2004 Cadillac CTS Interior Review

Shock and awe come in the form of an exterior design that shades the tall and narrow side of Cadillac's new Art & Science design theme. While the starkly creased and folded lines of the car are certainly contemporary in the "Blade Runner" motif, the overall effect is in your face. In the driver's face is an instrument panel that is an overreaching jumble of textures, shapes, and angles conveying neither sport nor luxury. But ergonomics are spot on, seats offer good thigh, lumbar, and lateral support, switchgear is sufficiently tactile, and fit and finish are worthy of a $30,000 car.

There are more cost-effective ways to configure a CTS than our near-$44K example with its $13,000 option load. A cool $1000 extra for special paint? Only the Germans can get away with that. Carefully selecting from the CTS's long options list, a car with the 3.6 engine, five-speed automatic gearbox, Bose stereo with six-disc CD changer, rear load-leveling, sport suspension, high-performance brake linings, 17-inch wheels, speed-sensitive steering, XM Satellite Radio, and Stabilitrak dynamic stability control can be had for $36K and change. If you can warm to the edgy styling, you may be surprised just how much control, precision, and driving pleasure there is in the car underneath. We did.