2016 Cadillac CTS 2.0T AWD
When the original Cadillac CTS debuted 14 years ago, it represented a turning point for General Motors’ premium brand. GM had decided to invest billions of dollars to remake the faded brand once known as the “Standard of the World” to try to make it competitive in the 21st century. The original CTS was built on a new dedicated Cadillac architecture with a new design language. Two years after the debut of the third-generation CTS, I had a chance to drive it and make my own judgements about whether the plan has succeeded.
The CTS was supposed to spearhead a plan by Cadillac to directly take on the “Big 3” German luxury brands, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi. Those brands staked out their positions in the marketplace over decades of building their reputations and brand character. No one at GM had any illusions that the battle would be easy or won overnight. Nonetheless, Cadillac continues to struggle.
2016 Cadillac CTS 2.0T AWD
Despite being generally well-regarded by critics, the first two generations were somewhat hampered by being “tweeners.” They were closer in size, although still slightly smaller than the mid-size 5 Series and E-Class while being priced closer to the 3 Series and C-Class. The Sigma platform they rode on was also on the heavy side. For phase 3 of the Cadillac re-invention, GM created the new lighter Alpha platform and introduced the ATS as a new smaller member of the lineup and upsized the CTS a bit to more directly compete with what was coming from Germany.
2016 Cadillac CTS 2.0T AWD
To my eye, the continuing evolution of Cadillac’s “art and science” language gets better with each subsequent iteration. Certain elements like vertical lighting front and rear have carried on from the original 1999 Evoq concept while others like the sharp creases have been refined. The sometimes awkward almost origami style of the original CTS has been softened over the years into a more cohesive whole that stands distinct from its competitors without resorting to the sometimes overwrought execution of alternatives like the Lexus spindle grille. This looks like a car that should be worth more than $60,000.
Compare the 2016 Cadillac CTS to its prime competitors
Similarly, the look and finish of the cabin has been significantly upgraded with each successive generation. The premium trim level I drove was finished in a combination of jet black with kona brown leather on the seats. Fortunately, it also had two sets of memory presets to preserve the settings of the 20-way adjustable front seats. I particularly liked the adjustable thigh supports that are all too often missing.
2016 Cadillac CTS 2.0T AWD
The center stack still features the touch-centric CUE infotainment system and while I genuinely prefer having physical controls for functions like volume, at least there are buttons on the steering wheel. The touch controls are more responsive than a similar system that originated in Dearborn and the overall system was always stable. Like most other GM vehicles now, CUE has support for both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
Unfortunately, GM doesn’t yet tie the voice button on the steering wheel to the phone’s voice recognition system as some other OEMs do. GM also doesn’t mirror navigation directional prompts from Google maps to the cluster or heads-up display as Honda does. Aside from that the system worked great and I prefer using Android Auto to any of the OEM infotainment setups.
2016 Cadillac CTS 2.0T AWD
Touching the lower edge of the control panel below the screen causes it to motor up, revealing a storage cubby behind it with a wireless charging pad for phones that supports both the Qi and PMA standards. Of course if you want to use Carplay or Android Auto, you need to be plugged in via USB anyway, so the fact that my Nexus 6P doesn’t do wireless charging is a moot point.
The last CTS I drove six years ago had a boosted engine but the supercharged V8 in that CTS-V was a bit different from the base engine in current Caddies. The standard powerplant in all of today’s Cadillac sedans is a turbocharged and direct-injected 2.0-liter four-cylinder. With 268-horsepower and 295 lb.-ft. of very responsive torque, I had no complaints about the application of this engine in this midsize luxury sedan.
2016 Cadillac CTS 2.0T AWD
The broad flat torque curve generated by modern direct injected turbos provides more than adequate propulsive capability even for a 3,800-pound all-wheel-drive sedan and it pairs well with the GM’s eight-speed automatic transmission. Instant shifts are possible using the paddles on the backside of the steering wheel while a button on the top of the shift lever engages full manual mode.
Like the rest of the 2016 Cadillac car lineup, the CTS includes an automatic stop-start system that switches the engine most of the time when the car comes to a stop. Like other such systems, extremely hot or cold temperature and corresponding use of the climate control may prevent engine shutdown in order to ensure that there is enough battery power to restart. Restarts were fairly smooth and vibration-free and the engine was always ready to go by the time my right foot was on the gas pedal.
2016 Cadillac CTS 2.0T AWD
The ATS, CTS and CT6 do feature some different technology for their stop-start system. In addition to an absorbed-glass-mat (AGM) battery Cadillacs have a set of ultracapacitors to provide an extra boost of electrical power to crank the engine. The only previous application of these Maxwell ultra-caps in this way has been on some European-market Peugeots and Citroens.
On the road, my loaner CTS provided a similar, drama-free driving experience to the last ATS I drove with an excellent balance of ride and handling. In sport mode, I would have liked a bit more steering feel, but it overall, it actually wasn’t all that different from the BMW 340i I drove next. This certainly isn’t a CTS-V but it isn’t meant to be. This is a sophisticated luxury cruiser with room for four adults to ride in comfort. With its all-wheel-drive and a set of winter tires to replace the summer rubber on the tester, it should also provide all-weather capability.
2016 Cadillac CTS 2.0T AWD
Of course advanced driver assists are the price of entry in this and even more affordable segments now so the CTS has a more or less complete suite. The adaptive cruise control features full stop and go capability to make driving in traffic easier. Like its siblings, the lane keeping and parking assist sensors provide feedback by vibrating the driver’s seat. The only somewhat disappointing element was the system that tries to keep the car in the lane. The steering input was weak and if it did keep the car in the lane, it tended to bounce back and forth. More often the car would just drift over the line. This certainly isn’t what we can expect from Super Cruise when it lands on the CT6 next year.
The 2016 CTS kicks off at $46,555 and the AWD Premium I tested out came in at about $66,000. As the CTS has grown up, it has become a far more serious challenger to the German establishment. The fact that it hasn’t sold better is somewhat of a mystery since it really is a very good car. Even in an era when everyone seems to be rushing to utilities, this one should be doing better. If you’re in the market for an alternative to an A6, E-class or 5 Series, the CTS should be on your shopping list.
Click here for full specifications of the 2016 Cadillac CTS
