As I walked out to my driveway and took in the brilliance of the all-new
2008 Cadillac CTS that had been delivered, I could hardly wait to take it for a spin.
But before I could slip behind the wheel, I found myself walking around and admiring its outward appeal. For 2008, the exterior has been reworked substantially, and Cadillac's entry-level - hardly seems fair to call it that - sport sedan features an athletic and luxurious coupelike physique.
I like the crisp, edgy styling. The side air extractors in the front fenders pay homage to previous Cadillac models and the impressive grille was inspired by the Cadillac Sixteen concept car.
The CTS has been widened slightly, and the wider stance gives the model a more planted look. Front-to-back, the '08 CTS looks great. Around back, the polished exhaust tips and LED tail lamps add to the overall elegance.
The interior is equally pleasing. The cabin is spacious and luxurious. There's plenty of head and legroom for six-footers in front, but the back could use just a bit more headroom.
I was very impressed with the high level of craftsmanship inside the CTS tester. French stitching is used throughout the interior, including the upper instrument panel, door trim, seats and shifter boot.
Aside from the luxurious and comfortable perforated leather seats, I especially enjoyed the Bose audio system, available pop-up touch screen navigational system, and the elegant white LED lighting that kept the cabin nicely lit at night.
The base audio system features an eight-speaker Bose system. The tester came with the optional Bose 5.1 surround sound system that delivered concertlike qualities that you'd typically experience from a high-end home system.
Another likable available feature I appreciated was the pop-up navigation system. You can retract the screen when not in use. The nav system features a large, easy-to-use touch screen with voice recognition and informative traffic and weather data.
OnStar telematics comes standard, but to my dismay, the CTS does not offer Bluetooth connectivity. Also, there could be a bit more storage space inside.