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 December 17, 2007 Test Drive: 2008 Cadillac CTS 3.6
Discuss this story in the forum at CarTalkCanada
Photo Gallery: Ottawa, Ontario - Remember the Cadillac Catera? As GM put it, that was the Caddy that "zigged," implying that it did things a little differently than what Cadillac followers were used to. That car's relative lack of success suggests that it did things differently than what most buyers cross-shopping it with BMWs and Mercedes expected, too.
To be quite honest, I never thought I'd say that about a Cadillac - I've always thought of them as cars that old men drive. Not any more, apparently - at least, not this one: how many retirees are looking for a car that can give them a five-day weather forecast courtesy of a satellite uplink, rip CDs to a hard drive, or record radio programs for you while you're out of the car? Not many, I'd be willing to bet. But many younger, well-to-do car buyers might, and that's the buyer Cadillac has been going after since it launched the Catera in 1997. The first-generation CTS, introduced in 2003, filled the role better, but this new version is the car that I think finally puts Cadillac on the same sport sedan footing as the established German brands.
There's very little road noise, though, and the engine only makes itself heard under duress. That engine - in my tester's case, a new, direct-injection version of GM's 3.6-litre V6 - is a smooth one, too, as happy to rev to its 7,000 rpm redline as it was to loaf along at 2,000 revs on the highway. The six-speed automatic transmission (a manual is available with either available engine, the other being a port-injected version of the 3.6-litre) seemed a good match. My only complaint was that it seemed reluctant to downshift at highway speeds. I noticed some surging while cruising at city speeds, too; the blame for this might lie with the electronic throttle control.
As far as being competitive with the Germans on the road, the CTS' only fault might be a suspension that feels a touch softer than what Audi and BMW offer. My tester's lengthy options list included the $2,690 performance package, which Cadillac says adds a "sport" suspension; while the car certainly felt sporty, the ride was a little floatier, and body roll more pronounced than I would have liked. Though not related to the drive, check out how low the front bumper valance is. When I picked up my tester, the valance was already heavily scarred from a few close calls with parking curbs. You wouldn't have to be going too fast to bung up the front bumper in a parking lot. Those quibbles aside, high-speed cornering is lots of fun, with a neutral attitude and lots of grip. In relaxed highway driving, the CTS feels stable and secure, and the steering is communicative, telegraphing road surface information through the wheel rim while keeping undue vibrations at bay. Turn-in is nice and quick, without making the car twitchy on the highway. The speed-sensitive assist is nicely tuned: the wheel is light enough at low speeds to take most of the work out of parking lot manoeuvres, but gets nice and weighty on the road. The brake pedal is firm, but initial bite isn't as strong as that might suggest. Get used to that, and you'll find that the brakes are more than adequate. The Performance Package brings a "performance braking system," but GM Canada's web site isn't clear about what that includes.
Interior fit and finish in my tester was practically perfect, save for a couple of uneven gaps between the wood trim and faux aluminum on the console around the shifter. Even that aluminum-look plastic is convincing, and the other materials and surfaces are terrific. I was particularly impressed by the stitched leather on the dash top, which was soft to the touch and felt very expensive. Were it not for the keyless access system (there's that Comfort and Convenience package again), I'd gripe about the ignition switch being on the steering column; but as the system eliminates the need to insert a key or fob, it wasn't a big deal. I was a big fan of the navigation screen, which slides down into the dash, leaving just a two-inch slice to display radio or CD information, with touch-screen controls for radio presets. A manual brightness control for the screen, located on the dash, is welcome too, eliminating the need to go spelunking through six layers of menus. Check out the accent lighting in the dash: ice-blue LEDs illuminate the inside door handles and the groove between the upper and lower dash panels: very classy, but a bit frivolous too. The gauges are legible, but the speedometer, marked in 30 km/h increments, drove me nuts. Having no 100 km/h marking made it difficult to judge highway speeds at a glance. That problem, however, can be solved by using the digital speed readout that can be toggled into view below the analog gauge.
Taller drivers might also like the position of the left-foot dead pedal better than I did; it was too far away to be useful to me in spirited driving. The tilt and telescoping steering column (power operated with the Comfort and Convenience package) made it easy to get comfortable otherwise. In back, legroom is generous, but headroom is also tight, and the bottom cushion is a bit short. The CTS is essentially a four-seater, thanks to the pronounced hump of a centre rear seat, but the two outboard positions are pretty comfortable. Trunk space is generous; I used the CTS to move three or four boxes' worth of thrift-store donations and a couple cases of beer store returns, and it all fit easily. Basic CTS' have a fixed rear seatback with a centre armrest pass-through, but the Comfort and Convenience group adds a 60/40 folding rear seat.
That the CTS gives up so little in performance to its German competitors, while coming in so much cheaper, proves that GM has been paying attention to what it needs to do to be successful in this segment. While the Cadillac crest might lack some of the cachet of the German brands, savvy buyers willing to look past the badge should like what they see. Hear that zing? That's the sound of Cadillac invading Audi, BMW and Mercedes territory - something definitely worth paying attention to.
Pricing: 2008 Cadillac CTS (w/ 3.6-litre direct-injection V6)
Specifications
Competitors
Related articles on CanadianDriver
Crash test results
Manufacturer's web site
Chris Chase is an Ottawa-based automotive journalist.
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