Now that I have mentioned the rear-drive mechanics of the CTS, let the accolades flow. Cadillac gets a big "hooray" from me for averting from its front-wheel drive (recent) past, albeit is one of the last in the premium category to do so. In my view, true performance cars are motivated by either all their wheels or only those in the rear. Throwing upwards of 250 horsepower at the front wheels of a car is just plain unwise due to control difficulties aggravated by torque-steer.
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| Cadillac gets a big "hooray" from me for averting from its front-wheel drive (recent) past. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press) |
With that rant aside,
safety is next on the CTS highlight list. All trim levels are equipped with more airbags than shopping bags on Boxing Day, starting with driver and front-passenger dual-stage frontal, followed by driver and front-passenger seat-mounted side-impact, and finishing up with front to rear side head-curtain airbags. A one-year, free OnStar Safe and Sound package caps off the CTS safety net.
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| A fully loaded CTS tops out at nearly $60,000, which may cause some shoppers to start considering a BMW or Mercedes. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press) |
Except for the lack of a six-stacker CD, the base 2004 CTS is well equipped $39,200. The fun begins when either the Luxury package or the Luxury Sport Package, both of which include the potent 3.6-L growl'er discussed earlier. These upgrade packages also include memory settings for the driver's seat and rearview mirrors. Heated front seats and genuine wood accents on the shift lever and steering wheel are also included. With the Luxury package, the CTS price starts at $45,735. The Luxury Sport package begins at $54,035 and adds the sport suspension, HID headlights, split-folding rear seatbacks, sunroof, and you guessed it - six-stacker CD. The voice-prompt navigation system is a $3,205 option over and above the various option packages.
While it features a lot of goodies fully loaded, its price nears $60K. You might expect to pay this for the prestige of a BMW or Mercedes-Benz, but Caddy still doesn't sit in this rarified crowd in my mind. What leaves me shaking my head further is that I recently spent a week with a 2004 Acura TL that offers more power in a much more refined V6, better interior quality, more features (including a 6-disc stacker) for under $45K fully loaded. Is RWD really worth $15,000? Watch out if Acura ever drops AWD in its TL Cadillac.
