Cadillac CTS is most driveable in its class
I’ve long been on record as saying Cadillac’s CTS sedan has been parent General Motors’ most competitive vehicle. And the arrival of the new third-generation version for 2014 does little to sway that opinion.
At the beginning of Cadillac’s decade-and-a-half-old resurgence as a world-class luxury automaker, 2003’s CTS was a shocker. When rival American luxury brands Chrysler and Lincoln were trotting out flaccid, frontwheeldrive luxo-barges, Cadillac’s CTS was a sharp-driving and sharp-looking sports sedan that offered room comparable to the mid-size BMW 5 Series for the same price as a compact 3 Series.
The second-gen version for 2008 upped the ante further by offering an interior to match the Caddy’s upscale driving demeanour.
But with the recent arrival of the truly compact Cadillac ATS, the 2014 CTS has moved up in size and price. Is it finally a real alternative to class stalwarts such as BMW’s 5 Series, Audi’s A6 and Mercedes-Benz’s E Class?
Prices for the five-passenger 2014 CTS sedan (no word on the return of the wagon or coupe models) start at $52,695 (all prices include freight and pre-delivery inspection).
The entry engine is a 272- horsepower, 2.0- litre turbocharged four-cylinder gas engine that produces 295 pound-feet of torque and sends power to the rear or all four wheels. The toprung, rear-wheel-drive-only $76,295 CTS Twin Turbo Vsport has a 420-hp twinturbo six-cylinder. In between is my tester: the allwheel-drive $66,355 Cadillac CTS 3.6.
As its badge suggests, forward motion is created by a 321-hp and 275 lb-ft 3.6L sixcylinder gas engine, putting its power down to all four wheels. An optional premium package — highlighted by features that include navigation, sunroof, a full complement of active safety systems, rear sunshades, heated seats for rear passengers and more — brought my CTS’s price up to $72,970, not far off the comparably equipped versions of the Audi A6 3.0 TFSI Quattro, BMW 535i xDrive and Mercedes-Benz E 350 4Matic.
Contrary to Cadillac land yachts of the past, the CTS shines brightest as a driver’s car, even outshining some of its more well established rivals.
Yes, despite the reputation of its German competition, it’s the Caddy that will put a smile on the face of those who love to drive. The foundation comes from Cadillac’s decision to make the CTS’s structure as solid as the Rocky Mountains. Nary a shiver nor a quake ever emanated from the Cadillac’s well crafted cabin, despite the fact most of my driving was on winter-ravaged roads. And with a curb weight of only 1,796 kilograms, the CTS is also lighter than any of the German mid-size sports sedans.
As you may have already surmised, the Cadillac’s rigid yet light body results in one frisky four-door to drive on a back road. While the 5 Series feels like it’s wearing a fat suit, the CTS exhibits a lean and taut attitude. Even when pressing on, the Cadillac’s cornering attitude is relatively flat, and its steering offers a terrific amount of feel and accuracy.
Very simply: the CTS goes where the driver wants it to go — no muss, and very little fuss. And keep in mind the CTS Twin Turbo Vsport I briefly drove at the 2014 CTS launch event in California last year is an even more engaging car for drivers.
Looking at its performance spec sheet, the Caddy’s V-6 is, by comparison, less impressive. While its horsepower rating beats the Germans, its torque number is down 50 lb-ft from the Audi’s leading 325. As well, when you opt for all-wheel drive, you have to make do with only six speeds in the CTS’s automatic transmission instead of the eight found in the rear-wheeldrive versions.
And despite its lighter weight, the 5.8 seconds it takes the Cadillac to scoot from zero to 100 kilometres per hour, while quicker than the Bimmer and Benz, is 0.3 seconds behind the Audi.
Plus, the Cadillac is relatively thirsty. The car’s estimates of 11.6 litres per 100 kilometres in the city and 7.6 on the highway are the worst among its rivals. During my week with the Caddy, I saw an average of 10.8 L/100 km.
While the new Cadillac is a sharply styled and sharp-to-drive sports sedan, it suffers from its fundamentally flawed Cadillac User Experience multimedia system. As in every new Cadillac I’ve driven recently, the centre-dash system is terribly frustrating to use. One has to make several attempts to activate the haptic buttons. And the centre-dash screen that contains many of the basic audio and climate controls, normally handled by a few knobs, is also a long reach away.
CUE critique aside, the new 2014 Cadillac CTS is a mid-size sports sedan that’s easy to recommend. It is by far the most engaging car in its class to drive. And if Cadillac can clean up its messy CUE system sooner rather than later, it could become a real alternative to the typical European choices.