WASHINGTON — Does a luxury sedan really need a 640 hp supercharged V8? Answer: yes, and Cadillac has the car for you.
Two years ago, I drove the redesigned Cadillac CTS-V Sport, and its 420 hp twin turbo V6 was plenty powerful. The last generation Cadillac CTS-V had 556 hp, but it was a bit undersized and not as nice inside as the German competition. Enter the 2016 Cadillac CTS-V.
This new one is still a monster at the race track. With 640 hp from a supercharged V8 and a new eight-speed automatic, it makes fast shifts when needed. It has the latest magnetic ride control and driver-selectable modes such as “touring,” which allows the car to have a more luxury feel. It’s not harsh or jarring — easy to live with as a daily driver, yet sportier than a normal luxury car.
Or choose “track” and you have a car with race car-like reflexes and all 640 hp with a louder exhaust that sounds great. This is one fast car: You can get yourself in trouble with this much power if you don’t pay attention.
The handling is really something for a midsize luxury sedan. Fuel economy is about 17 mpg of mixed driving on premium fuel.
The 2016 Cadillac CTS-V has an aggressive styling and stance. It looks like a car that has a base price of $84,000. Even though it costs more than before, it’s substantially less pricey than the competition — and you get a real carbon fiber hood.
The hood has functional vents on top and looks great. The grill has a cool mesh finish, but I could do without the chrome-like trim around it. I am a fan of the LED light strip up front and the headlights that seem to flow and taper on the hood.
The front and rear fenders have flared arches that house the large 19-inch wheels which make up that more aggressive look, and big Brembo brakes are visible behind those flashy wheels. The lit door handles are a bit much for my taste, but most of the people I showed it to seemed to like them. The rear styling looks sporty, with a small, tasteful spoiler and a lower diffuser with four exhaust pipes letting out that V8 rumble.
This CTS-V has a nicer interior with better quality material than the previous CTS-V. And the increase in price is reflected here. Soft touch materials are used throughout; it was mostly just the dash in past versions.
My ride for the week had the optional $2,300 Recaro high performance seats, which are great for track days and look great, too. But my wife could never find a comfortable seating position and I’m not sure I would pass up the ventilation on the base seats, which isn’t available with the Recaro seats. I would test each seat before you buy.
The interior design is a bit more daring with different shapes, textures and colors than the usual black and stark. The CUE system, which controls the NAV, radio and climate control, seems to react quicker to the touch and it usually responds the first time. But a knob or two wouldn’t hurt either and would help keep eyes on the road.
This time around, the CTS-V is a true midsize sedan with good space for rear-seat passengers but the bolstered ends of the seat back don’t allow two car seats and a booster to fit properly, which is a shame since it’d be a fun car to roll up in for carpool duty.
The 2016 Cadillac CTS-V is a luxury sedan that doubles as a track car. It’ll give other sports cars a run for their money, and at the end of the day get you home in supreme comfort.
The new 2016 CTS-V is a more serious car striving to be the better high-power midsize sedan on the market, and do it for less than $100,000. For once, I might even be convinced.
Mike Parris a member of the Washington Automotive Press Association. The vehicles are provided by STI, FMI or Event Solutions for the purpose of this review.
