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Video: 2012 Cadillac CTS

02:52 min
By Cars.com Editors
May 29, 2012

About the video

Now in its fifth model year, the Cadillac CTS has held up well compared to other entries in the midsize luxury sedan segment, according to Cars.com editor Mike Hanley. The CTS has a great interior and a refined feeling ride, says Hanley.

Transcript

(upbeat music) <v Announcer>Cars.com auto review. (upbeat music) Hi, I'm Mike Hanley with cars.com.
The Cadillac CTS is the car that started the brand's design transformation, and the second generation model furthered it's pushed into the sport sedan segment. That's the car we have here, and it's in its fifth model year, but it's still a good choice for luxury shoppers looking for distinctive design and a premium interior. (upbeat music) The first generation CTS put Cadillac on a new styling direction with its creased, angrier looks. And the design continues in the second generation car, but it doesn't seem as forced now. Changes for 2012 include modifications to Cadillac's shield grill, but they're pretty subtle overall and are limited to the egg crate portion of it. And available features include high intensity discharge headlights, and a center mounted brake light that looks like a small spoiler. (upbeat music) The CTS is offered with a choice of V6 engines, and this one has the larger of the two. It's a 3.6 liter V6, and it makes more power for the 2012 model year. It's now rated at 318 horsepower. It gets some changes to its internals, including lighter connecting rods, larger intake valves. And it still gets 18 miles per gallon on the city, 27 on the highway with the automatic transmission. For a design that's been out five years, the CTS interior has held up remarkably well, and it's still competitive in this class. There's a consistency to the materials that you don't always see. And there are some neat available features like a pop-up navigation screen integrated into the dashboard. The CTS is also available with a new Touring package that brings some of the features of the performance oriented CTS-V to this non V model. And that includes suede on the steering wheel and the gear selector, and these performance Recaro sport seats that have adjustable side bolsters to grip you tightly in corners. (upbeat music) The cabin is snug overall, but it's especially evident when you get in the back seat. First of all, it's tough just to get back here because of the small door opening. And once you're situated, there's not a lot of extra space, both in terms of leg room and head room. Even the new BMW 3 Series has a larger backseat. The trunk measures 13.6 cubic feet, and the space is nicely shaped. Not a lot of intrusion. Also the struts don't intrude either into your luggage. You can get a folding back seat in this car, but not with the Touring package. And one other thing is it has probably the nicest rim on a spare tire wheel we've ever seen. The CTS hits on most of the themes it needs to in the luxury segment, with its distinctive design, premium interior, and refined 3.6 liter drive train. But if you're looking for the ultimate in handling in this segment, the BMW 5 Series still remains the one to beat. (engine humming) <v Announcer>For more car related news, go to cars.com or our blog, kickingtires.net.

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