2009 Cadillac CTS drives for performance, luxury
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Some vehicles are performance cars and some are luxury cars, but with its chiseled good looks, world class interior and a 3.6-liter V-6 that cranks out 304 horsepower, the 2009 Cadillac CTS is both. For 2009, Cadillac has placed this sedan into rarified air, a place occupied by the finest European vehicles on the market. Make no mistake, the CTS is one fine American car.
New for 2009 is the CTS-V — which is pretty much a CTS on steroids. The CTS-V is a super car that can go from zero to 60 before you can count to four. It takes 550-plus horsepower and an equal amount of torque to make that happen, and if you ask me, the CTS-V is in a class by itself.
The regular CTS (it doesn’t’ seem right to use the words “regular CTS”) was named Motor Trend’s 2008 Car of the Year, and the new model only improves things.
While performance begins under the hood, the luxury stars inside. The CTS interior features a hand-crafted “cut-and-sew” process in which craftsmen cover components like the instrument panel, center console and door trim by hand. The dual cockpit design of the CTS is dramatically illuminated by more than a dozen different ambient light sources, giving the interior a soft, clean look.
Dual climate controls, as well as dual controls for the heated and ventilated seats, are located conveniently for the driver as well as passenger, features that were warmly received by my wife. The optional UltraView double sunroof spans both the front and back seats, making the interior seem large and open.
GM paid particular attention to sounds that entered the cabin during development of the CTS, and used body sealing and insulation as well as exterior modifications to deaden sound. The windshield glass is installed without visible rubber seals and joints, the dual tailpipes have been modified and the doors are triple sealed. The result is a super quiet, pin-drop kind of ride.
Outside the car, the large Cadillac logo and sculpted fenders leave no doubt: this car is as Cadillac as you can get. Air vents on the side are interesting, but I don’t really think they add that much to the overall appeal.
The CTS is powered by a standard 3.6-liter V-6 that produces 263 horsepower, but a direct injection version boosts the horsepower to 304. All CTS engines are paired with six-speed automatic transmissions. The base CTS is rear-wheel drive, and all-wheel drive is available.
On the road, the CTS was tight and well-mannered. While some may still picture Cadillac vehicles as land yachts that are about as nimble as the Queen Mary, such is not the case with the CTS. With limited body roll even in sharp turns, the sedan performed more like a sports car.
The CTS delivers 17 miles per gallon in city driving and a respectable 26 mpg on the highway. The car gets four stars in the government’s frontal crash tests for the driver and passenger, and five stars for all passengers in side crash tests.
Base price of the 2009 CTS performance sedan is $37,080. If you want the car totally decked out, expect the sticker to be about $10,000 more.
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