2016 Cadillac CT6 Luxury 3.6 AWD (Used vehicle review)

[regfootball]

DRIVEN: 2016 Cadillac CT6 Luxury 3.6 AWD (Used vehicle review) originally 63k msrp.

HIGHS:

Yup, this is my type of car, I got in and felt right at home. To heck with crossovers!

Surprisingly I had a very positive vibe of the interior and it's quality.  Sure it may not 100% match some Germans but honestly it was fine in the front and quite honestly better than what a lot of Cadillacs have had for interiors in the last 20-30 years.  And a quiet interior.  Hushed for road noise, like a luxury brand should be....an obvious upgrade vs. non luxury marques.

And so comfortable!  Seats were a glove and the cockpit around me was there just for me.  I liked the location of controls, including the touchscreen.

There are many times where I malign the corporate GM 3.6 motor, but it does quite an admirable job moving this physically big car.  For some reason, on the CTS and this, the 3.6 seems nicely refined, and is smooth and powerful, where other GM vehicles it does not impress like this (in lower priced trims).  Transmission was a rock star too.  Always shifted up or down as needed, kicked in fast when asked, no drama, very smooth.

How does such a big car with such a long wheelbase feel like a mid size car?  It doesn't feel heavy and ponderous in any way (it's a light car, actually).  And it's fairly nimble, turns tightly.  Outward visibility, you see a short hood, and looking out the rear view mirror, the car seems shorter than it is as well.

Ride was just the sweet spot balance of cushy and firm for most driving.  I believe it was in standard mode, not sport.  The steering had nice heft, but not too much.  Steering quickness about right for most of the time also.  I'd have no problem with a quicker rack in a sport model, but otherwise this was great.

Bigger trunk than I thought.  We know the back seat is big also.

To be honest, I actually liked the old T-bar style shifter just fine.

Car had 60+ thou miles but honestly felt brand new.

Just get in and (super)cruise.  Find an open road and gaze at the landscape in front of you.  Racking up miles in this thing would be such a treat.  Isn't this what Cadillac is supposed to be?

LOWS:

So the 3.6 is a good lower trim motor.  Some folks may wish for more low end torque at times (I'm reaching here), but the 3.0 twin turbo would be a nice upgrade you may want for sure if you invest a lot of $$$ in this car.

The mousepad on the console is replaced for 2019.  I suppose this is an improvement.

Rear seat doesn't fold to expand the trunk (No bookcase hauling for mom).

I kept reaching for power seat controls on the side of the seat.  I actually question if having them on the door is preferred or not by most people.

Ok, admittedly in some ways, inside and out, the styling could be deemed tepid, particularly for a luxury brand (I don't think so, but for the CT6 I do think it depends on colors, too).

Cadillac's whole marketing and sales plan for the CT6 has been a failure, trims, packages, options, pricing.  I get that the public wants crossovers now, but big spacious sedans just like this is how people think of Cadillac.  Why not go all in and really get this vehicle into the hands of buyers?  This is the DTS replacement people really deserved to have 8 years ago.  It's like Cadillac (or GM) really didn't even want to make and sell this vehicle.  

SUMMARY:

From the moment I got in the car, I knew this was my spirit animal.  This is the Cadillac I recall growing up with, modernized.  I was just giddy to actually get to drive one of these things, finally.  I was hoping to be able to drive a 3.0 twin turbo six, but the 3.6 equipped CT6 was just fine.  I don't understand how Cadillac botched this.  This is just what everyone still sort of wants to believe Cadillac is.  Big long, comfy, cruising vessel.  

The chassis and engineering to me are the rock stars here, because like I mentioned above.... this is a LARGE car that feels like a solid mid size car when you are driving it.  Man, I would love to drive this everyday.  

And GM could,.....COULD really leverage this platform.  The oft rumored CT7, or Escala, I can totally see now taking this platform and making a liftback A7 like vehicle with this.  Wow, that would be cool.  But that would be too risky for Cadillac, wouldn't it.  Instead we get the XT6, which admittedly will sell because it has 3 rows.  And why not replace the current Buick LaCrosse with a new LaCrosse (AVENIR?) built on this chassis?  I bet that's what at one time the plan was for Buick, even if only for the moment.  If a badge engineered Buick helped pay for this chassis to continue, I'd be all for it.  I honestly do even believe with the right four cylinder in it, this car would be great with just a four cylinder (the 2016-2018 has the old 2.0, which is much faster than the new motor for 2019).  I know it has the four cylidner now, and so I would not discourage someone who may find a good used one and doesn't need more than rear wheel drive, take a look you may be surprised.  Rather than a Kia K900.? srsly.

Since the CT6 has a stay of execution, and with the new Blackwing v8 coming on, let's hope we continue to see investment in this car and this platform for Cadillac.  It should be the soul of Cadillac, in a time where it can't.  Enjoy the ride while its still available.  At least all those Cadillac Edge sales (um, XT5 I mean) keep money in the till and the lights on at the Cadillac dealer so they can keep enough space for the CT6's buried in the corner.  Cadillac please take baby out of the corner.

 

Edited February 3, 2019 by regfootball

[Suaviloquent]

The CT6 represents everything Cadillac can be can call also look forward to be

[riviera74]

They say AIM HIGH.  With a few tweaks and a stronger top-line trim engine, this CT6 sounds almost perfect.  Yes the XT4 and XT5 and (forthcoming) XT6 are required to maximize sales, but there is no reason we cannot have nice Cadillac sedans as well as crossovers.