First Drive: 2008 Cadillac CTS - Edmunds

[Intrepidation]

Ready To Compete on a World Stage

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drive...photopanel..1.*

First Impressions:

Even on the demanding environment of the Nürburgring, the well-sorted chassis of the 2008 Cadillac CTS is sure-footed — fun even. An improved cockpit provides a much nicer place to work.

Edited July 26, 2007 by Dodgefan

[ZL-1]

Lovely photo! My new wallpaper at the office :AH-HA_wink: Edited July 26, 2007 by ZL-1

[RJB]

"While the 2008 Cadillac CTS isn't likely to surpass the established Germanic thoroughbreds, it has grown into a more capable car with a vastly improved interior. Best of all, its well-sorted chassis doesn't fall to its knees when pushed hard."

They are already setting this car up for failure??!! What a bunch of a$$holes!!!! This is just their opinion, wait until the rest of the media's articles come out, I bet it will get much better reviews even though overall they liked it. But why take a stab right at the end of the article? I'm really starting to not like Edmunds more and more, they are becoming the consumer reports of online sites.

By the way ZL-1 can you help out with the pic, I would like to make it my wallpaper as well. Yeah I know I'm a copycat...LOL!

Edited July 26, 2007 by RJB

[ZL-1]

"While the 2008 Cadillac CTS isn't likely to surpass the established Germanic thoroughbreds, it has grown into a more capable car with a vastly improved interior. Best of all, its well-sorted chassis doesn't fall to its knees when pushed hard."

They are already setting this car up for failure??!! What a bunch of a$$holes!!!! This is just their opinion, wait until the rest of the media's articles come out, I bet it will get much better reviews even though overall they liked it. But why take a stab right at the end of the article? I'm really starting to not like Edmunds more and more, they are becoming the consumer reports of online sites.

IMHO it depends on how GM promotes the CTS, more so than the actual driving dynamics of the CTS. It will not drive as well as a 3-series, which is smaller and lighter, but it can very well be better than the 5-series (which unusually for BMW seems to be a worse driver than the previous gen).

By the way ZL-1 can you help out with the pic, I would like to make it my wallpaper as well. Yeah I know I'm a copycat...LOL!

LOL, it is a nice pic: the car looks great in silver! Right click and pick the 'Set as background' or a similar option. Edited July 26, 2007 by ZL-1

[enzl]

"While the 2008 Cadillac CTS isn't likely to surpass the established Germanic thoroughbreds, it has grown into a more capable car with a vastly improved interior. Best of all, its well-sorted chassis doesn't fall to its knees when pushed hard."

They are already setting this car up for failure??!! What a bunch of a$$holes!!!! This is just their opinion, wait until the rest of the media's articles come out, I bet it will get much better reviews even though overall they liked it. But why take a stab right at the end of the article? I'm really starting to not like Edmunds more and more, they are becoming the consumer reports of online sites.

By the way ZL-1 can you help out with the pic, I would like to make it my wallpaper as well. Yeah I know I'm a copycat...LOL!

It's basically a great review...one sentence and it kills it for you?

I think you're looking for the 'media bias' monster in too many places.

The CTS looks like a huge winner...now if GM can get the derivatives out in a good cadence, they'll have a hit on their hands.

[big blue]

Damn that car is oozing with appeal. I'm glad its getting favorable reviews. I have to say, even though I am an avid Edmunds reader, that once sentence mentioned by RJB slightly irked me also. But it is just one person's opinion, and I know from different editor there loves the new CTS. *shrug* can't win 'em all. My favorite feature of the car besides the styling of it, is probably the navi screen that pops up, it's too cool.

[RJB]

It's basically a great review...one sentence and it kills it for you?

I think you're looking for the 'media bias' monster in too many places.

The CTS looks like a huge winner...now if GM can get the derivatives out in a good cadence, they'll have a hit on their hands.

It didn't kill it for me. It is just that you get all excited when there is a very good review of a new GM product and then they have to give you a kick in the nuts at the end...LOL!

[Sevenfeet]

I've read the first drives from Edmunds, Autoweek, Motor Trend, and C&D. So far, the news is good from all of them. Motor Trend called the car "World Class" and "The best damn Cadillac sedan in 50 years". C&D liked the chassis and "the best interior yet from GM". Autoweek raved about the styling and interior. Edmunds raved about the chassis. And everybody liked the new dashboard and NAV system.

So what were the nitpicks? Edmunds still thought some of the interior plastic was cheap. The steering was a little on the light side...interesting since the previous high performance variants of the CTS were criticized for too heavy steering. The Aisin supplied manual tranny was better than the previous model but didn't convince people to trash their BMW trannies. The car was criticized for being a bit too heavy and I agree. At 4000 lbs, the CTS is heavier than the BMW 5 series target by a few hundred pounds. Hopefully the CTS-V will go on the Corvette Z06 diet when it debuts. And Motor Trend didn't like the new 3.6 DI engine at high revs, mostly NVH issues. In fact they said that the CTS chassis needs a buttery smooth BMW engine.

But regardless, the overall reviews are probably what GM had hoped for. It will still take some time to chase down the class leaders in this space, but now the CTS can be cross shopped seriously in this space again, and that's good news for GM all around.