2008 Cadillac CTS V6: Feel Good Inc.

Risking coming off overtly dramatic, i really believe this particular automobile is the turning point for American cars. I know it's been said countless times since the Seventies, but the desirability, mechanicals and refinement have finally synched together with the CTS.

I saw one of these drive by the other day, and I couldn't stop staring...even when the driver noticed me. This just one of those cars that looks great in any color.

The 3 series has nothing to worry about. Despite it's recent increases in heft, it's still a pretty compact car while others are much larger. Many 3 fans hate larger vehicles so they'll continue their devotion to the Bimmer. I think the new A4 has ~ a 4" strech in wheelbase so it's moving up the scale a bit in size. The CTS is much larger than the 3 so realistically when you subtract the price component, it doesnt have much in common with a 3.

I love the new CTS. Gorgeous inside and out. Thank goodness GM is starting to do things right. I hope it's not too late.
 
Two or three years ago my sister bought an Escalade as a company car while her business partner bought a Lexus SUV. I think both paid about $60k for them. When she traded it in, all she could get for the Caddie was 27k, whereas her business partner got about 36k for the Lexus. Plus, the Caddie had recurring transmission problems that were a nightmare. She's sworn she'll never buy another American car.
 
I sincerely hope GM can turn things around, because I'd hate for this country to lose its auto industry. (I say this as a guy who's never bought an American car, BTW).

Not just a bargain 3-series, it's a bargain 5-series. I really dig the CTS. Best looking car on the road today, IMHO. Can't wait for the V!

Agree Hightower - not sure why everyone is so stuck on comparing the CTS to the 3. A quick check of the specs shows the CTS and 5 series to be similar in size -- must be the price - CTS is 5 series car for 3 series money.

Since the pricing is similar, could there be a CTS/G35 comparison in the near future? Perhaps even throw in the '02 M3?

Let's don't get too cocky - the CTS is fine but it's no M3, not even a used M3.

I always find it amusing when editors claim they would pick one car over another.
If they actually had to go out and BUY a car, I really doubt whether they would put their money where their mouths are.
With all the love going around for this CTS, please tell me again why it placed so low in Edmunds' group test?

Desmo -
 
Maybe there's a difference between a bunch of car guys flogging a bunch of cars and a bunch of car guys actually living with a car?
 
Joe

I love the CTS but If I had a choice between it and the 335 Id take the 3. Why? Because it seems that the CTS caters to a slightly older audience while the 3 seems to cater to a slightly younger demographic. Of course that doesnt make the CTS a bad car its just my personal preference. BTW Im only 30.
 
The only thing I can find wrong with the 3 is the interior. Not thats its cheap or badly assembled, its just to simple and plain! The CTS interior is much more inviting and as said in the blog the entertainment interface is world class.
 
Give me a 335i with an updated version of the E46 M3s interior with modern/intuitive entertainment interface and materials and Id be sold.

"Give me a 335i with an updated version of the E46 M3s interior with modern/intuitive entertainment interface and materials and Id be sold."
 
Couldn't say it any better myself.
 
Between the CTS and 335i I'd take the 3 then swap it for a G35 or IS350 plus cash...

the CTS is gorgeous. there's my two cents.

Joe wrote:
"Maybe there's a difference between a bunch of car guys flogging a bunch of cars and a bunch of car guys actually living with a car?"
 
Then what's the point of doing tests?
Let's say your point is valid. No-one actually lives with the car unless they personally own it. Not the company Edmunds, but the actual individual. Cuz no matter what they may say, they know that the car is not their's, they are not making payments on it, they don't have to care about resale value.
So when some editor says, of a car that placed what, 3rd, 4th?, that they'd buy this car, then ok, let's see what's in your garage, not Edmund's garage.

Actually, it'll be fun to see what's actually in the editors' garages. I am sure they are full of 3er, 308, GT-R and etc...
 
Hehehe.

The '08 CTS is the finest GMC has come up with of late. It's the only luxury automobile that runs on regular fuel instead of premium. That really appeals to me, since in my area premium often sells for 39 cents a gal. above regular. I'm not all that interested in the $8,000 luxury package, which seems a bit steep. I am concerned about reliability. I have had three previous Cadillac owners tell me "Never again" because of reliability issues. Hopefully the new CTS will be as reliable as it's foreign competitors.

And, to beat the dead horse once more, that front license plate bracket has got to go! I'll risk the ticket.

I think one of the biggest problems with the CTS is simply the option packages. They are built in such a way that it infuriates the buyer and drives the cost close to $40k far too easily.
  
I love the car, but it'd be nice to get ventilated seats, for example, without paying $8000 dollars for a bunch of other stuff one may not want. Lexus can have those as a separate options, why can't Cadillac? It hurts the impression that the CTS is a bargain.

Wow, that car must be huge inside. I had a e90 3 series and that car felt massive inside. Hated how cavernous the interior felt on my 06 330i.

I think the 3 series cars feel tiny inside.....the CTS however is just about right.
 
I agree that BMW has a plain interior.

E90 3-series has a decent size cabin, in my opinion its size is just about perfect for entry level luxury performance sedans. On the other hand, The IS is a bit on the small side due to the tight rear seat and the G35 is a little too big for my taste. The CTS in my eyes is a 5-series fighter with a 3-series kind of price. For anyone who wants a bigger 3er but doesn't have the budget for a 5er it is just about to be the perfect choice.
 
+1 on that BMW has a plain interior.

The CTS really has a dramatically better interior than just about anything in not only its price range (3-series, IS, G35, C-class, etc), but also better than anything in its size class (5-series, E-class, GS), and no, I can't believe I'm saying that about a Cadillac. I had the opportunity to drive a well equipped CTS for a few days, and immediately following I drove a 335i (non-sport package), and I simply could not believe how low-rent the 335i felt in everything from interior design to materials quality to engine NVH to ride quality (the 335i with its wretched run-flat tires clomps over even the tiniest bumps).
 
I would *never* before have even imagined that I could have negative impressions of a BMW after driving a GM product, but the CTS did it.

> Actually, it'll be fun to see what's actually in the editors' garages. I am sure they are full of 3er, 308, GT-R and etc...
  
Probably used Civics. If I could drive a steady stream of new cars at work, borrow a brand new pickup or family hauler when I needed it, I'd own something cheap.

CTS is very, very nice. I went with the G over it, but just barely.....

Nice Gorillaz references splattered around the blog entry..=)
 
I doubt the CTS (or G35, etc.) will ever overcome the 3 series anytime soon, and it's not because it's mechanically, aesthetically or dynamically inept. It's because of the wealth of fanboys (including media) that place so much perceived value with the whirling propeller.
 
Not that the 3 Series is a bad car - not by any stretch. It's just not enough car for the money.

"Not that the 3 Series is a bad car - not by any stretch. It's just not enough car for the money."
 
I agree. The other thing that bugs me about the 3 Series is where I live, they are EVERYWHERE. You're never going to get noticed in a 3-series. I think they're more popular here than Toyota Camrys. They are so commonplace and familiar, no one would ever give a second look or say "nice car".
 
I don't buy cars for those reasons, but still, its nice to have some level of distinguishment at $45k. What I like about the CTS is its distinctive, classy, and they're not a dime a dozen like the 3-series is.

"You're never going to get noticed in a 3-series"
 
Actually that's fine with me, I am not buying the car to "get noticed". Instead I am buying the car to enjoy the driving experience and the luxury comfort that it provides.
 
I live in So Cal and the 3er here is about as popular as those Camcords. but if it's not due to the plain interior and the comparably boring looking exterior I wouldn't mind to snatch one up (335i) within a hearbeat.
 
CTS, on the other hand is a rare commodity.

Stingray - Give it a few years...if it's as great a car as people make out (I've only been in one, haven't driven one), then it'll be as popular.
 
If you haven't driven a 3 series in anger, then you don't know why the 3-series has won so very many tests. Sure, it has snob appeal and wins alot of sales to people who buy it for brand reasons and not for it's capabilities...
 
But for me, there isn't another car like it. There are cars more luxurious for less, or with more sporting pretensions for less, but there is no other car that finds that blend, that compromise, between comfort and performance.
 
Some say the e90 has crossed the line into less of a driver's car. I couldn't say, but to me it was one of the most natural cars to get into and drive for the first time. And everything, everything, felt right.
 
I think the Cadillac is, from what I'm hearing, hitting that same mark for people who lean towards the comfort side instead. It's very aesthetically pleasing and offers tremendous luxury for it's price. It can kung-fu hussle and do a decent job handling itself. And it finds a better blend of coziness, comfort, and room for the family man.
 
I think the CTS continues it's first generation efforts in moving the age-demographic of caddy down about a decade or two. Good for them.
 
Joe
 
P.s. A previous poster said they couldn't believe the NVH a loaner 335 had generated compared to a CTS....I don't know what you are smoking man :) The 335 can definitely be said to let more sound and feel enter the cabin (again, haven't driven the CTS), but it's a glorious sound and the feel of that inline six is sublime. Maybe NVH to you is just any engine sound or feel?

"Thank goodness we didn't get the FE3 suspension option - the ride on this CTS is perfect just the way it is. The CTS' engine/ride/interior combination has convinced me that I'd rather have this car than a 3 or 5 series. Give me the bargain any day."
 
Have this man fired. That is heresy.
 
The CTS loses comparisons because it gets compared to smaller, lighter cars in its price range that have higher handling limits on the track. Its that simple. In the real world the CTS handles as well as it nees to and has capabilities above what most drivers can achieve. The CTS would be my choice even if the 335 can pull a higher skidpad rating.
 
"I live in So Cal and the 3er here is about as popular as those Camcords. but if it's not due to the plain interior and the comparably boring looking exterior I wouldn't mind to snatch one up (335i) within a hearbeat. "
 
3 series are popular everywhere, not just SoCal which is reason enough for me to leave it on BMW lots.
 
"Wow, that car must be huge inside. "
 
Its not. Just because a car is bigger than a Mini doesnt mean its large or overweight contrary to what you spend so much time telling us on this site. Believe it or not, some people want or need more interior space than can be provided by the cars you have deemed "large enough" like the Mini and 3 series models from the distant past.

This summer the V series CTS is going to hit the road. It's supposed to be an animal. Cadillac has finally got their mojo back.

CTS interior is a big improvement over the last generation, but dang what is up with that C-pillar? I'm just waiting for the Edmunds staff to say something about it even though the CTS is heavily advertised on the site:-) I tried to get in the back seat of a CTS at a car show and banged my head trying to get in the thing and I'm not a tall guy. Not a big deal especially if you're the one driving, but to me that back window is way too steep/fat compared to the competition.

joefrompa, have you driven a 335i? I've driven three of them, and at idle and in low-RPM driving, the engine is not smooth like the prior engine from the 330i (and the 3.0TT doesn't sound particularly good either). In everyday city driving, the 335i's automatic transmission is also honestly subpar -- it's not smooth, and it also leaves the torque converter locked up during downshifts (and downshifts early) when coming to a stop, making it almost impossible to stop smoothly. Not impressed at all.
 
Is the 335i batshit fast? Yes. Is it better in at-the-limit handling than the CTS? Probably. But it's not particularly pleasant to drive around town unless you're driving it like you stole it (and the sport package just makes things worse). In the other 95% of driving situations, the CTS is easily the superior car.
 
Not only that, but the CTS is actually within 1/2 inch of the length, width, and height of the 5-series, and comparably equipped the CTS is over $12,000 less.
 
But forget "for the money," the CTS is just the better car. And again, I can't believe I'm saying that about a General Motors product versus a BMW.

1487,
 
It's okay if you like barges. Why must we all subscribe to your bigger-is-better mantra?

"I'm just waiting for the Edmunds staff to say something about it even though the CTS is heavily advertised on the site:-)"
 
YOu obviously havent followed their critique of the AUra. Its heavily advertised here and they dont like it at all.
 
"It's okay if you like barges. Why must we all subscribe to your bigger-is-better mantra?"
 
What does the CTS have to do with a barge? The car isnt even that big, its 191" long which is shorter than the 2008 Accord. If you chose to believe any car larger than a Yaris is too heavy that is your choice, but dont act like the CTS is a 70s era Buick just because Cadillac gave it a usable backseat and trunk. Some people need space for passengers and things even if you do not. This isnt Europe, although I can tell you wish is were.

1487, my CTS critique and edmund's advertising was a joke, although the loud CTS ad before every video is getting old.
"YOu obviously havent followed their critique of the AUra. Its heavily advertised here and they dont like it at all." The staff does like the ease of clock changing and the interior accent lights though, that's worth something right? - another joke, poor Aura

"Some people need space for passengers and things even if you do not."
 
Well then some people don't, so bigger isn't better across the board.

Esoterica -
 
I drove a 335i 6-speed, albeit awhile ago. Your experience sounds more recent (have you driven the manual trans version?).
 
I found it to be one of the easiest cars to drive smooth, as soon as I got in, that I've ever driven.
 
I also went into the test drive intending to test it's low-engine speed smoothness. I had heard about it's legendary low-end torque, and I wanted to see if I could leave it in 4th and 5th at 1000rpms and see if the engine stumbled, or just pulled cleanly.
 
Again and again I tested it, and again and again it remained velvety smooth and pulled right up. Awesome feeling.
 
The whole time it sounded great too....it has a valve in it's exhaust that opens up under heavier throttle, allowing more sound to be created and more sound to enter the cabin. I thought it sounded wonderful, but some people prefer different sounds.
 
I can't speak for the automatic. BMW owners are absolutely raving about it, and they are a picky lot who tend to be whiny about their creature comforts, so I don't know what's going on there...
 
Maybe you were in sport mode and that's how it shifts then? I've heard there is a tremendous difference between D and Sport...
 
Joe

Joe, nope, I was in Drive, Sport just made things worse and made the early downshifts when coming to a stop truly maddening with even more inconsistent amounts of engine braking as the tranny noticeably downshifted gear-by-gear. Tranny also didn't unlock the torque converter on throttle liftfoot (unlike virtually every other auto trans car) so lifting off throttle made the car lurch due to the engine braking. Drive the 335i around town for a day and you'll see exactly what I mean (especially back to back with the CTS, and just sedate, everyday driving, not actively trying to test the car). And capably starting off in 4th or 5th gear has absolutely nothing to do with NVH, that's purely a function of torque; the 335i even in 1st has noticeable vibration (especially through the steering wheel) both at idle and in stop-and-go traffic -- it is in no way as smooth as the prior normally aspirated 3.0. Regardless, at low RPM's, either CTS engine is dramatically smoother than either BMW engine.