The Premium Package for the CTS with 3.6-liter V6 ($6,095) includes cabin filtration, the high-end sound system with navigation, keyless entry, remote start, rear park assist, heated and ventilated seats, power tilt and telescope steering column with memory, moonroof, and numerous luxury and convenience features that are parts of other packages. The Performance Package ($1,840 with manual transmission, $2,090 with automatic) includes 19-inch polished wheels, performance tires, steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters (with automatic transmission), fog lamps, performance suspension, limited-slip differential, and performance brakes. In addition, there are several stand-alone options, including the moonroof, polished alloy wheels and various paint choices.
The CTS-V ($60,720) features a supercharged V8, a limited-slip differential, Brembo disc brakes with six-piston front and four-piston rear calipers, P255/40ZR19 tires in front and P285/35ZR19 tires in the rear, and 10-spoke alloy wheels measuring 9.0 inches wide in front and 9.5 inches wide in the rear. The CTS-V also has distinctive exterior details, including a mesh grille and appropriate badging, to make it stand apart from the normal CTS. The CTS looks clean, elegant and modern, but the CTS-V, with its few changes, takes on a more assertive appearance. Optional for the CTS-V are Recaro front seats ($3,400) and a suede steering wheel ($300).
Safety features that come standard on all models include front, side and side-curtain airbags, ABS and Stabilitrak electronic stability control and traction control. Optional all-wheel drive improves safety further.
Walkaround
The Cadillac CTS looks like a modern Cadillac sports sedan should. We think it’s a great looking car, with adventurous lines everywhere, especially in the gracefully sloping rear roof section. The eggcrate grille on the CTS is in keeping with the rest of the Cadillac lineup, plus it provides a generous supply of incoming air for the engine, brake and transmission cooling functions. The large lighting units at the front and rear make good use of LED (light-emitting diode) technology: lots of light and lots of style for little electrical load. The taillights, rear quarter panels and decklid also fit the Cadillac theme. Below the rear bumper are exposed dual exhaust tips. The CTS-V is distinguished by functional features. The power dome hood, distinctive wheel and tire package, and the bold mesh grille suggest intent for serious driving. The larger mesh grill is for improved airflow. The power dome hood is as small as they could make it. Big brake ducts help cool the big two-piece Brembo calipers. The center brake light reduces rear lift. The dual exhaust provides better performance.
Interior Features
Inside, the theme is black with brushed metal and chrome accents. It’s very contemporary, very modern, very attractive and very space efficient. The dashboard is fairly low and away from the front seats, which gives an airy and open feel to the car. The center stack on the CTS is beautifully done, easy to read and use, with some interesting readout placements here and there. While the previous-generation model had a cold interior, the current CTS boasts a lovely cabin indeed. We found the comfortable front bucket seats held us down and in place behind the wheel, including some enthusiastic driving on central California’s windiest, curviest roads. We really appreciated the range of adjustments offered by the power seats and the power steering column. The tilt-andtelescope column offers ultimate comfort and proper driving position. The instrument package is complete, easy to read, and graphically pretty.
In short, we found the CTS cabin to be a nice place to sit and take a drive. The driver is held in securely yet comfortably to properly operate the car, and the passengers enjoy a feeling of ease, confidence and luxury. It’s great to see Cadillac offer such a terrific interior. The AM/FM/XM Bose 5.1 sound system with the 40-gigabyte hard-drive, iPod connector and USB port offers the ultimate in musical enjoyment. Using the navigation screen, it’s easy to switch back and forth between the three broadcast and three stored-music formats by simply touching the screen, and the blue display is large enough to be read from the back seat. We think it’s one of the best, most fun-to-use sound systems available. Many other luxury cars have audio systems that are fussy or difficult to operate.
