Our view: 2016 Cadillac CT6

Source: Our view: 2016 Cadillac CT6

The judgment: The 2016 Cadillac CT6 is a well-rounded, nearly-Full-size luxury sedan with quiet interior, top-of-the-line appointments, impressive technology and great performance with the new twin-turbo V-6, but the sedan falls a bit flat when equipped with its base turbocharged four-cylinder engine.

Against the competition: Solid driving dynamics and ramped-up tech can’t completely hide an interior that, while comfortable, falls a half step short of other more established full-size luxury sedans. However, with four-cylinder models costing around $30,000 less than its German rivals, the CT6 is an intriguing option for those who want full-size luxury without a full price tag.

Cadillac’s new flagship sedan, the CT6, is a tweener: slightly smaller than its full-size competition, but too big to be considered a midsize car. Cadillac says it’s targeting midsize luxury sedans in two key areas: handling and price.

The CT6 is offered in Base, Luxury, Premium Luxury and Platinum trim levels.

The CT6 features a wide, low-slung grille that marks a departure from the XTS, which was the largest sedan in the Cadillac lineup prior to the CT6’s appearance. The grille pairs well with vertically aligned LED daytime running lights to provide an attractive nose that’s slightly different from all of Cadillac’s other sedans. The overall picture is restrained but attractive. On closer inspection, small details stand out, like the sharp creases on the bonnet and a distinctive character line that runs from the headlights to the taillights.

Full-LED headlights, daytime running lights, and taillights are standard on all trim levels. The base model also gets 18-inch alloy wheels and a capless fuel filler neck. Top-of-the-line Platinum models get their own unique grille with added chrome and custom 20-inch five-spoke alloy wheels.

I tested two of the CT6’s three engine options, all mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Cadillac used lightweight aluminum extensively throughout the CT6, which helps keep the base model’s curb weight at just 3,647 pounds — around 1,000 pounds lighter than the lightest version of Mercedes-Benz’s S-Class sedan.

Despite its reduced weight, the CT6 just doesn’t feel alive with the 265hp 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder shared with several other vehicles in the Cadillac lineup, including the smaller ATS and CTS sedans . It’s not underpowered in the traditional sense; There’s just no “simple power” on tap like you’d expect from a luxury sedan. If you want it to get up and go, it takes forethought and lots of throttle.

However, climb into a CT6 with the most powerful option – a 404hp 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged V6 – and the experience changes instantly. Unlike the Turbo-Four, which is only available with rear-wheel drive, both V-6 variants come standard with all-wheel drive. This gives the whole package more confidence and helps the twin-turbo CT6 dump its 400 pound-feet of torque. On the twisty roads that abounded in my driving route, the engine really rushed through the corners, spinning free and launching the car into the next corner with veracity.

Between those two engines is a 335-hp, naturally aspirated 3.6-liter V6 that we have yet to test.

Overall, the CT6 is not a canyon carver. Its suspension setup focuses on comfort over performance. It allows for some body roll in the corners, which slightly dampens the feedback when you’re really pushing the car into corners. This is not negative; It gives the CT6 a great ride, even over broken pavement.

I didn’t get a chance to test the CT6’s Active Chassis Package (optional on Premium Luxury trims and standard on Platinum), which adds adaptive suspension with magnetic ride control, active rear-wheel steering and 20-inch wheels. This version’s selectable driving modes change how the suspension reacts, as well as the power steering assistance and accelerator pedal response.

EPA estimated fuel economy ratings are 22/31/25 mpg city/highway/combined for the four-cylinder (premium gasoline recommended), while the 3.0-liter engine is 18/26/21 mpg (premium required). At the time of publication, the EPA had not yet rated the 3.6-liter V-6.

Interior design focuses on clean lines, minimalism, and a lack of drama to match the exterior. It manages to be attractive without being overbearing. But – and I’m picky here – although the material quality and overall comfort are very good, the CT6 falls just a hair behind the absolute top competition from the German brands in both areas.

I’m happy to report that the CT6 is one of the quietest cars I’ve ever tested. Thanks to extra insulation and an active noise cancellation system as standard, the cab remains quiet at all speeds, even in less than ideal road conditions. Conversations between occupants can be conducted at a normal volume, and the isolation is impressive.

There’s plenty of legroom (40.4 inches) and headroom (38 inches) in the back seat, which can accommodate two adults very comfortably. The amount of legroom lags behind the big German sedans by a couple of inches, but it doesn’t matter; Even with the front seats pushed back quite a bit, my knees didn’t get any closer than 3 or 4 inches from the seat backs. However, fitting three people in the back would be a bit trickier; There’s plenty of room, but the middle seat is elevated and there’s a decent hump on the floor. It would be fine for shorter journeys, but longer journeys with a full car won’t be very comfortable.

Step into the top-of-the-line Platinum, and the rear seating area is loaded with comfort features including two separate climate zones (Cadillac’s first quad-zone system), power recline, heated exterior seats, and massage functions. It also adds a rear entertainment system that offers two 10-inch screens rising from the front seatbacks. In addition to playing Blu-ray discs and DVDs, the system allows you to stream movies from a phone or tablet.

The first iterations of the Cadillac user experience control and multimedia system were painful to use. However, in its current form, the roughest edges have been smoothed out, making this my favorite version to date. This is partly due to a touchpad controller debuting on the CT6. It sits between the front seats and allows the driver or front passenger to operate the system more comfortably; previously you had to reach for the large touchscreen, which sits fairly high up on the dash – not easy to reach.

Moving your finger on the touchpad activates a green box that behaves just like a mouse pointer; Find the action you want and tap the pad to click it. The touchpad also accepts two- and three-finger gestures, making it easy to zoom in and out on maps, switch between screens, and bring up the tuning menu at the bottom of the screen.

The CT6 also features two new technologies never seen before: a triggered video recording system and a rearview mirror for the camera. Triggered video recording uses the front and rear cameras constantly recording to an SD card while driving. In the event of a crash, the footage can be saved. The system also uses the car’s surround monitor cameras to record what happens if the alarm is armed while the car is parked.

The camera rearview mirror, which is activated via a switch on the auto-dimming rearview mirror, was one of my favorite parts of the CT6. When you flip the switch, the mirror turns into a screen displaying an image from the car’s rear-mounted camera, which offers a much wider field of view than a traditional mirror. It worked like a charm, with one disclaimer: I haven’t had a chance to try it at night to see how it reacts to headlights.

Pairing my Android smartphone via Bluetooth was quick and hassle-free (Bluetooth connectivity with streaming audio is standard). The CT6 will launch with Apple CarPlay technology built-in, and Android Auto will follow later in the year (no firm date had been set at the time of this writing). A wireless charging pad is also standard, but if you don’t have a compatible smartphone, a special case will be required. Read about one of our editors’ experiences with a wireless charging system here.

There’s 15.3 cubic feet of cargo space in the trunk, which puts the CT6 in the middle of the field among full-size luxury sedans. It ranks behind the BMW 740i (18.2 cubic feet) and Mercedes-Benz S550 sedan (16.3 cubic feet), but ahead of the Audi A8 (14.2 cubic feet).

The rear seat has a hatch in the middle for skis or other long items, but the bench itself doesn’t fold down to carry larger items. This is common on large sedans; None of the previously mentioned competitors also have folding rear seats. All midsize sedan competitors of the CT6 offer split-folding rear seats.

At the time of publication, the CT6 had not yet been crash tested.

The CT6 offers a lot of safety technology and driving aids. Standard safety features include front and rear parking sensors, a backup camera and a year of OnStar Guidance, which includes automatic crash response, stolen vehicle assistance and roadside assistance, among other things.

As you move up the trim levels, safety options pile up quickly. An improvement over the base models, luxury trim levels add a driver awareness package that includes a forward collision alert, automatic low-speed braking, forward pedestrian detection, lane departure avoidance, blind spot warning and rear cross-traffic alert. The automatic belt tensioner tightens the seat belts when the driver or the collision warning system performs an emergency manoeuvre. A surround-view monitor and Auto Park Assist, which handles steering for both parallel and perpendicular parking, are also standard on Luxury models and above.

The Platinum trim comes with full safety features, including automatic reverse braking, full-range adaptive cruise control that works in stop-and-go traffic, and a night vision system that highlights pedestrians and animals on and near the road.

Click here for a full list of security features.

The CT6 covers a very wide price range. Base models with the four-cylinder engine start at $54,490 (including a $995 destination charge), while a fully loaded Platinum model with the new 3.0-liter engine goes up to $88,460.

Compare the CT6 to mid-size models and it offers more comfort and features without a big jump in price. Compare it to full size models and apart from the Platinum the CT6 offers incredible value. It offers almost the same level of comfort and refinement as the true full-size sedans, but costs almost $30,000 less (in base form) than the above competitors. Even if you step up to models with the 3.0-liter engine, they start at $65,390 — still around $20,000 less than the full-size competition.

Overall, the CT6 falls between dimensions and price, but looks pretty good from any direction.

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