2008 Cadillac CTS: Another View of the Cockpit

That is a serious sill anchor for the B pillar.

And I'm shocked to hear that a Cadillac is able to comfortably accommodate large people. :-)

The CTS is not roomy at all if you're tall. I wanted a CTS when they came out. But despite the CTS being a fairly big car, it was much smaller inside than a 3-series BMW in terms of height. I'm 6'6" and I don't fit into all cars ... it goes with the territory. But this is the first large-ish car that I simply can't even get into.

So it fits short 300lb guys? Great.

;p

Bimmerjay - good call on the b-pillar. I actually always feel like thick b-pillars are good for safety, whether or not I'm right I don't know :)

Joe

P.s. I went to test drive a 2002 BMW 530i 5-speed, sport package last night. I'm 5'10, ~185 pounds with somewhat wider shoulders for my height. Those seats cuddled me nicely, but I can see someone 20 pounds heavier or inches wider having a hard time.

So BMW obviously should realign their marketing campaign. "The Ultimate Diet Machine. Otherwise, Go Buy a Cadillac. We Don't Need Your American Body."

Your friend needs to at least take a look at the Hyundai Genesis, which meets all three points. I drove the Genesis and a 2008 CTS at a drive event, and after driving the Genesis the CTS felt claustrophobic. The CTS also felt very American in a not necessarily good way.

I'm not into luxury cars but I really like the CTS. I like it's American character much more then the bland feel of Japanese luxury cars or the cold distant feel of German cars.

Maybe what I like the most is it totally lacks the stigma of the "look what I bought to impress my neighbours" German luxury cars. No matter how good a BMW, Audi or MB is, most people will think you bought it to show off how much money you have.

One of the few premium cars that are actually cool.

Now I understand why American car seats are designed with no shoulders.
American cars only.

Although for aesthetics' sake, the new 2009 Dodge Ram is designed with shoulders on the seats. Here's to hoping the Dodge Ram can still accomodate 300 lb wide Americans.

Most "wide" Americans I see would not have a problem with the width at the shoulder level.

But then the 300lb body buider mentioned in the blog is likely not a typical American.

Oh. I misread. I did not take note that those are 300 lb wide deltoids, not 300 lb wide external obliques.

In that case cheers to the CTSes at 24 Hour Fitness parking lots.
The implication that BMW 3-series drivers are skinny weaklings saddens me. What a turn off. Hot women take note.

@billt9

you can be a small but very fit person! it's all about the density :)

300 lb bodybuilder????????? He must be 7 feet tall.

"Even though materials quality falls short of any BMW, there's no denying this is an elegant cabin."

Erin - could you please cite some examples where a BMW 1-series (you said ANY) interior component material quality is better than the CTS' (besides the window switches - we know that one)?

I think the materials quality of the CTS cabin is better than the 5-series overall. Certainly a more stylish design too.

I dunno, maybe I just don't get it, but I have not been impressed with BMW interiors lately. Their older models all seem to have nicer interiors than their latest models. I sat in the new M3, and the first thing that crossed my mind was this interior does NOT look like anything anywhere near what a $55k+ car should look like. I wouldn't say it looked cheap, but one notch above cheap.

If you want to benchmark interiors, Audi, Jaguar, and some Mercedes are the ones you want to use - not BMW interiors.

"Erin - could you please cite some examples where a BMW 1-series (you said ANY) interior component material quality is better than the CTS' (besides the window switches - we know that one)?"

The trim on the steering wheel hub and the doortops in the CTS is rough and rubbery to the touch, and for some reason, I always find myself putting my hands there.

Although I don't like everything about our 135i's interior, nothing in it strikes me as outright objectionable, except for maybe the leatherette upholstery. Remember, though, I'm speaking for myself, not the whole Edmunds/IL staff.