It all began with the Catera in 1999, a German Opel-cum-Cadillac that was nice, but it weren’t no Bimmer. Caddy tried again in 2002 with another "small" Cadillac - the 15.8-foot, 3,500-pound CTS, a compact sedan with a stealth fighter faceted look thanks to Cadillac's "Art and Science" approach to design. With rear-wheel-drive and a suspension tuned by engineers after hundreds of laps on a famous German Nurburgring, it came closer to the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, BMW 5-Series, Infiniti and Lexus mid-size sport sedans. It was, however, let down with a low-rent plastic interior and a 220-hp V-6 that wasn't as peppy as the competition's.
Now comes the second coming of the CTS, joined by a 556-hp CTS-V, a CTS Sport Wagon and a CTS Coupe. Sounds like a nice collection to beat the Bimmer.
*CTS cuteness – The second-generation CTS retains the last one’s wheelbase, but is 1.5 inches longer and two inches wider than the first. Using the super-long Cadillac Sixteen concept of a few years ago as its design inspiration, the new car has a lower, more chiseled look that starts with the definitively V-ed two-tiered gray grill, with chrome accent on top down to the serious lower air dam and splitter with chrome-encased fog lamps and brake duct intakes. The stacked headlights are squared-off slashes with LEDs on the sides, the projector beams on the bottom angling into turns. The fenders are sculpted, a longer, leaner look accented by functional chrome side air extractors. The rising beltline gives the car an accentuated wedge profile that meshes well with the angular C-pillar. Gentle tailfins end with vertical LED taillights, a classic throwback to 60’s Caddys. Three-inch chromed exhaust outlets and a rear spoiler that is also the LED-lit third brake light add to the mix. It still looks great a few years into its run, made even better by the Performance Package’s 19-inch lower profile Continental rubber on 14-spoke alloy wheels. Neighbors liked the look, one with a first-gen CTS asking to trade keys.
*Caddy comfy – The first-generation CTS had a monolithic plastic center stack, cheap-feeling knobs and an overall lack of sophistication. The new Ebony interior, with accents of wood on the dash, flanking the center console and the top of the three-spoke steering wheel, are as sophisticated as the hand-cut padded pseudo-leather with French stitching on the upper instrument panel, door inserts, seats and shifter boot. Chrome rings the 160-mph speedometer dead center, 8,000-rpm tach and gas/temperature/voltage that flank it, a simple-looking trip computer display under the speedometer's orange needle that also offers a big digital speedo. The three-spoke steering wheel tilts and telescopes, with stereo, cruise and voice command buttons in the upper spokes. Nice touch borrowed from some Euro-sedans – white LED ambient lighting along the dash looks nice at night.
The V-shaped center stack is the Caddy’s magic box. Leave the satellite navigation screen retracted, and its top 2 inches display radio station name, song title, artist, touch-screen preset buttons and outside temperature. Power it up, and the full touch screen is accessible to access AM, FM or CD functions as well as XM Satellite Radio and real-time XM Traffic and XM Weather. An accident or construction ahead? A voice alerts you to it ahead of time. You can download CDs, MP3s and sound files into the 40-gigabyte hard drive for playback later, "pause" a radio broadcast for up to 60 minutes, then listen later, or plug in an iPod via a USB charger/audio input cable in the center console under the armrest and operate it from the steering wheel controls, playlists on the touch screen. A very good 10-speaker, 500-watt Bose surround sound stereo system delivers the tunes, while a dual-zone climate-control system delivers the cool, voice command helping, but not as good in response as Japanese competition. Driver and passenger temperature, vent position and seat cooling/heater buttons flank the shifter, with a cup holder nearby. The leather and suede Recaro bucket seats, with 10-way power adjustment and power lumbar, were superbly comfortable, with great side support via upper and lower power bolsters and two-position memory. Back seat room is actually quite good for two adults, but the door opening is smaller than I would like and the rear seats don’t fold due some changes in the car with the Performance package. The 13.6-cubic-foot trunk is wide and flat with a cargo net, a ski pass-through for skinny objects. And good news/bad news – there is no spare, only a pump with tire sealant canister. We had a flat, and the sealant worked like a dream.
*Caddy combustion – The base CTS gets a 263-hp V-6. You can also whoop some Porsches with the CTS-V’s supercharged 556-hp V-8. We like the middle option – our 1,600-mile-old test car’s 3.6-liter direct-injection V-6 with 304 hp hooked to the rear wheels (all-wheel drive optional) via a six-speed automatic transmission. It had V-8-like power as we hit 60 mph in a satisfying 6 seconds with precise shifts, shifter buttons behind the steering wheel and a sport shift setting. The exhaust note OK, but an Infiniti G37 has a better snarl and is a tick faster to 60. We saw an average 18-mpg.
The Performance package’s 19-inch wheels and rubber, plus sportier suspension, gave the car a taut, very controlled ride that only something like a BMW or Audi betters at the ultimate control end. With aluminum front control arms and multilink rear suspension, the CTS carved corners well, StabiliTrak reining in oversteer and understeer in aggressive driving, activating when the front end plowed a bit. The power steering was direct and well-weighted, the brakes solid in pedal feel and control, offering good stopping power with no fade. It’s crisp and comfortable, with good suspension control on all surfaces.
* CTS cost – The base price is $41,565 with optional goodies adding the dollars: $2,865 performance luxury package with alarm, ambient lighting, heated/cooled seats, keyless access/remote start, rear park assist and Sapele wood trim; $2,000 performance tires with 19-inch alloy wheels, sport suspension, steering wheel-mounted shift buttons, performance brakes and cooling system; $2,800 Recaro bucket seats and metal pedals; $2,145 navigation system w/ Bose 5.1 Surround Sound , 40GB hard drive and XM Traffic; and $110 underhood appearance package. Comparison: a BMW 328i’s base price is about $4,000 more, but its 230-hp sparkles a bit more, as does its handling; a Mercedes-Benz E350 starts about $6,000 more, its 268-hp ditto.
Bottom line: The new CTS looks fantastic, drives very well, and is a delight to live in for a price less than the obvious competition. Yes, that competition drives with more brio, but the CTS stays in the pack. Can’t wait for the CTS-V!
Vehicle type - 5-passenger domestic luxury sports sedan
Base price - $41,565 ($52,390 as tested)
Engine type – cast aluminum DOHC, 24-valve VVT V-6
Displacement – 3.6-liter
Horsepower (net) – 304 @ 6,400-rpm
Torque (lb-ft) – 273 @ 5,200 rpm
Transmission – 6-speed automatic w/sport shift
Wheelbase – 113.4 inches
Overall length – 191.6 inches
Overall width – 72.5 inches
Height – 58 inches
Front headroom – 38.8 inches
Front legroom – 42.4 inches
Rear headroom – 37.2 inches
Rear legroom – 35.9 inches
Cargo capacity – 18 cu. ft.
Curb weight – 3,845-lbs.
Fuel capacity -18 gallons
Mileage rating – 18-mpg city/ 27-mpg highway
Last word – A good rear-wheel-drive American sports sedan
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