And that 6-speed manual was sure a lot more engaging than conventional Cadillac automatic transmissions; although I can't
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| The 6-speed manual transmission wasn't the slickest I've ever used, but given some time I'm sure I'd get used to it. (Photo: Shawn Pisio, Canadian Auto Press) |
say it was the slickest to operate. Under full acceleration it seemed to find the right gear most of the time, but tooling around town it kept jumping into 4th from 1st, and was often difficult to negotiate between 2nd and 4th on the way back from 3rd or 5th. Its topmost 6th cog could also be a nuisance to figure out at times. I think the shifter would just take some more time to get used to, but that said I never have such problems in a manually-actuated BMW. What's more, if you make a habit of plugging a cellular phone charger into the adaptor, Cadillac has positioned theirs directly in front of the shifter on the center stack. I kept hitting my fingers on my charger when shifting into 3rd or 5th, which not only was
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| The foot-operated emergency brake and awkward trunk controls seem out of place in such a performance-oriented car. (Photo: Shawn Pisio, Canadian Auto Press) |
disconcerting while driving but tended to hurt after awhile. And what's with the foot-operated parking brake? C'mon Cadillac, this is a sports sedan not Grandma's DeVille. It was so awkward with a manual. Basically you've got to turn the ignition off, press the parking brake and then put it back into gear, as it's impossible to hold the clutch in with the left leg and apply the parking brake with the left leg. Maybe I'd acquire a few new driving skills if I had more time to spend with it?
And speaking about that parking brake, why has Cadillac made it so you can't open the trunk via the remote access button unless it is engaged? With the CTS-V, this means turning the car off to engage it, and then opening the trunk. If you're just dropping someone off at home after a round of golf, this is a major pain.
