2011 Cadillac CTS Expert Review
Reviewed by Staff Writer
The 2011 Cadillac CTS continues to be the Standard of General Motors, if not quite the Standard of the World yet. The 2008 redesign continues to dazzle with its crisp, sharp lines and aggressive stance. Premium powertrains and a brilliant chassis put the CTS on par with the best the Europeans have to offer.
Only two years off its latest redesign, the 2011 CTS carries on with only minor changes to the sedan bodystyle which, more importantly, is no longer the only bodystyle. New for this year is the CTS Sport Wagon, a European-style wagon offering considerably more cargo space without sacrificing the car's taut, muscular body. What's more, Cadillac will offer a high-performance V-Series variant of the Sport Wagon as well in 2011, along with a new Coupe bodystyle and its own V-Series variant.
For all its strengths, the CTS is not infallible. That sleek roofline makes rear seat entry and egress more challenging and the interior isn't as roomy as it could be. While a bevy of standard features are appreciated and the pop-up navigation screen continues to delight, the CTS is on the heavy side and it scores only average fuel economy. Despite a power gap nearly as large as the base engine's power output, Cadillac still does not offer an engine choice between the premium V-6 and the high-performance supercharged V-8.
Bodystyles: Sedan, WagonEngines: 3.0L V-6, 3.6L V-6, 6.2L V-8Transmissions: 6-speed manual, 6-speed automaticModels: Base, Luxury, Performance, Premium, CTS-V
For 2011 the Cadillac CTS adds a new bodystyle to its repertoire, the CTS Coupe. Otherwise identical to the CTS Sport Sedan and Sport Wagon, the Coupe bodystyle gives the CTS a more aggressive appearance and another angle of attack on the German standard bearers. A heated steering wheel and rear vision camera are now standard on all models.
The second-generation 2011 Cadillac CTS stands toe-to-toe with Europe's best-looking sedans. The Coupe model joins the sedan and wagon models and all models get a new 19-inch wheel design and new fender vents.
Like the exterior, the 2008 redesign stepped up the interior appointments of the CTS. In addition to premium materials, standard amenities on all but the lowest model include automatic climate control, heated power seats and a premium stereo.
GM is beginning to phase out the 270 horsepower, 3.0-liter V-6, which is just as well as it struggles with the CTS' weight. The 304 horsepower, 3.6-liter V-6 is the real ticket, offering a comfortable balance of performance and refinement. If beating on Mercedes-Benz AMGs and BMW Ms is your game, the high-performance, 556-horsepower CTS-V is ready to take on all comers and will be available for all body styles later this year.
Driver and passenger front and side airbags are standard on the CTS, along with front and rear head curtain bags and rear side airbags. OnStar Automatic Crash Response is also standard. Electronic safety devices include standard Traction Control and Stability Control.
V-6 RWD: 18 mpg city/27 mpg highway V-6 AWD: 16 mpg city/26 mpg highwayCTS-V: 14 mpg city/19 mpg highway (manual); 12 mpg city/18 mpg highway (automatic)
- Luxurious interior
- Supple ride
- Sporty handling
- Pop-up nav screen
- Great looks
- Smallish back seat
- Hard seats
- Heavy for the class
- Average fuel economy
Standard of the World? Almost
- BMW 5 Series
- Mercedes-Benz E-Class
- Jaguar XF
- Audi A6
