2016 Cadillac CTS – No surprise, Cadillac has caught up

I think it’s time we stopped telling, “Cadillac. ” That centers on the shock and surprise usually caused by the suggestion the American luxury brand is not what you thought it was. We drove the two thousand sixteen Cadillac CTS AWD and can confirm that it has style, power, convenience and utility. Aren’t those terms usually afforded brands from Germany, or Japan?

It’s true, for years General Motors floundered about while the competition gunned it. Also true is the fact that G.M. has been playing catch-up through several iterations of their vehicles. Some were amazing, tho’ few (if any) truly achieved the purpose of reestablishing the brand’s battered photo.

The two thousand sixteen Cadillac CTS will challenge the likes of Audi’s A6 and Infiniti’s Q50, as well as others in the luxury sedan market.

But it’s the Cadillac CTS that we navigated through a very technical racetrack at Monticello, Fresh York. And it is the CTS that stuck to the pavement through taut chicanes and blind corners. So yes, we can announce “Cadillac. ” is ready to challenge the likes of the Audi A6, Infiniti Q50, and many others in this very competitive segment.

Let’s begin with our particular test car, powered by a second-generation Trio.6-liter V-6 engine which produces 335-horsepower. Paired with an 8-speed automatic, which can be by hand operated with spanking paddle shifters, the powertrain handily manages the almost Three,800-pound curb weight. Responsive steering and spirited acceleration make this sedan just plain joy to drive.

A second-generation Trio.6-liter V-6 engine delivered 335-horsepower during our CTS test drive in Monticello, Fresh York.

The car deep-throats up road annoyances with the help of magnetic rail control and the cabin is as quiet as a mouse tip-toeing around a housecat. Cadillac has added active fuel management to the powertrain, which deactivates cylinders when they are not needed and uses begin/stop technology. The end result is pretty decent fuel economy, at nineteen city/28 highway/22 combined.

While the cylinder deactivation is seamless, the commence/stop feels jumpy. Accept that it’s a little price to pay for a better planet – who knows, idling cars could someday be a thing of the past.

The CTS has an 8-speed automatic transmission that can be by hand operated with spanking paddle shifters on the steering wheel.

Both the exterior and interior are more refined than previous years. Our CTS spinned on luxurious 18-inch wheels and, if you look closely, you’ll see Cadillac’s “V” design theme is employed wherever the designers could find an opening. A pronounced grille, accompanied by vertical lighting that includes a necklace of LED lights, maintains Cadillac’s unapologetic assuredness.

High-intensity discharge headlamps with adaptive forward lighting, which goes after the direction of the steering wheel, are standard and come with auto-dimming capability.

The interior of the two thousand sixteen CTS is more refined than in years past and the cabin is as quiet enough to hear a pin drop.

The CTS has carved out its own place in the world of interiors. It doesn’t adhere to the European business-like aesthetic, there’s a little more glitz and American style. That’s fine, in our opinion. Connectivity and convenience are also top-shelf in this Caddy, which included power heated and ventilated seats with lumbar support, a heated steering wheel, and an overall sense roominess in the cabin and spacious trunk.

Every luxury car today piles on the technology, and the Cadillac CTS has almost all of the technology du jour, while still maintaining the simpleness we hanker when accessing music, media and driver assistance features. The center stack has those familiar “V”-shaped controls and requires only a light touch to activate. Switching to navigation, audio, weather or other information is effortless to do using the eight-inch touchscreen. Phone integration capability comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility.

Cadillac has added active fuel management to the powertrain, which deactivates cylinders when they are not needed and uses embark/stop technology. The end result is pretty decent fuel economy, at nineteen city/28 highway/22 combined.

Of course, nothing in life is flawless.

A ordinary request for a radio station, done courtesy of the CTS’ voice instruction system, rapidly devolved into misunderstandings or repetitive electronic lectures. You have to stringently adhere to your guide’s vocabulary, or you’re going to be in for a lot of frustration.

Driver assistance moves closer to autonomy with every model switch, and this holds true for Cadillac. Our CTS came with a 360-degree camera, blind spot detection, full-speed adaptive cruise control and rear cross traffic alert. The driver’s seat is tooled with a safety alert that vibes if you are too close to a car in front of you, or if it thinks you’re approaching a stationary or moving vehicle ahead too rapidly. The stimulation and accompanying warning noise is more than a little rude and annoying, however.

Pricing starts around $54,000, however our Premium, all-wheel drive model with $Two,200 worth of extra options came in at $67,925, including destination charge.

When I backed out of a very narrow driveway with bushes on either side, the automatic rear braking applied so dramatically I was thrown back in the seat. I’d be grateful for the save if this had been a potential crash, but the system can’t tell a Mustang from a shrub pine at this point.

Pricing starts around $54,000, tho’ our Premium, all-wheel drive model with $Two,200 worth of extra options came in at $67,925, including destination charge. That’s deep into BMW and Mercedes-Benz territory, tho’ Cadillac isn’t is this game to be the bargain brand.

GM was one of the very first automakers to include 4G LTE Wi-Fi and the Onstar package includes a 5-year basic plan plus one-year service with automatic crash response, navigation and other features. The warranties of 4-year, 50,000 mile or 6-year, 70,000 mile are considerably less than a discreet Hyundai. Frankly, that’s out of proportion with the cost of the car.

But a more crucial test is this Cadillac’s curb-side appeal. One day, as I was adjusting the mirrors in prep for a day of driving, a gentleman knocked on the window. He’d been thinking about buying the CTS, he explained, but wasn’t fairly sure. He was getting out of a Mercedes-Benz and truly desired to know what I thought Cadillac’s latest effort.

For the very first time in a long time, I could have gone on for hours about the merits of a Cadillac sedan that earns its place amongst the best from Germany and Japan. And yes, it’s also remarkably joy on a racetrack!

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