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2012 Cadillac CTS Sedan
Highlights Review
(See Also: "How To Get The Best Price On A New Cadillac")
The CTS has been a significant success as one of Cadillac's key components in their shift to more athletic and edgier-designed vehicles. The 2012 model is likely to maintain its place among the top midsize luxury sedans thanks to its European-like road manners, roomy and refined cabin, abundance of available high-tech goodies and distinctive good looks.
There's just no doubt that the CTS's road prowess is more agile and more confident than a Cadillac sedan has ever been before. And not sitting on its laurels, new this year is an upgraded 3.6-liter V6 engine that pumps out a robust 318 horsepower, making it one of the more powerful selections in its class.
Also new for 2012 are active front head restraints, standard Bluetooth, a revised front grill and new options that include a heated steering wheel and automatic wipers.
Trims, Standard Features And Options:
The 2012 Cadillac CTS is a 5-passenger luxury sedan offered in four trims: 3.0 base, 3.0 Luxury, 3.6 Performance and 3.6 Premium. (The CTS-V, Coupe and Sport Wagon will be reviewed separately.)
Standard features on the 3.0 base include full power accessories, leatherette premium vinyl upholstery, an 8-way power driver seat, cruise control, keyless entry, dual-zone automatic climate control, heated mirrors, Bluetooth, OnStar (with hands-free calling), automatic headlights, an auto dimming rearview mirror, 17-inch painted alloy wheels, a tilt/telescoping steering wheel, vehicle anti-theft with engine immobilizer, halogen headlights, steering-wheel mounted feature controls, voice activated phone and wireless device controls, a tire pressure monitor, a trip computer, a leather steering wheel and an 8-speaker Bose audio system with satellite radio, a CD player, an MP3 player, an equalizer, a subwoofer and a front auxiliary audio jack.
Moving up to the 3.0 Luxury trim adds leather upholstery, heated 8-way power front seats, remote ignition, a rearview camera, a wood-trimmed steering wheel, driver memory settings, additional sound insulation, interior accent lighting and a 6-CD changer.
Also available is an optional 18-inch All-Season Tire Performance package which adds, surprisingly enough, 18-inch wheels, a sport-tuned suspension (FE2), foglights and xenon headlights. The Touring package adds these items along with a dual exhaust system, a sport grille and unique interior trim accents.
The 3.6 Performance model goes on to add a more powerful engine, the All-Season Tire Performance package, remote ignition and a 10-speaker Bose surround-sound system with digital music storage and an iPod/USB audio interface. The available Luxury Level Two package for the Performance model adds whatever is left from the 3.0 Luxury package, plus keyless entry/ignition, heated and ventilated front seats, a power-adjustable steering wheel, rear parking sensors, a cabin deodorizer and a split-folding rear seat.
The top-of-the-line 3.6 Premium comes with all the above, plus a panoramic sunroof (optional on the other models), navigation (available on all but the base model) with a pop-up touchscreen and a heated steering wheel.
Also available for the 3.6 Premium is the 19-inch Summer Tire Performance package which adds, in addition to the 19-inch wheels, summer tires, a still sportier suspension (FE3), transmission shift paddles, upgraded brakes and a limited-slip differential. There's also a Touring package for the 3.6 which also features Recaro front seats.
Engines, Powertrain And Gas Mileage:
Under the hood of the 3.0 models is a 3.0-liter V6 engine that's good for 265 horsepower and 220 pound-feet of torque. If one adds on the Touring package, its dual exhaust system ups output to 270 horses and 223 pound-feet. All 2012 CTS models come standard with rear-wheel drive, while all-wheel drive is optional.
The rear-wheel-drive models are equipped with a standard 6-speed manual or an optional 6-speed automatic. All-wheel drive models come only with the 6-speed automatic. Gas mileage for a rear-wheel drive automatic 3.0 CTS is an EPA-estimated 18 mpg city and 27 mpg on the highway. Fuel economy for the manual comes in at 16 mpg city and 26 highway, while gas mileage for the all-wheel drive is 18 and 26, respectively.
Powering the CTS 3.6 models is a 3.6-liter V6 that outputs 318 horsepower and 275 lb-ft of torque. Like the 3.0 models, rear-wheel drive is standard and all-wheel drive is optional. However, all 3.6 models come with the 6-speed automatic transmissiom.
The EPA-estimated gas mileage for the 3.6 engine comes in the same as the 3.0 with rear-drive (18 city, 27 highway). And this is for both the rear-wheel or all-wheel drive models despite the significant boost in power.
Safety:
Standard safety features for all 2012 Cadillac CTS models include stability and traction control, antilock disc brakes (ABS), front-seat side airbags, active front head restraints, full-length side curtain airbags and OnStar's emergency communications system.
Government crash tests for the 2012 model had not yet been completed at the time of this writing. However, the 2011 CTS earned five out of five stars for side-impact occupant protection and four stars for frontal-impact protection.
Interior:
The 2012 Cadillac CTS's cabin is attractively designed, refined and well-contructed with high quality materials. The wood trim accents and plenty of soft-touch surfaces add to the upscale ambience. It should also be noted that the optional navigation is cleverly designed to eliminate the need for a separate control panel. It rises and retracts from the dash, but leaves a small section visible as a touchscreen display for the stereo system.
The interior is also roomier than most midsize luxury sedans and the seating is supportive and comfortable. That said, there are some flaws. Some find that the driver seat is mounted too low and that the broad center stack infringes on knee room for taller occupants. Some also may find the seatbacks on the stiff side. The rear pillars also reduce the driver's rearward visibility.
While the narrow trunk opening may require some jostling of larger items at times, the overall cargo capacity of 13.6 cubic feet is respectable. Golfers should note that their clubs will fit diagonally as opposed to width-wise, which isn't the most efficient use of the space.
Drive:
The 2012 Cadillac CTS really shines on the road due to its very capable athleticism and robust power. It's steering is well-weighted and precise making for European-like fun around curves and on those back twisty roads.
Potential buyers should remember, however, that this is not your father's Cadillac with its famous smooth and cushy ride. Its sport-based suspension results, of necessity, in a firmer quality ride. Some may find that the ride of the Performance models is just too firm. What's more, the still firmer optional sport suspension can be downright harsh. Potential buyers should bear in mind that there is a tradeoff for all that athleticism.
It should also be noted that the 3.6 engine provides significantly more power while getting the same gas mileage ... a tempting upgrade if it's in the budget.
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