2016 Cadillac CTS

In a segment chock full of all-round excellent vehicles, Cadillac’s CTS shines. Eye-catching styling, generous levels of standard equipment, modern technologies, and a level of ride and handling on par with the world’s best sedans make it a solid choice. For 2016, the CTS has been thoroughly upgraded to make it even more competitive.

The base-level 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo engine (272 hp, 295 lb-ft) now gains idle-stop technology, while the 3.6-litre V6, standard on most CTS trims, is all-new this year. It boasts fuel-saving cylinder deactivation, improved horsepower and torque (333 hp, 285 lb-ft), plus idle-stop to reduce its fuel consumption. The 3.6-litre twin-turbo V6 with its hearty 420 hp and 430 lb-ft of torque continues on unchanged. All engines use a new eight-speed transmission.

Well-heeled adrenaline junkies are certain to rejoice at the return of the CTS-V with its Corvette Z06-sourced engine. The supercharged 6.2-litre V8 churns out 640 horsepower and 630 lb-ft of torque, handily out-pacing its key rivals to a top-speed of over 200 mph. Only the bonkers Dodge Charger Hellcat offers more power in a four-door package. The CTS-V is more than just a big engine in a CTS shell; its chassis and frame have been stiffened up, its suspension tuned on the world’s most challenging racetracks, and it’s even 100 lbs lighter than before. At the same time, the CTS-V offers more luxury features and convenience features than before, including a front-mounted camera to 20-way power adjustable seats. As with the CTS vSport, the CTS-V is exclusively available with rear-wheel drive and an automatic transmission.

Other new additions for 2016 include upgrades to the CUE infotainment system with improved graphics and response times, plus Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. New 17- and 18-inch alloy wheel designs are also available, as are several new colour choices: Cocoa Bronze, Moonstone, and Stellar Black. Wireless device charging and a new 360-degree parking camera are also available.

The CTS comes standard with remote start, reverse camera and rear parking sensors, proximity key with push-button start, heated leatherette seats, 4G LTE with on-board WiFi hot spot, and an 11-speaker Bose sound system with active noise cancellation. Tri-zone climate control, automatic park assist, head-up display, reconfigurable TFT instrument cluster display, heated steering wheel, ventilated seats, and other luxuries are also available.

The CTS can be had in a wide array of trims and powertrain configurations. Pricing kicks off at $49,405 for the 2.0L Turbo with rear-wheel drive, to $76,940 for the CTS vSport Premium. The mighty CTS-V stickers at $92,135.