Car classes are a bit like contests. You are, after all, competing against a group of others for the coveted spot at the top of the pile. But in the luxury sport sedan class, you’d think that the name Cadillac would all but guarantee a strong placement. The old Cadillac CTS, however, was not a strong starter, as there were issues with both styling and performance. But Cadillac is – after all – a Cadillac and they’ve made some major steps forward since the debut of the CTS model.
The CTS’s rebirth in 2008 was marked by a real effort to not only compete with the others of the class, but to exceed them. Effectively, Cadillac made a new CTS with more power, resulting in improved driving performance. The luxury quotient was also upped with the addition of new styling in the sheet metal and a better looking cabin. In the past, the CTS wasn’t up to par when it came to design, but the 2008 model marked a light speed jump ahead in handsome design, cutting edge technology and high grade materials. In only a few short years, Cadillac jumped from runner up to leader of the class.
Not wanting to rock the boat for 2009, Cadillac left the design of its 2009 CTS pretty much alone. It still includes a suspension that owes a great debt to those design wizards over at Nürburging. You also have a V6 engine that will put out 258-horsepower – or, if that isn’t enough for you, there’s an optional 304 horsepower version with higher output that comes from its unique fuel injection technology. In addition, you can get an all wheel drive package on the CTS. The only major change for 2009 is the addition of Bluetooth connectivity. That might not seem like much and frankly it isn’t. But if you’ve got everything else right, why tinker with it?
Specifically, you can get one of two V6 engines. In the standard model, you can have a 3.6-liter V6 that puts out 258 horsepower and 252 pound-feet of torque. Or, you can ask for the 3.6-liter direct-injection (DI) V6 that puts out 304 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque. There’s a six-speed manual transmission that’s standard with the base engine, although a six-speed automatic is also available. Alternatively, the DI engine comes with the automatic as standard and the manual transmission as an option. All told, the V6 DI CTS with the automatic transmission will go from 0 to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds.
There are also two levels of luxury trim, but on both you get 17-inch wheels, power driver’s seat, leather-like seat covers, dual-zone climate control, satellite radio, a CD/MP3 player and OnStar navigation.
From there, you can choose from stand alone or grouped luxury additions. The Luxury Collection adds wipers that activate automatically, heated/power front seats, leather trim, and a CD changer with a Bose audio system to the basic package. The Performance Luxury Package, on the other hand, has no leather, but gives you a split-fold rear seat, keyless entry and ignition, rear parking assist, and a steering wheel with power tilt and telescoping – great features for discerning drivers everywhere.
