WASHINGTON — It’s been a while since Cadillac had a large luxury sedan to compete in the class that’s been dominated by European and Japanese companies lately. And so Cadillac has been busy trying to get back in the game by redoing the entire lineup. The small ATS and midsize CTS seem to be better built and sportier than in the past and are great to drive compared with past Cadillacs.
Cadillac’s CT6 is new for this year, and it seems to check off many of the boxes on what a large luxury sedan should be. It’s larger yet very sleek-looking from the outside. It has that luxury sedan look, with a long hood and body, but still a shorter rear end when viewed from the side. The front end has a large grill and wraparound headlights that extend farther back on the hood. This is one of the first big Cadillacs whose styling I dig. It’s a bit flashy without being over the top.
My tester had the optional 19-inch wheels; it helps with the look and is well worth the extra $700 on this luxury trim level, the second of four levels available. The only nitpick on the outside is that the rear styling is a little plain compared with the rest of the car. But this is a much better effort for a large Cadillac in a while.
Large luxury sedans don’t come cheap, but the new CT6 comes in under $60,000. Mine had a list price of $66,310, but even the top-of-the-line model is under $90,000, so it’s a bit of a bargain in the class.
The base engine is a four-cylinder turbo, which sounds like it wouldn’t be enough to move this large car, but it surprisingly feels fine and never underpowered. There are two optional V6 engines, one good for more than 400 hp, but the base engine will be good for some people and better gas mileage is a plus. I managed 26 mpg for my week, and that’s very good for a large luxury sedan.
One reason this car gets away with a smaller engine is that it doesn’t weigh very much compared to the competition. It feels light on its feet and it’s all for being a little frisky on back roads, not isolated like some others in this class.
It’s more of a driver’s car, so you feel the road more than some other cars, and it’s never harsh or unbecoming, but just different. It’s a bit strange to have a four-cylinder engine under the hood, and it even sounds a little different when you start with the windows down or door open.
The interior is probably the best among the Cadillacs, with nice materials and shapes and comfortable heated and ventilated front seats, though I did slide around a bit in some fast tight corners. The wood trim pieces are a nice touch. There is good space for rear-seat passengers, with nice head and leg room — only the trunk space is lacking.
The air vents up front seem a bit low on the dash for the driver so turning up the fan speed helps. There is a large 10-inch screen, and the CUE system is getting better, but I miss the knobs. My car had the optional $3,700 Bose Panaray sound system with 34 speakers; one rises from the dash and looks as cool as it sounds. It’s worth the price for those who like a nice crisp sound. A rear camera mirror uses the rear cameras to display in the rear view mirror; it’s a neat feature that works well.
The 2016 Cadillac CT6 is priced right to make strides in the competitive luxury car class. With stylish looks and a large comfortable interior, this new Cadillac is fresh: It feels like a luxury car that I, or someone younger, would be comfortable in.
