2009 Cadillac Cts Review

In 2008, Cadillac got just about everything right with the redesign of their entry-level mid-size luxury sedan, the CTS. What they got right for 2009 was leaving the '09 model largely untouched.

The CTS has a crisply defined angular look that's bold and masculine in a mid-size luxury market largely dominated by the soft, curvy, feminine lines of cars from European makers like Mercedes-Benz and BMW, as well as their Japanese imitators, such as Lexus. Cadillac boldly stands out from the pack, and it continues to do so inside the car and where it really counts --- under the hood.

The interior is an exercise in good taste and common-sense usability. The leather seats are very high quality, obvious from the fine grain, and obvious to the seat of your pants when you nestle into their cozy embrace with firm lateral and back support just where you want it.

The car is a solid performer on the road, whether you have the lowest trim line or the highest. In its most basic form, Cadillac gives you a 3.6L V6 engine that churns out 304 horsepower and can accelerate the car from a standing start to a respectable highway speed of 60 miles per hour in about 6 seconds. Upgrade the engines and you only get faster and better --- right on up to the jaw-dropping performance of the CTS-V, with its 556 horsepower supercharged V8 engine that can do 0-60 in under 4 seconds (same acceleration as the top of the line Corvette) and turns in a top speed of 193 miles per hour (about 3 mph slower than a Ferrari F430).

Whether you're looking for a performance luxury sedan that can run the toughest race tracks of Europe (where Cadillac refined the CTS's handling), or just to get you to day care in time to pick up the little guys, CTS is an amazing sedan that's "right" for any demanding driver.