2009 Cadillac CTS-V

April 29, 2008

Vehicle Overview
Redesigned for the 2008 model year, the Cadillac CTS keeps everything that was good about its first-generation model and seems to improve on what wasn't — and not just a little. It competes with entry-level sport sedans such as the BMW 3 Series and Infiniti G35.

Cadillac also builds the high-performance CTS-V, which is new for 2009.
(Skip to details on the CTS-V)

New for 2009
The 2008 CTS-V was a remnant of the previous-generation CTS, but the high-performance version has been redesigned for 2009. Other than that, changes for this model year are minor.


Exterior
With the 2008 redesign, the CTS became a more unified design. The wheels were set 2 inches farther apart, which together with the lowered front bumper gave the car a ground-hugging, sturdy look.

Exterior features include:

• Dual-exhaust pipes
• LED taillights
• Optional fog lights
• 17-inch alloy wheels
• Optional 18-inch alloys

Interior
The design is modern, with vastly improved materials that look and feel high-quality compared to pre-2008 editions. Cabin volume measures 98 cubic feet, close to the Infiniti G35 (99 cubic feet) and more than the BMW 3 Series (93 cubic feet).

Interior features include:

• Standard vinyl upholstery; leather optional
• Standard dual-zone automatic A/C
• Optional heated and cooled front seats
• Optional onboard hard drive with TiVo-like, real-time radio playback
• Optional 60/40-split folding backseat
• Optional dual-panel moonroof

Under the Hood
The CTS is available with a 3.6-liter V-6 with or without direct injection.

• Standard 263-horsepower, 3.6-liter V-6 (253 pounds-feet of torque)
• Optional 304-hp, 3.6-liter direct-injection V-6 (273 pounds-feet of torque)
• Six-speed manual or six-speed automatic available with either engine
• Paddle shifters available with automatic for 2009
• RWD or AWD; AWD has automatic only
• Standard V-6 gets 18/26 mpg city/highway, direct-injection V-6 gets 17/26 mpg
• Both engines use 87-octane gasoline
• Three suspension choices; most performance-oriented version comes with 18-inch summer tires

Safety
Standard safety features include:

• Four-wheel-disc antilock brakes
• Electronic stability system with traction control
• Six airbags, including side-impact airbags for the front seats and side curtain airbags for both rows
• Active head restraints