Cadillac CTS

Until the arrival of the CTS in 2003, the sharply tailored 1976 Cadillac Seville was Cadillac’s smallest sedan — and its most expensive. Arguably, it could be called a modern-day classic, but Cadillac’s subsequent attempts at small entry-level models have not been as well received: The 1982 Cimarron (based on the humble Chevrolet Cavalier) and 1997 Catera (a tweaked Opel Omega from Germany) are probably best forgotten. For 2003, the new CTS’ design targeted well-established rivals like the BMW 3 Series with sharp-edged styling that caught people’s attention. Its interior quality, appearance and ergonomics, however, disappointed. A more refined second-generation CTS sedan was introduced in 2008, with a stylish wagon and a slippery two-door coupe eventually rounding out the lineup. The third-generation Cadillac CTS arrived as a 2014 model, available only as a sedan. It evolved into a larger, more expensive car since Cadillac’s ATS assumed the brand’s entry-level position. The CTS was replaced for the 2020 model year by a new, similarly sized (and similarly named) sedan dubbed the CT5.