- 1 accident, 7 owners, personal use only
- 5 Seats, 14 City / 19 Hwy MPG
- Rizza Buick GMC (374 mi away)
- Back-up camera
- Bluetooth
- Navigation
- Sunroof/Moonroof
- Upgraded Headlights
Close
Located in Tinley Park, IL
AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary
Accident Free Vehicle: No
Personal Use Only: Yes
History Provider: AutoCheck
Title Details: Clean Title
Salvage Vehicle: No
Frame Damage: No
Theft History: No
Lemon Status: No
Free History Report: No
Features and Specs:
16 Combined MPG (14 City/19 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN: 1G6DV8EP9C0128526
Stock: 11438P
Certified Pre-Owned: No
Listed since: 05-14-2025
Vehicle overview
The 2012 Cadillac CTS-V Wagon would seem to be proof-positive that the brand has been knocked off its rocker. A hyper-powered luxury wagon would seem to have all the mainstream appeal of a vegan Thanksgiving. Actually, it probably does if you go by the CTS-V Wagon's tiny sales numbers. Instead, this mad melding of an ultra-practical body style with ultra-maniacal performance is designed for the unique brand of car enthusiast who sees it as the perfect car. Here is something that has enough cargo room to go antiquing and then enough horsepower to leave the grannies at Ye Olde Treasure Barn coughing in a billowing cloud of white tire smoke.
As with the CTS-V sedan, the wagon receives a supercharged V8, firmer suspension tuning, bigger wheels, stickier tires, more powerful brakes and V-specific styling enhancements. All of it adds up to a car that can show its taillights to the world's best ultra sport sedans. Of course, cars like the BMW M5, Jaguar XFR, Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG and Porsche Panamera Turbo all cost vastly more. Plus, only the Benz is available as a wagon.
While it's true that the 2012 Cadillac CTS-V Wagon appeals to a limited number of people, it has an absolutely huge amount of appeal for those who get it. There's really no other car sold in the United States that gives you this much practicality and this much performance in one slick-looking package. So we don't think for a second that Cadillac's off its rocker -- even if your grandfather would be a bit confused.
Performance & mpg
The 2012 Cadillac CTS-V Wagon is powered by a 6.2-liter supercharged V8 that produces 556 horsepower and 551 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed manual is standard, but a six-speed automatic is a no-cost option.
In Edmunds performance testing, CTS-V wagons with both the manual and automatic sprinted from zero to 60 mph in a remarkably quick 4.7 seconds. With that type of acceleration, it shouldn't come as a surprise that fuel economy is poor. It gets an EPA-estimated 14 mpg city/19 mpg highway and 16 mpg combined with the manual, and 12/18/14 with the automatic.
Safety
The 2012 Cadillac CTS-V Wagon comes standard with high-performance antilock brakes, stability and traction controls, front side airbags and side curtain airbags. OnStar emergency telematics, a rearview camera and rear parking sensors are also standard.
In Edmunds brake testing, the CTS-V wagon came to a stop from 60 mph in 111 feet -- a very strong performance.
In government crash tests, the regular CTS wagon received the best possible rating of five stars in the overall, frontal and side crash categories.
Driving
The fact that the 2012 Cadillac CTS-V Wagon tips the scales at more than 4,300 pounds makes its astounding performance all the more remarkable. The combination of its muscle-bound V8 and modest exhaust note makes the CTS-V deceptively quick. While the manual transmission is a good one, with a nice firm shift action and a surprisingly light and progressive clutch, you'll actually get quicker acceleration with the automatic transmission when it's in Sport mode. However, the automatic doesn't confidently blip the throttle on downshifts as on the E63 AMG, and it's neither the quickest nor the smoothest unit we've experienced.
The CTS-V's standard Magnetic Ride Control suspension offers a good balance between ride quality and handling via driver-selectable Tour or Sport modes. While it's capable of throwing down some seriously quick lap times, the CTS-V can't hide its 2-ton-plus mass on a winding piece of asphalt. That hefty feeling in tight corners is quickly forgotten, however, when you turn its mighty V8 loose on the straightaways.
Interior
First, the bad news: The 2012 CTS-V wagon's interior isn't much different from that of the regular wagon. Now the good news: The CTS already sports one of the nicer passenger compartments in the segment. The overall look is high-class, with an attractive and functional layout for gauges and controls. Materials aren't the best in class, but they're generally high quality and a noticeable improvement over those used in previous Cadillacs.
The cabin's most significant shortcoming is the design of the standard front seats, which lack both the comfort and support required for spirited driving. The optional Recaro seats address this issue and feature ventilation as well -- they are essentially a must-have. Overall interior room, however, is quite good and better than most competing models, but rear-seat access can be a bit tricky due to a low rear roof line. Outward visibility to the rear is also poor.
Cargo capacity is obviously important with a wagon, and the CTS provides a generous 25 cubic feet with the rear seats raised and 58 cubic feet with them lowered. This is less than the Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG wagon, but the Mercedes costs a lot more.
2012 Cadillac CTS-V Wagon models
The 2012 Cadillac CTS-V Wagon is a five-passenger high-performance version of the regular CTS Sport Wagon. That car is reviewed separately, as are the CTS-V sedan and coupe.
Standard equipment includes 19-inch wheels, summer performance tires, high-performance brakes, a limited-slip differential, magnetically controlled adaptive suspension, automatic and adaptive xenon headlamps with washers, foglamps, rear parking sensors and automatic wipers. Comfort and convenience features include keyless ignition/entry, remote ignition, dual-zone automatic climate control, a cabin odor filtration system, heated eight-way power front seats, driver memory functions, a power tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, leather/faux suede upholstery, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, a cargo cover and a pet guard cargo net. Electronic features include Bluetooth, a rearview camera, a navigation system, real-time traffic and weather, a pop-up touchscreen interface and a 10-speaker Bose surround-sound audio system with a CD/DVD player, satellite radio, digital music storage and an iPod/USB audio interface.
Options include a panoramic sunroof, heated and ventilated Recaro sport seats, and faux suede covering the steering wheel and shifter.

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Compare 2012 Cadillac CTS-V Wagon trim levels
Helpful trims summary and side-by-side comparison chart
Cost to Drive
Monthly estimates based on costs in Minnesota
$298/mo for CTS-V Wagon Base
CTS-V Wagon Base
vs
$159/mo
Avg. Midsize Car
Cadillac CTS-V Wagon Owner Reviews
Most Helpful Owner Reviews
Trending topics
Fast and Furious yet Fully Forgiving
5 out of 5 starss2011l, 09/26/2011
2011 Cadillac CTS-V Wagon 4dr Wagon (6.2L 8cyl S/C 6M)
I have started this review several times, each time, deciding that maybe I was too biased to write it.....spend more time with the car and you will find a flaw to write about....that was my view at 1000 miles, 2500, 5000, 7500, and as I now close in on 10K miles, I am compelled to write my review....This is the best car on the face of the earth, dollar for dollar, that I have ever … driven.
I have owned just about every brand of German car and I have a great passion for them to this day, but value for money, I will take my CTS-V sport wagon any day of the week and twice on Sunday.
This car does it all...black tie event with the wife, hockey practice for the kids, and my favorite - track day.
The near-perfect car
4.25 out of 5 starsgwoffreym, 01/07/2012
2012 Cadillac CTS-V Wagon 4dr Wagon (6.2L 8cyl S/C 6M)
I've had this car for 2500 miles now.
All of the superlatives lavished on it by the auto press are apt and well deserved.
I traded a 2005 CTS-V sedan and a 2010 CTS Performance Series Wagon in on this 2012 car that combines the functionality of both, a terrific if unusual combination.
The car is docile and tractable when needs be and a manageable, hairy beast when the opportunity arises … to let 'er rip.
My mileage during break-in averaged 19 mpg, a little higher than EPA spec as has been my experience with my previous "V".
The rainsense wipers take some getting used to...I would prefer a simple timeout as in past models...find it distracting waiting for the wiper to resond.
Wow, just wow. Auto, not manual here.
4.88 out of 5 starshakalugi, 06/02/2013
2012 Cadillac CTS-V Wagon 4dr Wagon (6.2L 8cyl S/C 6M)
My first Caddy.
My 3rd sports wagon (4th if you count a parent's Subaru that I cut my teeth on).
I was in the market for a sports wagon that would be a little bigger than my beloved 2005 Subaru Outback XT Limited.
That XT engine was a 300 whp (thanks to open source safe tuning) with 2 tone dash (black upper to keep glare down) but tan leather for heat rejection, a huge sunroof, heated … seats, dual climate control, etc.
Panamera's lack of 5 seats, and S7 too, ruled them out (3 kids).
The lack of
BMW 5 series wagons since 2010 and the Audi Allroad based on the smaller A4 left a gap in the market, and on a lark, I test drove the CTS-V wagon.
Holy Handling Batman, this thing is amazing.
"stealth" wagon
5 out of 5 starskjbelg, 06/02/2011
2011 Cadillac CTS-V Wagon 4dr Wagon (6.2L 8cyl S/C 6M)
Had this V-wagon 5 weeks now, and absolutely "love" it......bought the automatic.
What a rush when you step on the gas!
A lot of people were trying to talk me out of buying the V-series....why I don't know, but so far no regrets....Once you test drive one, you fall in love with the car.
The handling is superb, the car hugs the road.....better then my '07 Corvette.
Used to drive BMW's … for years.
Looks like GM finally made a car I trust taking around corners fast without having to worry for the rear-end to go out
;-)
We have a limited number of reviews for the 2012 Cadillac CTS-V Wagon, so we've included reviews for other years of the CTS-V Wagon since its last redesign.
2012 CTS-V Wagon Highlights
Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee | $63,215 |
---|---|
Engine Type | Gas |
Combined MPG | 16 MPG |
Cost to Drive | $298/month |
Seating | 5 seats |
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place | 25.0 cu.ft. |
Drivetrain | rear wheel drive |
Warranty | 4 years / 50,000 miles |
Safety
Key safety features on the CTS-V Wagon include:
- Back-up camera
- Alarm
- Tire Pressure Warning
- Stability Control
- Post-collision safety system
IIHS Rating
The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.
- Small Overlap Front Driver-Side TestNot Tested
- Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side TestNot Tested
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – OriginalGood
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – OriginalGood
- Side Impact Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Roof Strength TestNot Tested
- Rear Crash Protection / Head RestraintGood
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