NHman

I currently drive a MY07 Lexus IS350. While it has been reliable and fun to drive, I simply need a car with more interior space. Looking at some of my options (5-series, G35, etc), the Cadillac CTS is also a consideration. While this is an Audi forum, it is not uncommon for posters to own or evaluated other brands. If anybody owns or has test driven the CTS, I would like to receive your opinion.

BTW, the current A4/S4 is too small for my needs and the dealers are already asking MSRP or near to it for the B8 models. The A6 is nice but just not for me.




Regards,
NHman

MililaniTT

I wanted a fast sedan due to a serious case of "leadfootitis" which worsened while owning a large American SUV. Determined to find the cure at a max price of $60k I unfortunately had to rule out Audi. I like the A6 but it doesn't come close to the performance of others in the segment, including the 4.2L version. I briefly flirted with an S4 Avant but it's too small for my taste and the awful mpg and old navigation layout didn't help.

I NEVER thought I would consider a Cadillac but the more I read about it and after seeing a few in person I added it to my short list along with a Lexus GS and BMW 535i.

I drove the Cadillac first. Living in a warm climate the first thing I fell in love with was the cooled seats - amazing! The handling was very good but just shy of great. The ride was very nice and handled bumps and potholes well. The CTS has a boatload of tech features that were very cool and would make daily commutes much less painful. I really like the look of the new design but it was a little cramped getting in and out compared to the Lexus and BMW. What made me nervous was the quality of the interior. It looked very nice, the nicest I've seen on an American car but after a short while I started seeing flaws that I'm sure will be emphasized over time. Things like the pop-up touch screen creaking when pushed against, the door handle having a little wiggle/squeak when pulled and the center console painted plastic that didn't look like it would hold up to scratches and scrapes. It didn't help that the salesperson couldn't get the touch screen to turn on and while showing me how amazing the voice commands were couldn't get it to recognize a single command after 10 minutes of trying. He insisted that we go get in the sales manager's car to show me the screen and voice controls. That's where my fears about the interior were confirmed. The dashboard had obvious scratches in the painted trim and other items felt loose and rattly. I was still considering the CTS until he showed me that car. In summary, it's a huge leap forward for GM but huge leaps behind Audi and other quality brands.

My next stop was to Lexus. I'll keep this short. I really like the looks of the GS line. It too has several very cool tech features but I would say the Cadillac beat it in that category. After driving it I felt it would be sufficient but it didn't overwhelm me. The 0-60 numbers are good but it sure didn't feel like it was capable of doing that based on my test drive. It also wasn't as quiet as other Lexus' I've been in. It didn't help that the dealership wanted $1,000/month on a 36 month lease with $5,000 down - non negotiable. That's rape even by Hawaii standards where you only have one dealership to chose from. I said no thank you.

I hate to admit it but the 535i was actually my third choice and I probably wouldn't have driven it if Lexus was more reasonable on the lease. BMW's are like Honda's on Oahu which is one reason I've always like Audi's. I've never been impressed with BMW interiors having owned two Audi's in the past. The salesman took me out in a 535i sport - he should win a Nobel Peace Prize. He "forced" me to drive it like I stole it. He had me racing around S-turns, flooring it from stop signs, doing hard braking maneuvers, pushing the car to the limits of the stability control, etc. I've never had a test drive like that. It cornered like no other car I've driven. The acceleration and instant power from the twin turbo V6 was stunning, almost scary at times. After a one-hour test drive I couldn't even remember the CTS or GS! Sold. I ended up with a well-equipped 535i sport for about $62k and I'm having the most fun I've ever had driving a car. It's so much faster and better handling than my wife's 3.2L TT.

At the same time I got her a Q7 3.6 so we're still keeping our family Audi tradition alive. In a summary: the CTS is nice but it needs some more work to compete with the big boys.

P.S. you'll probably get more responses asking this question in the off-topic forum. Good luck!

Mozart

I traded my Mercedes E500 for CTS 7 months ago, and I love the car. the steering and handling are great. the power is good (of course less than the V8 E500). the interior is great and the electronics are years ahead of what I have on my Q7 in every aspect from the NAV to the tivo like radio, the only draw back, it doesn't support bluetooth!!. so I had to add a phone line from OnStar.
I highly recommend the CTS, and make sure you test drive the one with the performance package and the direct injection engine.
and hey, it takes regular gas.

AutoUnionQ7

Isn't that the same with every American car? Build quality blows

ArchAudi

stop. It is a testament that few cars made today for the price can match an American car. Nothing works but it still runs. On our Audis, any number of failures can leave us stranded. Something to think about.

MililaniTT

about fit, finish and quality of materials. If I'm spending $48k for a CTS I want it to look and feel like it's put together with quality materials and with high standards. While the CTS is a huge leap forward it is still many leaps behind Audi, BMW, Lexus and others that it's targeting.

American car manufacturers love to cut corners where they think most people won't notice when buying the car but then 6 months later your headliner is sagging, plastic interior pieces crack, your door handles squeak and your center console is all scratched. After 2 years your interior looks like crap. In my case, my fears were realized when the salesman foolishly took me to sit in the sales manager's CTS with 5,000 miles on it and the interior was what I expected.

NHman

One was with the base engine and suspension (FE1). The other had the DI engine and FE2 suspension. Both were AWD. Strangely enough, I didn't find a lot of separation between the engines in terms of power. Perhaps the DI wasn't running at 100%. I wish that it had front sensors and a backup camera. Bluetooth is now standard on most models. Otherwise it does have available most of the bells-n-whistles.

I have heard that it will take regular gas but is premium (91 octane) the preferred type?

How do you like the seats? I have read on some other forums that this is a weak area.



Regards,
NHman

NHman

I am looking at the same group of vehicles and have dropped both the A6 and S4 for the same reasons.

It is increasing difficult to find a RWD version of any of the vehicles (GS, CTS or 535) here in the Northeast. Most dealers now want a non-refundable security deposit on ordered vehicles (including BMW). The other area where it hurts is resale. While RWD vehicles might be attractive in southern states, around here, it has become a liability. Therefore for the first time in 7 years, I am considering AWD over RWD.

The 535xi would be my first choice. I love the powertrain, power with reasonable fuel economy. The dash layout could/should be better. Sorry but I preferred the layout of the previous (E39) model. I have owned two 5-series and have found the service to be first rate.

I was pleasantly surprised by the overall execution of the CTS. In the current issue of Roundel (BMW club magazine), they compare the CTS4 with the DI engine to the 535xi. In general they picked the 535xi but with an asterisk. The catch, is it worth $16k more than the CTS? I understand this is a personal decision. I just went through the same thought process with my wife's Q7 comparing it to the Acura MDX.

Thank you for your feedback.



Regards,
NHman

MililaniTT

I found the seats very comfortable, the ventilation worked amazingly well since I tested it on a hot day. It put the GS seat ventilation to shame. The only thing I didn't like was that my knees hit the center console but if I had spent more time in the car I might have been able to find a better position. The overall space where your legs are feels smaller in every seat in the CTS compared to the Lexus and BMW. Getting into the back seat is more of a challenge too.

All of the media I've read said that regular gas was standard and that premium did nothing for performance or fuel economy. Point goes to the CTS.

The car I drove had the DI engine and FE2 suspension. Handling was very nice and engine felt "torquey".

I was surprised too that for all of the tech features that it didn't have a camera or Bluetooth. Those wouldn't have been deal breakers for me though but I was especially surprised about the Bluetooth.

That being said, after I test drove the 535i I couldn't even consider the CTS. If you don't want to spend the extra money, DON'T test drive the BMW - I was addicted after 10 minutes. Corners on rails, no lean with sport suspension, unbelievable power, the most comfortable seats I've ever sat in (20-way adjustable), etc......

MililaniTT

I agree on the dash. I've always thought BMW dash designs were boring and dated but now that I've spent time in it I actually find it to be very clean and uncluttered compared to Audi, Lexus and the CTS. The latest version of iDrive is much better but doesn't offer the same amount of customizable options as Audi's MMI in the Q7. On a scale of 10 I would give MMI a 9 and the current iDrive a 7.

There are now 6 programmable buttons on the dash which you can setup to do anything from call home, switch to your ipod, navigate your way home, etc. I love this feature and with Audi had it. The sport package shifter is great once you get used to it and the "Sport" button puts the car in another dimension - hold on!

I'm not a BMW fanboi, this is my first one after three Audi's and after this lease is up if Audi has a comparable sedan I would go back. I've just been very impressed from day one of ownership and I can't get over the power and handling.

As for the price difference it really does come down to the individual and what you value. If you're looking to buy and keep the car for a while I would skip the CTS but that's my opinion based on what I saw. I was leasing so I knew either way I would be out of the car within three years but I still went with the 535i based on my test drives of both. The CTS I wanted came to about $49k while the BMW was $61k. This came to about $150 more per month on a 36 month lease. Worth every penny to me.

I fault no one for buying a CTS. It's a very competent car and probably the best American car I've driven on many different levels.

Side note: one of the reasons I took the Lexus GS out of the running is because 90% of the people driving them in Hawaii are over 70 years old - at 36 I'm not ready to join that club yet. Ironically my wife pleaded with me not to buy the CTS claiming "Only old men drive Cadillacs". That's a stigma I know they're trying to break but it's still out there.