2004 Cadillac CTS Review & Ratings

Second Place: Cadillac CTS
Since we last tested the CTS in our August 2002 issue, Cadillac's rear-drive near-luxury sedan has been working out. A new, optional 3.6-liter DOHC V-6 is now available and highly recommended. Delivering 255 horsepower and 255 pound-feet of torque, the 3.6 nets a handsome 16-percent power boost over the base 3.2-liter V-6. Included with the optional 3.6 engine is a five-speed automatic transmission (to get a five-speed manual, you must take the base 3.2 engine). When the CTS was introduced two years ago as a home-grown successor to the weak-selling Opel-Omega-based Catera, its humdrum powerplant was a major disappointment. Despite a chassis developed and refined on the old Nuerburgring German Grand Prix course, the Cadillac fell short of its rivals.

The new 3.6-liter V-6 makes a big difference, significantly closing the performance gap on its Japanese and European competitors. There's more than ample torque just a toe tap away at nearly all engine speeds, thanks partly to the addition of variable valve timing, a feature not found on many GM motors to date. Freeway merging and highway passing power is in the same league as other entry-lux sport sedans, although the Caddy's six sounds a bit hoarse when pressed hard. Note that the 3.6 is a regular-fuel engine, a benefit that will save hundreds if not several thousand dollars in fuel costs over the life of ownership compared with other cars that require premium fuel. The automatic transmission's five speeds keep things flexible in stop-and-go traffic and execute beautiful lift-throttle torque-managed shifts with precision. No wonder BMW buys this GM autobox for some of its cars. But the gearbox's lack of a manumatic shift gate or steering-wheel flippers is a glaring omission.

Finesse, precision, and balance aren't qualities we've associated with many Cadillacs in recent times. But our second-place finisher has it in spades. Though it's not the top number generator in our group of four, the CTS offers a satisfying blend of stiff structure, precise response, and well-sorted ride quality. With the car's 3694 pounds distributed 53 percent over the front wheels and 47 percent on the rears, the CTS exhibits surprising balance. The Cadillac's steering, in particular, is delightfully direct, linear, and nicely weighted. The car goes where it's steered and communicates what the road is serving up. There's more body roll present when the CTS is pressed hard into a corner than some hard-core sport-sedan buffs may prefer, but the car's overall good manners win out at the end of the day. A long wheelbase contributes to a generous amount of interior room--the most rear-seat legroom among the four cars tested.