Cadillac CTS (08 on) - Review

Review by Simon Harris on
Last Updated: 18 February 2009
At long last Cadillac appears to be taking European customers seriously with a car designed and engineered in-house. Although the Cadillac BLS of 2006 was the most 'European' Cadillac to date, that doesn't really count as it's closely related to the Saab 9-3 and built alongside it. The 2008 CTS - a car similar in size to the Audi A6 and Mercedes-Benz E-Class - is a much better offering and with its striking design should appeal to buyers after something different. And if you're worried this is just another wallowy American saloon then think again - the suspension has been stiffened to minimise body roll and the steering is neatly responsive. Unfortunately it's not a match for rivals like the Jaguar XF in terms of refinement or comfort and few customers will be interested until the V6 diesel arrives in 2009.
3.5 out of 5

Other Cadillac reviews

2 out of 5

Running costs

Cadillac has struggled to establish an image as a premium brand in the UK and (so far) resale values have been very poor. It's likely to take some time before this improves so CTS owners can't expect to get much of a return on their money. Add in the fact that a diesel version is still some way off and prices are around the £30,000 mark - and the CTS seems a pretty expensive car to own.

Summary Running Costs

Servicing period

12 months or 10,000 miles.

Warranty

Three years/60,000 miles.

Road tax (12 months)

£475.00 - £475.00

Vehicle excise duty (VED) varies according to the CO2 emissions and the fuel type of the vehicle. For cars registered after March 1st 2001 VED or road tax is based on the car's CO2 emissions. For cars registered before March 1st 2001 it is based on engine size.

Full running costs data

2 out of 5

Green credentials

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CO2 emission figure (g/km)

Fuel economy rating

The arrows indicate the best and worst CO2 bands for this model.

Emissions summary

With just two V6 petrol engines in the range it's little surprise that the CTS range produces significant carbon dioxide emissions. The smaller 2.8-litre model emits 263g/km of CO2 and can average 26mpg. The more powerful choice emits only slightly more CO2 with a figure of 264g/km and will return 25mpg - thanks to its direct injection technology. The diesel, which will have lower carbon dioxide emissions, is unavailable until 2009.

Find the exact engine and CO2