The original CTS was introduced back in 2002 as a 2003 model, and it surprised people. It was a great car 5 years ago, and still is. It did not have a whole lot of bad parts to it, but some were that the interior was not up to the standards, the design was too sharp and pointy, and that the base engine was a bit weaker than the competition. Originally replacing the Catera (also known as the Opel and Vauxhall Omega, and Holden Commodore), the CTS enjoyed great success. And the CTS-V borrowed the LS2 engine from the Corvette, which made it a successful performance car. Perhaps with the upcoming CTS-V, which promises about 550 horsepower, people will take the word performance even more into consideration. Cadillac is becoming more popular and improved, and the new CTS shows it. One of the most important parts is that the new CTS won Motor Trend's 2008 Car of the Year trophy, which really means something. Forget everything. Forget the old Cadillac. Forget everything from the Series 62 to the Cimarron to the recently-discontinued Seville. This is the new Cadillac. Both engines are 3.6litre engines, one with 263 horsepower, and the other with 304 horsepower, both six-cylinders. Obviously, I picked the 304-horsepower DI version. So, do not miss the chance of reading this review of the all-new, 2008 Cadillac CTS.

Features 

The crystal-red 2008 Cadillac CTS came with All-Wheel Drive, an option that its competitors also offer, apart from the standard Rear-Wheel Drive. I decided to find one with AWD, to really test the superior control and see how it goes for the CTS. I wanted to get one with a manual, but the bad news is that you cannot get the AWD version (that system is also developed for the STS) with the 6-speed manual, only with the automatic. Whatever, the 6-speed automatic with manual mode was not a disappointment. The car is sophisticated, and so are the numbers and results. The CTS offers the base engine, a 3.6L 24-valve V6 with 263 horsepower at 6,400 rpm and 253 pound feet of torque at 3,100 rpm, plus variable valve timing. The optional engine is also a 3.6 litre 24-valve DOHC V6, but with direct injection, and of course, some differences from the other 3.6. It offers 304 horsepower at 6,400 rpm and 273 pound feet of torque at a high 5,200 rpm. Oh yeah, did I mention that it is the most powerful V6 engine created by GM's Cadillac brand? And if you think 304 horsepower is good for a six-cylinder engine, knowing the fact that the rpm redline is 7,000 rpm is not surprising.

Braking from 60-0 mph takes only 109 feet, spectacular for a car that has a slightly heavy curb weight for its class. On the skidpad, the CTS delivers up to 0.89 g of grip, partly because of the suspension, further engineering, and of course, the Michelin Pilot Sport PS2, 235/50ZR-18 97Y tires. The CTS sprints from 0-60 mph in 6.1 seconds, not extreme, but good. That is probably a result of the heavy curb weight, just below 4,000 lbs, and hey, that is about as much as a BMW 550i. Hey, and it gives you the quarter mile result of 14.6 seconds at 97 mph. So this car is powerful and full of features, but what about the fuel economy? Fuel efficiency is 17/26, decent if not pretty good for 304 horsepower and that weight; it is about the same as its competitors, say, the Infiniti G35. Top speed is governed to 155 mph. It is certainly no doubt that the Cadillac CTS would offer 4-wheel ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) to help the vehicle brake much better and have a better feel to it. It stops the wheels from completely being still, and makes braking a much better and worry-free experience. Along with that, Traction Control is obviously on the list. Say you are stuck and you cannot get out, Traction Control minimizes the wheelspin. One of the most important features is the Stabilitrak Stability Control. It is said to help avoiding an accident by as much as 30% percent if you are pretty lucky. Yes, the new CTS has that in its supply.

The power-to-weight ratio is great, the horsepower is above average, and the styling is pretty easy on the eyes. The shifter is made out of leather and wood. The front seats could be heated and cooled, and deliver a good experience. There are 10 speakers and they deliver good sound quality (Bose 5.1 Surround Sound). The interior has wooden trim- no doubt, it is a Cadillac. The trunk is very big, even bigger than the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Infiniti G35, BMW 3-Series and such, thanks to the cars increased size. And yes, there is a light in the trunk, which helps you see the inside better. The cargo volume is 13.5 cubic feet, good for its class. The Multimedia CD system in the dash from General Motors works great, and did I mention Cadillac gives some of its cars a huge amount of features? In the Cadillac CTS, the clock on the dash was easy to read, as well as the white-lighted 8,000-rpm tach and 160 mph speedometer.

The nicely designed fuel-gauge read 0, half, and 1. The steering wheel was made out of leather and wood, and high-quality materials were used. The wheelbase stayed pretty much the same as the previous generation CTS, at 113 inches. While this a car that has its own list of competitors, its size might suggest different, because the size of the new CTS is frequently compared to the BMW 5-Series, not the 3-Series. Again, the turning circle is 56.2 feet. The temperature gauge was also well-designed, which was near the fuel gauge. The power steering was a great feature, not to mention power locks/mirrors/doors, etc. Of course, the rear window is equipped with a de-fogger, the four ventilated disk brakes were great, the and most importantly, daytime-running lights. The air conditioning proved to be very effective, and it was available with climate control. It was pretty easy to use, too. The foglights shine brightly and deliver a premium experience if you are driving in the fog or rain, and one of the best features is the Ultra-View sunroof.

One of the points where the CTS succeeds is that it needs regular fuel, not premium, so this is useful for people who are searching for a premium car that does not use premium gasoline. Now, one of the most important parts of the car, the suspension. It varies significantly from the base suspension. It is more comfortable, stronger, and gives you a better ride. The suspension gave you superior feel in the car, and the ride was more high class, and I have to say that I am surprised. It occupies most of the roof and it gives a good view, and it makes the interior lighter. Now, you would always be happy with a navigation system in your car, right? Yes, it is certainly here. The navigation system could be hidden and is very easy to use. It does not have bad display, and is high quality. I personally thought it was awesome. It is an 8-inch LCD screen, and it has a 40 GB Hard drive. You could also plug in your iPod. You could spend countless hours spending time with the things stored in it, like music and all that stuff. There is a tire kit, if you turn out to have a flat one. Speaking about wheels, there are optional 18-inch aluminium wheels. They look great and sporty, apart from the standard 17-inches. The Onstar Satellite Communication is also there. Onstar is a great thing, because in a collision it automatically sends help, even if you cannot speak. Cruise Control, power seats, external temperature (it displays the temperature outside), memory seat, remote mirrors, heated mirrors, passenger seat ventilation controls, remote trunk release, service indicator, and the remote audio controls on the steering wheel are well spaced out.

Halogen Bulb lights shine brightly, with a bluish shine. And do not forget it had two power outlets. Adjusting the steering wheel is easy. And there is the great Brake Assist System, which works to help the brakes. And the Low-tire pressure indicator, which is definitely a smart feature. And XM Satellite radio is also there. The leather seats were extremely comfortable, and big; the whole cabin was comfortable. The interior was leather, and it was available in grey, black, and beige. Rear parking assist was equipped in the car, and I would say that it is modern and effective. The hydraulic power-assist steering is familiar with the CTS. The bucket-passenger seat too. Plus, the dash is silver, with grey buttons and wooden trim near the gearbox. The neon taillights look great; so do the LED brake lamps.

The experience

The CTS differs from the outgoing model by lots of things, and I will tell you about the experience. First, the interior. The old CTS was criticized for not having the best interior. The new one is magnificent. Stunning in almost every way. It was very roomy, roomier than its rivals. It was designed well, and had great features. The seats were very comfortable, big and looked good. As you may have thought, the legroom, headroom and overall room were good. One of the most amazing things was that the navigation system was spectacular, same as the interior and more. The door pockets could fit things with ease, and they were designed well. The cupholders were great and fit your drink easily. They were nicely designed, just like the rest of the interior. The whole interior package was great, and delivered a premium experience. Great comfort was felt when you sat on the seats. The amazing visibility helps you see much better, including all windows, and the rear window visibility was good.

On the highway, the ride was superb, thanks to the engineering and the great suspension. At speeds higher than 80 mph, the CTS still performs well and does not shake a lot or anything like that. The car tilts less than you would expect, and still manages to do that in good manner. At redline though, the engine revs like loudly and makes a loud noise, worse than expected. Still, that is only above 5,000 rpm or so. The engine looks great from the outside, and the cover fits for the engine. When backing up, you still feel great control. The CTS has some understeer, so you do not need the skills of one Petter Solberg. Of course, most cars are engineered to have minimal understeer, to get it away from oversteer. The car has excellent control. Understeer is minimal, and definitely, you feel like you have fairly good control over the car, although it could have been a little better, but still good. The chassis is very good. Now, the transmission. I would say that I am surprised by the transmission. The shifts are smooth, and when you really push the car to the limit, the tranny has great shifts, superior feel, and works great overall.

The clutch feels great, it is comfortable to use, and of course, is improved and has a manual mode. It is easy to grab and put into Drive. The layout on the metal-like dash is great; it has buttons and controls that are incredibly easy to use. They are spread out at an appropriate level, and it feels very high class. The dash is metal-like, and has very good quality. The pedals are comfortable. The steering wheel is a fair distance away from you and the space is airy when you are at any point of the interior. By the way, its rear seat is bigger than the rear seat in the BMW 3-Series. The air vents are next to the dash at both sides, and deliver very good air; not too in your face and not too weak either. The engine was quiet, except when you rev it over 5,000 rpm as mentioned. At highway speeds, the engine manages to give the driver a quiet experience as well as a nice drive. The door handles are good; they were easy to use and it was easy to open the doors. If one of your interests is superior braking and great handling, this car is a great opportunity. The braking is great, and the brake feel is pretty good. At high speeds, handling still manages to be very effective; it is not dull, neither too swift. The steering wheel feel is great, along with the fact that it is not too heavy.

The headlamps shine well, and the taillamps also deliver a sharp shine. When you accelerate hard, there is basically no or minimal torque steer to be seen. The car does it with such ease. The ride is so gentle, and the bumps are barely felt. The driving position was amazing, not low, although not too high. You feel very concentrated at the wheel. The seats were leather, but I would not say they were very supportive, but still provided good support. And as I said, the Sigma chassis is even better, and provides better body control and greater rigidity.

Styling

There is much fuss about the styling. And many say it has good styling. In my opinion, I like it. The beautiful side vents, the highly-detailed headlamps, the muscular grill that Cadillac forgot about before, the foglights which are well-designed and differ from the other ones, the good door handles all come together. And the nicely sculpted body. The lines are beautiful. And unlike the previous generation, the body is smooth, not too sharp, and delivers a wide stance. The tail lamps are have nice styling, while the exhaust pipes are sporty and cool. The windows represent a nice, smooth design and look sharp. The rear is higher than the front, and that is one of the things that makes the CTS unique.

And with an aerodynamic shape, it certainly raises the bar in styling. Lets go to the rims. The 18s look spectacular on the car, and they bend in, while looking unique. The mirrors are also unique. And the bumper, which looks sharp in the middle is a nice touch. There are still pointy edges left, and they make the design even more appealing by being at the right points of the car. Certainly, the styling is an antidote to ordinary. The rear bumper has a certain design element, while having a nice metal line above the bumper, it manages to have light reflectors and a sporty shape, not to mention the bottom being dark, like a body kit bumper. Overall, the styling is just outstanding and is certainly appreciated.

The Motor Trend Award

Every year, Motor Trend gives out an award, the Motor Trend Car of the Year. The CTS proved to be amazing, as Motor Trend says. From the Chrysler 300C to be awarded in 2005, the Civic in 2006, the Camry in 2007, now, the CTS, in 2008. But wait, what about the Car and Driver comparison test? Recently, Car and Driver magazine had a comparison test, which featured the Cadillac CTS DI, BMW 328i, Mercedes-Benz C300 Sport, and the Infiniti G35s. Guess what, the CTS was third.
Why? Because, as they say, they did not like the gearbox, they reported the engine was pretty loud, and the weight was a bit more than needed. Well, now they report it as Car of the Year. And Car and Driver included it in the 10Best list. Probably that those problems were pretty minor, and the main point was the whole car delivered the experience the owner would want. So, congratulations, Cadillac.

What about the CTS-V, CTW and coupe?

Cadillac is going to release three more versions of the CTS. A CTS-V performance sedan which will likely challenge competitors such as the Lexus IS-F, Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG, BMW M3, Audi RS4, and others, although it might even go into the territory of the BMW M5, Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG, Audi S6, etc, while delivering more horsepower. Also, a station wagon version, which will likely be called the CTW, is possibly in the works, and a coupe version (there is already a concept). There is a 2.9L turbo diesel getting ready to be fitted under the hood of the CTS coupe, as well as this.. the CTS-V promises to have about 550 horsepower! And the CTW will probably be a very good idea, for Cadillac lovers who want a station wagon; for example, say, the Dodge Magnum SRT8. It delivers great performance while having the versatility of a station wagon. Just imagine a CTW-V. The CTS-V will be a high hope for performance lovers, and will probably post 0-60 mph results in the 4-second neighbourhood, if not in the high 3 second area. And finally, Cadillac will offer a coupe version with the CTS, which it did not have a chance to do with the previous generation. So, have high hopes for the CTS, and expect big things from the Cadillac brand.

Reliability

The new Cadillac CTS is a brand new model from Cadillac, so reliability results are not in yet. The previous CTS had average reliability records. I almost guarantee that it will be much improved in dependability. There are so many things that are better in the new CTS that it would have even better results as time passes. As the older CTS had some problems, it still managed to not be much behind. And Cadillac improved greatly over time; it should get the job done.

Crash Tests

Well, the frontal impact has not been tested; expect it to be soon. But, the side impacts have been tested. And what news we got here! An outstanding 5-stars for the front and rear occupant! And you know what? It earned he IIHS Top Safety Award. That is what you call continuous improvement, which certainly leads to success. How about the frontal crash tests? I expect Cadillac to get a 5-star rating easily. Certainly a safe car, the new CTS got a 4-star Rollover Resistance Rating, also good. The previous CTS was also fairly safe; it got a 4-star rating in the drivers side and passenger side in the frontal crash test, and a 4-star for front occupant and 5-star for rear for the side impact, along with the 4-star Rollover Resistance Rating. Overall I am definitely impressed with the safety Cadillac offers.

Price

Well, the car turned out to be a good sports sedan, so how much does it cost? The base CTS costs about $32,000 American, and options might boost that higher. How much? It all depends on the amount of options. The CTS DI with the 304-horsepower V6 ranges from about $35,000 to around $40,000, if options are included. I would say that the prices are average, and they cost in the neighbourhood of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, BMW 3-Series, Infiniti G35, and Lexus IS, although it all depends on options. For example, it costs more than the Infiniti G35, but can cost less than the Mercedes-Benz C350 Sport by some grand. Basically, the car is priced in the middle compared to its competitors. 

Competitors

The new CTS has a list of competitors. Here are lists for the base CTS and the optional CTS. The competitors are similar by class, size, price, and engine. So, here is the list.

Base CTS- Mercedes-Benz C350 Sport, BMW 328xi, Lexus IS 250 AWD, Acura TL Type-S, Lexus ES350, Audi A4 3.2 Quattro, Lincoln MKZ AWD, Saab 9-5, Hyundai Azera Limited, Nissan Maxima 3.5 SE, Toyota Avalon Touring, Volkswagen Passat 3.6 4Motion, Volvo S60 T5

DI V6 CTS- Mercedes-Benz E350 4Matic, Lexus GS350 AWD, Infiniti G35s, Acura RL, Lexus IS 350, Infiniti M35x, Audi A6 3.2 Quattro, BMW 335xi, Volvo S60R AWD, Volvo S80 V8 AWD

So, what next? I really recommend you to check this car out, because of all the things it has that are great and improved like the design, safety, features, room, and more. This is a great opportunity for those who are considering a sports sedan. And yes, this car is finally a player in the sports sedan field.

I hope you enjoyed my review on the new Cadillac CTS and that you learned a lot about this car! Thanks for reading.
Amount Paid (US$): Test Drive
Condition: New
Model Year: 2008
Model and Options: CTS DI, AWD, 6-speed automatic