2015 Cadillac CTS Best Buy
IT’S A BEST BUY BECAUSE:

The CTS delivers sporty moves, a refined driving environment, and all the latest features for thousands less than its German competitors.

BUT…

Rear-seat room and particularly egress could be better, the rear seat back doesn’t fold for more cargo room, and Cadillac’s CUE infotainment system – never one of our favorites due to its complexity – is standard.

WORTH NOTING:

With three available engines and good selection of trim levels, the CTS lineup offers models to fit a broad range of luxury-car tastes and budgets.

WHAT IS IT?

The CTS is a sporty, premium midsize sedan that competes against German rivals such as the BMW 5-Series and Mercedes E-Class. It is available in rear- and all-wheel-drive versions with three engine choices: a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder, a 3.6-liter V6, and a turbocharged 3.6-liter V6.

WHAT’S NEW?

CTS sees a number of updates for 2015 after its redesign last year. A revised grille with a new-design Cadillac crest freshens the front-end styling. The OnStar communication system adds 4G LTE Internet connectivity with a built-in Wi-Fi hotspot, and the CUE touchscreen system gains integrated Text Message Alerts. The optional Driver Awareness package now includes lane keep assist and lane-change safety alert, and the available Automatic Parking Assist feature now includes perpendicular parking functionality in addition to parallel parking.

FUEL ECONOMY

The base turbocharged 2.0-liter four nets an EPA rating of 20 city/30 highway in rear-drive form, and 19/28 with all-wheel drive. The “step-up” 3.6-liter V6 comes in at 18/29 with rear-wheel drive, and 18/26 with AWD. The line-topping turbocharged 3.6-liter V6 (which is available only with rear-wheel drive) is EPA rated at 16/24, and is the only engine that requires premium-grade fuel. In Consumer Guide® testing, a CTS 2.0T Performance model averaged 18.8 mpg in mostly city driving.

VALUE IN CLASS

With its redesign for 2014, the CTS moved up in size, prestige, and price. Though it now competes more directly with BMW and Mercedes-Benz rivals, it still costs less comparably equipped. It’s also entertaining to drive and luxuriously appointed, making it an attractive value in the premium-midsize class.

BASE PRICE RANGE $45,345 – $69,340
BODY STYLES 4-DOOR SEDAN
AVAILABLE ENGINES 272-HP, TURBOCHARGED 2.0-LITER 4-CYL.; 321-HP, 3.6-LITER V6;
420-HP, TURBOCHARGED 3.6-LITER V6
DRIVE WHEELS Rear or All-Wheel Drive
BUILT IN USA
EPA FUEL-ECONOMY RANGE 16-30 MPG

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