2009 Cadillac CTS

Cadillac brought one of its most popular cars to the show. The CTS designed to be more European inspired which is supposed to mix the values of an American luxury sedan with the performance of a German performance sedan is back. From the outside, the car looks stylish and refined. The headlights and huge trademark Cadillac grill definitely announce its presence. Trimmed in red, the car looks poised as a luxury brand should with a hint of performance hinted at by the large wheels and the trimmed exhaust hiding under the rear valance. The car looks square a much welcomed change from the jelly bean designs of most automobiles these days.

Inside the car, the passengers are welcomed by comfortable seats trimmed in leather and nicely appointed wood. Seats are very comfortable with separate heating and cooling functions for both driver and passenger. The center stack between the two front passengers is full of buttons and dial which can easily confuse some drivers. If you are at home in the car and have memorized the location of all the buttons, then you are set, but be prepared to answer questions from your passengers who are trying to play DJ from the right seat.

Interesting point of note is that the screen that houses the display for the radio actually extends out of the dash to reveal a much larger screen that houses the navigation and auxiliary functions. The screen is bright and easily read while moving.

Now, while moving, you are motivated forward by a 3.5L V6 engine pumping out 304hp. Stabs at the gas pedal will motivate the rear wheels to move faster than the car will allow. Our testing 'partnership' was not pleased when we left tire spinning out of the parking arrangement. The engine is a bit slow to respond once moving, but it's adequate to get you up to speed. Cruising is effortless with the power plant under the hood. However, while cruising, you will notice that something is not right. Remember the German inspired performance sedan they were shooting for? Well, they missed the mark just a tad. While driving, the suspension feels confused and never quite right. It's not Caddy smooth, but no where near as performance oriented as a German counterpart. The suspension is firm without a doubt and on smooth surfaces does the job it is supposed to do. However, over uneven transitions and bumps the suspension feels overwhelmed by the mass hanging over it. Rattle through the steering wheel lets the driver know what the front wheels are doing, but often they are lost as well with a numb feeling as they transition over difficult roadways.

The CTS is a good car, but not all it is hyped up to be, it definitely has Cadillac built into it's history, but it is pushing for a new direction. It needs to go further down the road of knowledge before it tries again though. Now, there is also a "V" edition of this car available. We are waiting for testing of that vehicle to become available... and hopefully those 558HP will be much easier to control and deal with.