Used 2018 Cadillac CTS for sale 

The 2018 Cadillac CTS is offered with four trims: the CTS base, Luxury, Premium Luxury, and V-Sport. The base trim comes with a lot of tech features but misses out on some important ones like leather upholstery, heated front seats, and advanced safety features. Also, the CTS base comes with an unrefined four-cylinder engine.

Meanwhile, the Luxury trim offers an optional V6 engine. While a four-cylinder powertrain is standard in both base and luxury models. The Premium Luxury models come powered by a non-turbo V6, while a twin-turbo V6 runs V-Sport and V-Sport Premium Luxury models. Only the V-Sport and CTS-V models are available with rear-wheel drive configuration.

We Recommend

The 2018 Cadillac CTS is well implemented with some good features and provides all an enthusiast needs with an impressive and powerful engine, viscous wheels. The engine on this car sufficient and is always ready to provide all the power you need. The turbocharged V-Sport is undoubtedly appealing, so we would recommend the Luxury trim. It’s still affordable and offers decent performance with the optional 3.6-liter V6. There are numerous features added to the Luxury trim in comparison to the base trim. It comes with a 13-speaker Bose audio system, heated and ventilated front seats, and some major driver safety aids. You can also add most of the advanced features as add-on options to your sedan. 

The 2018 Cadillac CTS is offered in three engine options: a standard 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder and two optional 3.0-liter V6s (one is twin-turbocharged). The 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6 turns out to be the best engine. The base four-cylinder and non-turbo V6 does not even compete in this class.

All the engines are mated with an eight-speed automatic transmission and rear-wheel-drive is standard while all-wheel-drive is optional. The top two trims are only available in the rear-wheel-drive configuration. The base 2.0-liter engine feels unrefined while the naturally aspirated V6 does not deliver that punchy power required in a sport sedan. 

The starting price tag of the Cadillac CTS is almost $9,000 less than the BMW 5 Series. It also boasts a powerful engine than the German giants but clearly the refinement and power delivery is missing in the CTS. The BMW 5 Series and the Audi A6, although unpowered feels the opposite. The Audi A6 seems worth the price considering the power output and linear power delivery. 

Acceleration

The base 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine may boast good numbers on papers but in real-world driving, it feels rough but it is capable to let the 2018 Cadillac CTS accelerate zero to 60 mph in 5.7 seconds while the quarter-mile run is achieved in 14.2 seconds. The optional non-turbo V6 is not as powerful as you expect from a V6 of this segment. On the other hand, the twin-turbo V6 is more responsive and powerful. With almost zero turbo lag, the twin-turbo V6 takes 4.4 seconds to reach 60 mph from a standstill and can charge up to 170 mph. 

The highly-powered Cadillac CTS is the quickest car in both the sections in this segment and grabs the first spot on the table. With 6 seconds and 14.7 seconds on the clock for the acceleration and drag tests, the BMW 5 Series stands firm in the second position while the Audi A6 sits at the last due to its slow power delivery. But all the competitions shake hands together when it comes to top speed. 

Ride and Handling

Only a few luxury sedans can match the CTS’s drivability across corners. The driving dynamics of this car truly shows that Cadillac deserves re-entrance into the A-list of luxury brands. The Cadillac CTS shows precise and agile handling around twists and turns. The athletism isn’t sacrificed and the ride goes smoothly on uneven terrain as well. Moreover, the 2018 CTS comes with rear-wheel drive as standard, while all-wheel drive and an adaptive suspension are optional. The steering feels perfect on highways. A sliver of numbness on the center prevents the car from feeling twitchy or touchy. Most shoppers will find the steering replicates the best attributes of both a luxury car and a sports car. 

Brakes

The brakes on the 2018 Cadillac CTS are strong enough to halt the powerful sports sedan. The powerful Brembo brakes increase the braking performance of the CTS. The brake pedal is responsive and even the brake travel is good. It takes 115 feet to halt the 3652-pound vehicle and stops in a healthy manner. The CTS is also equipped with an Automatic Emergency Braking feature that helps to reduce the stopping distance of the vehicle.

Finally, the BMW 5 Series takes the lead here in this field. The heavy curb weight of the vehicle plays a key role here and has the shortest stopping distance in this segment. Next in line is the Cadillac CTS with 115 feet on the table while the Audi A6 is just 2 feet away from the CTS but fails to impress with its poor performance numbers. The braking system of the A6 doesn't go in favor of the vehicle and its heavy curb weight does not give a helping hand too. 

Different engine options mean different fuel economy. The most fuel-efficient engine is the base 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine in its RWD form. It returns 22 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway while the AWD guise drops down by 21 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on the highway. The 3.0-liter naturally aspirated V6 engine has pretty decent fuel estimates. EPA has rated 20 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway in the RWD setup whereas the figure falls by 1 mpg in the AWD setup. The high-performance 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 sucks the most fuel and possess the worst fuel estimates. It returns 16 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway. Cadillac offers a fuel tank capacity of 19 gallons to deliver good mileage.

The BMW 5 Series has the best fuel economy in this segment. With 24 mpg in the city from a smaller 18-gallon fuel tank, the 5 Series sits on top of the table. On the other hand, the Audi A6 offers 25 mpg in the city and combined mileage of 28 mpg which is the best in this segment. The fuel economy of the Cadillac CTS is pretty much decent when equipped with the base engine. If you go with the twin-turbo V6, then get ready to dig a hole in your wallet. 

The 2018 Cadillac CTS offers comfortable accommodation for five occupants. The fronts are pretty much comfy and spacious. The cabin feels more often driver-focused. Tall passengers might find it difficult to adjust themselves across the rear seats. The rear seats offer less legroom than the prominent rivals.

Some parts of the CTS cabin are fitted with premium material while the other places are covered with cheap basic material. The V-Sport Premium model gets 20-way power-adjustable seats in the front, which offers dedicated support to your body. The seats are wide and sculpted to ensure long-drive comfort. Thanks to the active noise cancellation that makes the CTS quiet.

The Cadillac CTS offers a significant amount of headroom in the front row making things easy for six-footers. Also, the legroom available is really useful for passengers with long legs and ensures good levels of comfort during long-distance travels. In terms of creature comforts, the CTS possesses a good threat to the BMW 5 Series and the Audi A6 but in terms of a real luxury feel, the Europen giants make their way for the buyer's first choice. 

Infotainment

Every CTS model is loaded with a standard Cadillac CUE infotainment system, which comprises of an 8-inch touchscreen integrated with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The CUE offers crisp visuals along with an amazing responsive interface. The audio controls fixed on the steering wheel allow you to control the volume and other functions. The CUE can also be controlled through a voice recognition system. Sometimes, the touch feels unresponsive and it may cause a distraction to the driver while driving. Sound is channeled via an 11-speaker Bose sound system. 

Some infotainment features include:

• Wi-Fi Hotspot
• Bluetooth connectivity 
• HD radio
• Satellite radio
• Wireless device charging
• Two USB ports
• Navigation system

Cargo Space

This is the area where the 2018 Cadillac CTS lacks. Most of the prominent sedans in the segment offer better and bigger cargo volume than the Caddy. The cargo room is not quite furnished like the German competitors  The 2018 Cadillac CTS manages to offer only 13.7 cubic feet of trunk space. The rear folding backseat is optional. You do also get a nice grab handle on the trunk but the trunk lid feels a little bit lighter than the rivals. 

Once again, the BMW 5 Series shows its value. It offers a cargo capacity of 18.7 cubic feet which is one of the best in the segment. Even the Audi A6 is at least is on the low side by almost 4 cubic feet. With a storage capacity of 13.7 cubic feet, the Cadillac CTS stands on the last spot on the table for the first time in this field. Also, the cargo room of the German giants feels more decorated with a high-quality cargo mat. 

If we wanted to aim credit for Cadillac's turn around at just one car, it would be the CTS. The 2018 Cadillac CTS brought sharp style and athleticism to a geriatric brand in desperate need of contemporized. The Cadillac CTS hasn’t gone through any major changes since it was fresh in 2014.

The exterior resembles similar to the outgoing model. The only refinement done with the exterior is the introduction of the new color scheme. For 2018, the CTS wears new exterior color named Satin Steel Metallic. The design elements are sharp and linear, giving the CTS a distinctive look in comparison to most conservatively styled sedans. The panoramic sunroof is optional in the base and V-Sport model whereas all other trims get it as standard. Last year, the sedan received a new grille treatment along with the headlamps that fit into the fenders below the nose. The taillamps are assembled above the exhaust note.

The Audi A6 is the heaviest sport sedan in this segment carrying a weight of 3803 pounds followed by the BMW 5 Series and the Cadillac CTS with 3746 pounds and 3652 pounds respectively. Length-wise, the CTS is just almost 1 inch longer than the German competitions but its wheelbase is shorter than the 5 Series which mirrors its less interior room. The height of the CTS is also similar to the A6. The Caddy comes with Aluminum wheels that are sized as per the standards. The wheels are wide enough to provide amazing traction over uneven roads. Other rivals like BMW 530i and the Audi A6 also offer wheels of similar dimensions.

Some of the exterior features include:

• Halogen headlights
• LED daytime running lights
• HID projectors (on higher trim levels)
• 17, 18 and 19-inch alloy wheels depending on trim levels
• LED tail lamps

In terms of safety, the 2018 Cadillac CTS earned an overall five stars from NHTSA and 'Good' ratings from IIHS for its consistent good crash results. The CTS also comes with seven airbags to mitigate injuries in the event of an accident. These airbags cover the front side, side curtain and driver's knee. The CTS also comes loaded with a lot of safety features to keep the passengers safe and have a joyful journey. 

Safety Features

The key safety features included with the 2018 Cadillac CTS are

• Glove Box Door Integrated Knee Airbag Driver’s knee airbag.
• Belt-Minder front safety belt reminder
• Dual front airbags Front-seat side-impact airbags LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tether Anchors for Children)
• Personal Safety System for driver and front passenger
• Rearview camera
• Safety Canopy side-curtain airbags
• SOS Post-Crash Alert System
• Illuminated entry.
• SecuriLock Passive Anti-Theft System
• Remote keyless entry system.

BMW 5-Series 530i vs Cadillac CTS

The Cadillac CTS has few advantages over the BMW 5 series. They have many identical items, such as safety equipment, technology, handling, and performance. The CTS base trim is also cheaper than the entry-level 5-series. Caddy also offers modern styling compared to the 5-series aging design. CTS offers magnetic ride-control sustention that enhances the drivability amazingly.

Audi A6 vs Cadillac CTS

The Audi A6 has many strengths in comparison to the CTS, in terms of handling, performance, interior and safety scores. The A6 is priced slightly higher than the CTS. The A6’s base engine is much smoother and refined than the CTS powertrain. The A6 also manages to offer ample cabin space with roomier rear seats and legroom.

The 2018 Cadillac CTS offers great safety and performance tech, although it’s not one of the most accepted family-friendly luxury midsize sedans. The CTS comes with sporty handling and a potent engine in the top trims. The base engine is quite underwhelming and unrefined. The cabin offers numerous features and upmarket materials. The CTS is all about engines along with the looks, cabin, and comfort. You’ll like the twin-turbo V6 which somehow manages to deliver better performance than the base 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. In our view, the 2018 Cadillac CTS has a lot of things for its price and tech-laden. If you are in the market looking for a luxurious sedan with a bit of sportiness to satisfy the needs of the driving enthusiast inside of you, then the Cadillac CTS can definitely be a car to look out for.