Cadillac CTS Coupe Review

In its earlier years, Cadillac had little interest in making smaller cars. When market conditions finally convinced the company's managers that the brand had to have them, the resulting products elicited little favorable reaction from consumers. The modern Cadillac CTS, however, is one entry-level Cadillac that has bucked that trend.

With a cutting-edge design and extensive development work on Germany's famed Nürburgring test track, the Cadillac CTS Coupe is aimed squarely at the class leaders in one of the industry's most competitive segments. It's also a bit larger than many of the cars it competes against in terms of price and design philosophy.

Current Cadillac CTS Coupe
The Cadillac CTS Coupe debuted for the 2011 model year. Offering a well-sorted blend of all-American style and European-inspired tuning, the CTS Coupe is very similar to the regular CTS sedan. Under the hood is a 3.6-liter V6 that sends its 304 horsepower to the rear wheels through either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission.

Standard equipment is fairly generous, and a full complement of the latest safety technology is standard as well. There are a variety of luxury options, including leather seating, a premium audio system and a hard-drive-based navigation system that can store digital music files. A sport suspension package is also available to further the CTS Coupe's handling capabilities.

Overall, its evocative style, athletic handling and spirited performance have made the CTS a fully competitive premium coupe. Still, there are a few caveats -- the seats are too firm for some folks, the optional sunroof notably decreases front headroom, and the optional sport suspension is downright stiff. While it might not qualify for "Standard of the World" status just yet, the Cadillac CTS Coupe generally holds its own against the best cars in this segment both in terms of luxury appeal and driving prowess.