2019 Cadillac CTS 3.6DI RWD Road Test

A clean slate. A completely blank sheet. The styling might be a bit familiar, but this is in now way a big, American land barge. You want to own this car and you want people to come up to you and ask, “Wow, is this the new Cadillac? ” And they will. Cadillac has forged a clean-cut image, with a bad-boy edge. It's a brand redefined. 21st century could call its own. BMW has their "angel eye" coronas, Cadillac has sharp lines. CTS by pumping it up with engine and suspension improvements, the most notable of which was the CTS-V that borrowed the Corvette's LS2 engine, then taking it racing in the SCCA Speed World Challenge GT series. More than just bling: These 18-inch wheels are wrapped in some serious rubber. Translation: yeah, it's edgy and it's hot. The only other vehicle in this class that comes close to rivaling the CTS' flair is the Lexus IS, with its own brand of sharp creases and sinewy curves succeeding in its own impressive way.

While the form is one thing, the details elevate the CTS to a level of distinction rivaling any of the European or Japanese luxury brands' entry level sport sedans. Clearly, the Sixteen-inspired grille will instantly distinguish the smallest Caddy from any competitor in daylight, but even at night the vertical light tubes at the outermost edges of the headlights are a nocturnal trademark similar to BMW's angel eye headlamps. In back, the vertically stacked column of LEDs can be mistaken for nothing less than a Cadillac, and even echo tail-finned Eldorados of Cadillac's past. It's got the features and the quality that high-end buyers crave. Never before has Cadillac offered a sedan with wheels so close to each corner, a product of the engineering team seeking the ideal balance and handling for a world-class sport sedan, and the looks to match. Indeed, Cadillac managed to balance their ultimate driving machine to an even 50:50 weight distribution, which you'll feel if you ever drive it all the way out to the intersection of ten and tenths. RWD sedan riding on ultra-high-performance summer tires.

This was a week that required a calm hand at the wheel and a light foot on the pedals. A cool place to be at night.opt for the manual, although in my week about the city the automatic was ideal. 47,780), but what about the basics? First of all, the new CTS retains the approximate length and wheelbase of the outgoing car, but the increased track means greater stability, and the updated Sigma chassis lends greater rigidity and therefore better ride and body control. Navigation package pairs this retractable screen with iPod interface and a 40-gig hard drive. Another choice you'll have to make is in the suspension department, where Cadillac offers three distinct setups to cater to slightly different sensibilities, from those seeking a more compliant ride to the cornering-grip-at-all-costs crowd. Wisely, GM put me into a CTS with the firmest state of suspension, the better with which to experience all 304 horsepower under tight rein and indeed, it doesn't get much better than the CTS in FE3 tune.

And despite such a firm grip in the corners and the kind of steering you even forget you're directing through the wheel, the CTS was supple and forgiving despite the city's construction-cratered and frost-heaved roads. The CTS is a heavy car, but it hides its weight well. We'd personally like to try a manual. Cadillac logo plus trailing visual effects until it settles into a welcome message, through which you can access a range of electronics that I wouldn't mind installing in my living room. 3,145 package is worth the overtime you'll have to put in. Everything is so seamlessly integrated, the menus and operations are ridiculously easy to navigate, and the character of the car just seems completed by all the gee-whiz goodies. Then again, it's not like some high-tech cabins that blind you with a dizzying array of backlit buttons. Surprisingly, the amazing array of features is packaged into a sleek, streamlined console, trimmed in metallic finish surfaces (or the upgraded Sapele Pommele wood option). The coup de grace is the night-time illumination, which casts soft light bars under a lip in the French-stitched leather dashboard. Cool. Just plain cool. Believe it or not, there are even more features that I haven't even touched on. 32,990 it's not the cheapest in the segment, but it's got all the options, technology and style to stare down any rival, and is easily the roomiest and most comfortable while giving only inches in hard-cornering aggression and performance. The CTS is a complete luxury car and Cadillac is offering an unprecedented luxury experience to help it reclaim lost glory from its encroaching imported competition. It doesn't hurt that it's got the sporting credentials to wipe the smirk off many sports cars, let alone sport sedans. Oh, and the upcoming CTS-V is rumored to have anywhere from 500 to over 600 horsepower.

Sure an Italian sports car would get you noticed. But why bankrupt yourself when Nissan's trendy head-turner Juke guarantees the same result at a mere fraction of the price. Since making its international debut at the Geneva Motor Show in 2010, the bold, beautiful and definitely different Juke has experienced a meteoric rise in popularity the world over. And it only takes one quick glance to see why. Nissan's design team spared no detail on the Juke's innovative exterior and interior styling. Apart from its distinctive shape, elements that won't go unnoticed include unique split front headlight fittings, boomerang-shaped taillights, a predatory grille, muscular wheel arches and hidden door handles. Inside the Juke draws inspiration from motorcycle components as is clearly visible in its gauges and fuel tank-shaped centre console. 86kW and 158Nm. To optimise your vehicle's performance and have it adapt to your driving conditions, the top two Juke models offer three driver modes: Drive, Sport and Eco. Drive mode will see to all your acceleration requirements, Sport mode improves and firms steering response, while Eco mode reduces energy and fuel consumption while the air conditioning is in use. The Juke's cool kid on the block appeal has also prompted Nissan and other companies to take its design and performance to the max with unique model offerings. Ministry of Sound, a UK-based nightclub and event company, for example created the Juke Box - revamping the crossover to include a custom-built 6-speaker audio system, ambient lighting, a PA system and mobile DJ booth.