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2014 Cadillac CTS Sedan 3.6L Premier Collection Review By John Heilig +VIDEO


PHOTO
2014 Cadillac CTS

The Cadillac CTS may truly be credited with saving Cadillac
from the same sad fate as Oldsmobile, Pontiac and Hummer



THE AUTO PAGE
By John Heilig

REVIEWED VEHICLE: 2014 Cadillac CTS

But First The Bottom Line: The CTS sedan is a roomy mid-size with just about as much power as you can seriously use. It addition it had typical Cadillac luxury and amenities that rival the Europeans and high-end Japanese brands.

SPECIFICATIONS: 2014 Cadillac CTS Sedan 3.6L Premier Collection

ENGINE:3.6-liter V6
HORSEPOWER/TORQUE:321 hp @ 6,800 rpm/275 lb.-ft. @ 4,800 rpm
TRANSMISSION:8-speed automatic
FUEL ECONOMY:18 mpg city/29 mpg highway/16.3 mpg test
WHEELBASE:114.6 in.
OVERALL LENGTH:195.5 in.
HEIGHT:57.2 in.
OVERALL WIDTH:72.0
CURB WEIGHT: 3,616 lbs.
FUEL CAPACITY:19.0 gal.
CARGO CAPACITY:13.7 cu. ft.
TIRES: P255/35 R19
STICKER PRICE:$66,545 (includes $925 destination charge, $2,045 in options)

People have been known to question my sanity at times, but I’m not THAT crazy to turn down an opportunity to turn down a chance to drive a Cadillac CTS. This model may truly be credited with saving Cadillac from the same fate as Oldsmobile, Pontiac and Hummer. It is strikingly designed and offers the equal in performance with the rest of the luxury midsize segment, as well as the luxury and comfort you’d expect from a car that is priced at more than $66,000.

While I have liked the CTS’s edgier design from the start, the 2014 version has running lights and headlights that resemble the ElMiraj concept car. The original CTS didn’t look bad with its more traditional design, but the addition of sexy LED running lights sure doesn’t hurt.

The CTS virtual instrument panel never fails to impress me. Enter the car and there’s a flat black panel facing you. Turn the key and you’d swear there are round instruments with chrome surrounds. There’s a digital speedometer inside the analog dial, as well as a heads up display so you don’t have to look at the designer’s handiwork.

Under the hood is a 3.6-liter V6 that delivers 321 horsepower. Hit the gas and the CTS rears back on its haunches and takes off. It seems that any time there’s a need for power, like in accelerating, it’s there. The 8-speed automatic transmission gets the power to the rear wheels smoothly. The shifter itself has a manual look to it. Hit the “M” button on the shifter and use the steering sheel-mounted paddle shifters if you so choose.

The CTS has very good road manners combined with good winding road handling. While it doesn’t mimic the “traditional” Cadillac “land yacht” road feel, the CTS’s ride is firmer, yet comfortable.

Technology isn’t solely in the instrument panel. The comfortable front seats also communicate with the driver. For example, when you’re backing out of a parking space and a car is approaching, the rear cross traffic alert vibrates the seat to alert the driver. Similarly, when you’re parking and the CTS feels that you’re getting too close to a car in front or behind, it also vibrates. There’s also a warning on the dash if you’re in danger of backing into the garage doors.


Watch the 2014 Cadillac CTS introduction video


Going is one thing, but if a car doesn’t stop well, you can have a problem. The CTS’s brakes are very good. They stop the car without being tacky.

The rear seats offer very good leg and knee room. There is a tall center hump which precludes carrying a passenger back there. The rear seat backs fold to increase cargo capacity, leaving a “frame” around the pass through from the trunk to the rear seat area.

In the center of the dash is a clear navigation/audio screen. A flat panel beneath the screen has on-off, volume and HVAC controls. The heater did its job in some very cold weather.

There’s a deep two-level console/arm rest between the two front seats with a USB outlet located inside.

Up above there’s a large panoramic sunroof that extends to just behind the front seats, giving an airy feeling to the interior.

I will always find something to complain about when it comes to the price of almost any car, but it the world where the CTS competes, the price isn’t that bad. The midsize Lexus, Infiniti and Acura sedans as well as the similar Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audis are all in the same ballpark. And when you consider that the CTS is built in Lansing, MI with 65 percent US and Canadian parts, it becomes a bargain.

© 2014 The Auto Page