CADILLAC CTS SALOON REVIEW

Performance

2 out of 5 stars

CTS buyers can choose from a pair of V6 petrol engines – a 3.0 and a 3.6. The 3.0 feels a little weedy in comparison, but the 3.6 is quick if you're prepared to rev it. Unfortunately, the standard automatic gearbox is unpredictable, changing down when it doesn't need to and refusing to change when it does. The range-topping V8-enigned CTS-V is very quick, hitting 60mph in less than four seconds.
Ride & Handling

2 out of 5 stars

The CTS provides good body control on twisty routes, but it's not as agile as it could be because the steering is slow to respond. The 3.6 gets a sportier suspension setup than the 3.0, but the ride is overly firm on both, and surface imperfections can be felt in the cabin too easily.
Refinement

2 out of 5 stars

The engines are smooth when cruising and sound reasonably sporty if you rev them hard. However, the door mirrors generate a little bit of wind noise at motorway pace and there's quite a lot of road noise over coarse surfaces.

Buying & Owning

2 out of 5 stars

There are only a handful of Cadillac dealers in the UK, so you may have to travel to find one, and this also makes servicing tricky. The CTS undercuts German rivals on price, but resale values won't be class-leading. The thirsty engines and high carbon dioxide emissions mean hefty running costs whether it's a private buy or company car. A diesel engine would be a welcome addition.
Quality & Reliability

3 out of 5 stars

The upper dash is trimmed in leather and most of the cabin materials look smart, although the hard silver plastic that decorates the centre console lets the side down a little. Cadillac is still something of an unknown quantity here, so reliability is hard to assess.
Safety & Security

5 out of 5 stars

Safety kit is competitive, with all models getting twin front, side and curtain airbags, electronic brakeforce distribution and stability control. On the security front, the doors automatically lock once you're inside and an alarm and immobiliser are standard.

Behind The Wheel

3 out of 5 stars

Two-way steering wheel adjustment and electric seats make it easy to get comfortable. However, the centre console is plastered with buttons, so it can be difficult to find the one you want at a glance. At least the standard satellite-navigation has a touch-screen setup to stop the problem getting any worse.
Space & Practicality

2 out of 5 stars

There's plenty of space up front but, given that the CTS is longer than a BMW 5 Series, rear space is disappointing. There's reasonable legroom, but headroom is tight, a bulky transmission tunnel makes life uncomfortable for a central passenger, and the door aperture is an awkward shape. The boot is only fractionally bigger than that in a Ford Focus, too.
Equipment

5 out of 5 stars

There's just one trim, but the good news is that it comes stacked with luxury toys. Electric leather seats, climate and cruise controls, parking sensors, automatic wipers and a banging surround-sound stereo (with 40gb hard drive, MP3 input and sat-nav) all come as standard.