Beauty Beyond the Eye of the Beholder
There are no two ways about it: The 2008 Cadillac CTS is a gorgeous car and you will feel gorgeous when you drive it.
It
doesn't matter if your blouse is spotted with spitup and you have dark
circles under your eyes from late-night feedings, when you sit behind
the wheel of this incredible sedan, you will feel beautiful. Surrounded
by sumptuous leather, and soothed by its quiet cabin and exquisite
sound system you will forget your mother's worries and travel pampered
by absolute luxury.
I found nothing disappointing about my
rendezvous with this splendid sedan - except that I had to return it at
the end of the week. By then, I had fallen in love with its delicious
ride and handling, smooth-shifting six-speed transmission, and powerful
performance.
When creating the new CTS, Cadillac's designers and
engineers focused their attentions on building a luxury sport sedan
intended to give such vehicles as the BMW 3- and 5-Series,
Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Lexus GS, and Audi A4 a run for their money. And
that it does. Quite well.
Outside, it features stunning
exterior lines, bright LED "lightpipes" in the headlights and
taillights, and an edgy stance that promises athletic performance.
Exquisite interior upgrades include hand-sewn leather trim, Sapele
Pommele wood, lovely ambient cabin lighting, heated and cooled seats,
and an incredible double "ultraview" sunroof that opens to allow both
front and rear passengers a sky view. And even though it proves itself
to be indulgent in every way, the premium interior also offers such
practical features as 60/40 split rear seat access to its enormous
trunk, rear park assist, two LATCH mounts and three tethers,
powerpoints front and rear, four cupholders, keyless access and
ignition, and remote start.
The dash features an optional 8-inch multi-function popup touch screen
that operates the AM/FM/CD/MP3 Bose Audio system, navigation (including
XM real-time traffic), integrated USB access for iPods and MP3 players,
and a 40-gig harddrive which allows you not only to import your music
library, but to pause and rewind live radio in much the same way a DVR
allows you to timeshift television. A push of a button tucks the LCD
screen discretely away, while still leaving a functional strip of key
control icons within view.
Underhood
is a 304-horsepower 3.6-liter V-6 engine mated to a standard manual or
optional automatic six-speed transmission. Its variable-effort steering
makes piloting this powerful sedan a delight, while the new
transmission shifts seamlessly, even when accelerating up hills at
midthrottle. Its spirited performance often tempted my throttle foot
around town, where I averaged about 17 miles per gallon. I was
impressed to watch the onboard computer calculate economy of 30 mpg
when cruising the freeway at 60 mph.
The back seat is roomy for
two adults or three younger passengers, and offers several small
storage pockets, as well as a fold-down center armrest that holds two
cups and provides a flat surface for writing. The interior of my test
vehicle was light grey leather, which while lovely, was unfortunately
easily dirtied by my son's sneakers as he climbed in and out of his
booster seat.
Safety features include Cadillac's StabiliTrak
electronic chassis control system with four-wheel vented ABS brakes,
full-function traction control, hydraulic brake assist, and tire
pressure monitoring system. The litany of airbags includes dual-stage
driver's bag, dual-depth front passenger bag, driver and front side
seat-mounted pelvic/thorax side airbags, and roof rail side curtain
airbags front and rear. And of course, one year of OnStar with Turn by
Turn Navigation.
All in all, the new Cadillac CTS delivers
what it promises: beauty and luxury from your first glance at the
outside to divine comfort and power once you settle into the inside.
Just because you're wearied with kids on the brain doesn't mean you
don't also deserve to feel beautiful behind the wheel.
By Brandy Schaffels
AskPatty.com Editor
automotive advice
