Entry Premium: 2010 Cadillac CTS
Note to readers: This story contains a factual error, which has been clarified in this recent posting from Jeremy Cato. Consumer Reports recommends the Infiniti M35.
Driving It Home: Infiniti M35 tops Caddy's CTS
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Have a peek inside the February 2010 issue of Consumer Reports magazine and you might find a surprise: the Cadillac CTS has bested some of the best from Acura, Audi, Mercedes-Benz and Lincoln.
The CTS earned at an "Excellent" overall score of 84 and beat the rest in a test of five luxury sedans. The freshened Acura RL earned a "Very Good" score with 80 points, followed by the redesigned Mercedes-Benz E350 and freshened Audi A6 with "Very Good" scores of 79 points, and the Lincoln MKS, also "Very Good" at 75 points.
So which of the 13 luxury sedans rated by CR tops the CTS? The CR people like what they tested of the Infiniti M35, but there is a problem: below-average reliability. So the Infiniti is not recommended by CR. So it's CTS on top.
David Champion, the ex-Nissan engineer who runs CR's testing facility, praised the Caddy for "excellent driving dynamics, a smooth and punchy drive train and a well-furnished interior."
It's not that the other cars in this test are dogs, or underachievers. The E350 has a big cabin and high-quality materials, but falls a bit short of its predecessor - and the CTS - in ride and handling.
The Audi A6 -- now basically unchanged for five years, so it's getting old -- still holds its own, says CR. The Acura has a great power train, but lacks anything resembling a thrilling ride. And the EcoBoost-equipped MKS with AWD (all-wheel drive) is solid enough all around.
So here we are, 10 years and two generations of products into Cadillac's comeback and General Motors' luxury brand is definitely making progress - scoring well in head-to-head battles with some superb automobiles. In fact, in this year's J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study, Cadillac moved from 10th to third place and outperformed Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Infiniti in terms of overall score. The quality is there.
The problem is, Cadillac officials say they want five more years and one more generation of new models to complete fully the brand's turnaround.
Something tells me the hard-charging new CEO, Ed Whitacre, is not that patient. Cadillac general manager Brian Nesbitt and marketing director Steve Shannon must surely feel the hot breath of Whitacre, the big Texan and the former telecom executive, who has made bold moves in the last month - including firing the old CEO and hiring a new chief financial officer who is said to have a shot at the top job.
At least Cadillac has some ammunition to take to the fight, and not just in the CTS sedan tested by CR. There is also that stunning 2011 CTS coupe that will go on sale in the summer. And the SRX crossover is a fine wagon and worth a serious look if you're in the market for something along the lines of the Lexus RX350.
The CTS station wagon, while never destined to be a big seller, is so well designed and so entertaining to drive, it deserves a better fate than it will likely get.
Despite a showroom filled with very competitive vehicles, the Cadillac brand is still not nearly as strong as BMW and Mercedes and Audi. The proof is in the sales incentives. Cadillacs come with generous ones, the competition less so.
Here's hoping that Whitacre remains impatient for results. Certainly Cadillac's products are good enough to compete with anybody's, on a feature-for-feature, price-for-price basis. The problem now is marketing. Caddy's new advertising should from now on be all about the hardware, not the lifestyle that goes with owning the hardware.
As for Canada, if GM Canada wants to get serious about selling Cadillacs, the stores need fixing. As of today, there is only one stand-alone Caddy shop in all of Canada - and only because the dealer's Saab and Saturn franchises have gone away entirely.
Somehow GM Canada needs to find some dealers willing to give the new Cadillacs and Caddy customers the stores they deserve.