2014 Cadillac CTS

Specifications

1. Three engines will be available, a 272 hp 2.0 L turbocharged four-cylinder, a 321 hp 3.6 L V6 and a twin-turbo 3.6 L V6 making 420 hp. 2. A six-speed automatic or all-new eight-speed automatic are available. 3. The CTS 2.0T should achieve 20 mpg city and 30 mpg highway while the Vsport is rated at 17 mpg city and 25 mpg highway. 4. The CTS will begin at just over $46,000, while the CTS Vsport should start under $60,000

Preview

And for the past decade the CTS has soldiered on redefining people’s perception of Cadillac, straddling the line between the compact and midsize luxury classes. But now, entering its third generation, the CTS can finally become the proper mid-size luxury sedan it was always meant to be thanks to last year’s introduction of the smaller ATS.

Exterior

Sporting a 1.2-inch longer wheelbase, the 2014 CTS is now five-inches longer than the 2013 model. This extended length, combined with a lower roofline and lower cowl, give the third generation CTS a more purposeful looking stance. The CTS has always been about style and the new model has it in spades – though with fewer controversial angles.

The front end has an elegant, modern, yet ‘old school’ luxury look that may be the defining moment in the evolution of Cadillac’s Art and Science design theme. Head-on, it’s instantaneously recognizable thanks to the dual vertical LED strips that give the car a serious dose of road presence. In total, 198 LEDs light up the road ahead.

The back end is a little less unique and features more than a few styling cues from its big-brother XTS. All CTS models get dual slant-rectangle exhaust finishers and a choice of 17, 18 or 19-inch wheels. The underbody has several flat panels bolted on to help with aerodynamics and allow a drag coefficient of just 0.29 for all models.

Interior

Eight different interior combinations will be available in the new CTS as well as all the latest technologies like CUE, a heated steering wheel, heated and cooled front seats, a 12.3-inch configurable LCD gauge cluster display, a choice of Bose audio systems and an over-engineered motorized cup holder lid.

Cadillac expects the base CTS to achieve 20 mpg city and 30 mpg highway while the Vsport is rated at 17 mpg city and 25 mpg highway. With the CTS moving upmarket, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that pricing has been increased. It will begin at $46,025, while the CTS Vsport starts at $59,995 including the destination fee.Much like the smaller ATS it’s based on, the new CTS is tight inside. With only 35.4-inches of rear legroom and a 13.7 cu-ft trunk, it offers less space in both categories than all of its rivals. Despite these numbers, legroom turns out to be more than enough when sitting in the backseat, but it is headroom that is actually lacking.

Under The Hood

Taking advantage of this slippery shape are three available engines. For the first time ever, a 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder can be found under the hood of the CTS, delivering a healthy 272 hp. Still available will be the carryover 321 hp 3.6 L V6 found in last year’s model. But the big news for 2014 is an all-new 3.6L twin-turbo V6 producing a hearty 420 hp and 430 lb-ft of torque. This engine will be found exclusively in Vsport models of the CTS, which is not to be confused with the performance special CTS-V. That model should arrive later on and make even more power.

It reminds us a lot of BMWs eight-speed automatic in its ability to seamlessly transition between sedate and spirited driving modes. It’s much more responsive than either the Mercedes or Infiniti seven speed automatics, but obviously can’t quite perform as well asAudi’s two-clutch seven-speed unit.All four-cylinder models as well as all-wheel drive V6 models will use an update version of the six-speed automatic transmission. Rear-wheel drive V6 CTS’s and the twin-turbo Vsport will get an all-new new eight-speed automatic. This transmission is a fantastic unit, delivering quick upshifts and downshifts.

Cadillac has gone on a weight savings spree, cutting mass from every possible corner of the new car. The manufacturer boasts the base RWD CTS will be the segment’s lightest car at 3,616 lbs and a comparable BMW 550i will be 300 lbs. heavier than the CTS Vsport.

The new model is built on a stretched version of the ATS’s platform, a car known for its driving dynamics. Cadillac wants the new CTS to be one of the best performance vehicles in the class and all models, even the base ones, come equipped with Brembo brakes and the option of Cadillac’s Magnetic Ride Control.