Used 2016 Cadillac CTS Sedan Consumer Reviews

Everything is better than the previous CTS

If you owned a Gen II CTS, this one will be better in every category. The new V6 is very strong and I'm averaging about 26 MPG in all around suburban driving. The interior is very quiet but the road noise from the front is the only complaint I have. There is almost no wind noise. The interior material quality is excellent and the fit and finish is superb. I am disappointed in the autostop performance. When it does activate (when is hard to predict) the engine has an annoying shudder when it stops as well as restarts. I have driven other GM models that are much better. The transmission shifts very well and doesn't seem to have a problem managing 8 gears. Although I like the hard inside cover for the sunroof, the roof itself does not seem to open as far as the previous version and it looks a bit clunky from the outside when open. The Cue system is much faster than before I have no problem with the controls at all. I did expect the Navigation system to have a more colorful display and I can't see how to name a route for future use. The gooseneck trunk hinges seem to be a step backwards from the articulated system of the Gen II model. The front seats are better than before but still not all that great for longer trips. Overall, I am very satisfied by this new CTS. Update 1 year after purchase: I did have a transmission issue that was annoying. After a stop with the auto stop/start active, the transmission would have an abrupt 1-2 shift. It did that since new and i realized that it couldn't be normal. GM replaced the transmission and the problem is gone--it apparently was a manufacturing defect and not a common problem. I replaced the run flat tires with conventional tires and that eliminated the road noise that I was complaining about. The gas mileage is outstanding in all around driving. Overall this is the best car I have had. It is a pleasure to drive.

The Cadillac of CTSs

I couldn't be happier with my 2016 CTS. The car looks fantastic, and aggressive, from every angle -- classic Cadillac. And the CTS 3.6 AWD has the performance to back up its looks, with tremendous acceleration (0-60 in 5.3 seconds), razor-sharp handling, and confident braking. The interior is beautifully designed and crafted, including aromatic leather seats, a pleasing and logical dash design, and natural grain wood trim. I find the driver's seat as comfortable as any I've ever sat in, and was able to achieve the perfect driving position after a few days of fiddling. I'm also enamored of the 13-speaker Bose Centerpoint sound system, which produces striking musical fidelity; the excellent navigation system; and the extra-large panoramic sunroof. Between the CTS's cosseting interior and raging performance, I thoroughly enjoy my commute to and from work, particularly on the back roads that I take to avoid traffic. I also look forward to chauffeuring my son around to his various activities, and would note that there is ample room in the back for child car seats, not to mention tall adults. As for maintenance (i.e., changing the oil and other fluids and rotating the tires), it's free for four years, and my local Cadillac dealer treats me like a rock star. I've had zero problems with this car, and highly recommend it.

Second time is a charm

I had a 2016 CTS Performance and I loved everything about it except the tires and wheels. The Pirelli run flats were the worst. The Premium package adds adaptive cruise control and looses the Pirelli tires. Although the Continental tires are not as wide and less aggressive on the road, they more than make up for it on comfort. I don’t know why people malign the CUE system. It is logical and easy to use. The cabin is comfortable. This car is great for long rides no matter what type of road. This is a great looking, great handling car. Before purchasing this car I looked into 2016 Mercedes E class and 2016 BMW 5 series. The Caddy offers more technology than either at a comparable price. I’m glad I bought it. Several months have gone by since I wrote my review. I have put on a lot of miles since this review was first written. My opinion has not changed. This is a solid, comfortable car. It handles well and people still think it is new, even though it’s over 4 years old. Update; The more I drive the car, the better the gas mileage gets. One major advantage with the CTS is that it takes regular gasoline. This can save several hundred dollars a year at the pump. I recently had the car on a nice winding road. It drove great. There was a point where I had to pass another vehicle. When I stepped on the accelerator, the exhaust gates opened up and the sound was great. The car took off like it was shot out of a cannon. I am still happy with my choice.

CTS #2

Liking the car so far (1month now). The fuel saving feature - where the engine cuts off at a stop - is a pain. Glad there is an override feature. The SUV does not have the override and that was at least one of the eliminating features for me to consider that vehicle. Very nice acceleration. Good gas mileage so far.

Make sure you don't mind the AutoStart feature

The Auto Stop/Start is terrible. It may not bother everyone (I cannot fathom how people don’t mind this), but it is annoying and distracting every time you stop the car. The car shakes and jiggles at every stop sign and stop light. My passengers are incredulous when they’re first taken for a spin. It is not only annoying, but also distracting. Your mind goes to it every single time you stop. You can turn this off every time you start the car, but it is not possible to turn this feature off permanently. Almost all the 2016 Caddys have Auto Stop/Start (I think the XTS is the only one that doesn’t) and they take the fun and relaxation out of driving. Make sure you thoroughly test drive them before buying. When test driving, make sure you do some city/urban driving and turn the A/C off (it doesn’t kick in when the A/C is chugging at a decent rate). Like I said, it won’t bother everyone, but will bother many. Enough so that GM put out a couple bulletins on the subject. These are for the ATS and CTS, but I would think it applies to all 2016s with Auto Stop/Start. Check out #15-NA-033 “Normal Characteristic – Slight Bump, Jerk or Rough Engine Startup [Oct 15, 2015]”. It says “Condition: some customers may comment that there is a slight bump, jerk or rough engine startup during an AutoStart event”. Then it says, “Correction: This is a normal condition”. I guess they said it was unusual, then had to correct it and say it is a normal condition!!! Directive #16-NA-071: Diagnostic Tips for Stop/Start and Auto Stop Operation [Mar 4, 2016] says, “Condition: Vehicle does not engage in Auto Stop mode and Vehicle automatically restarts during an AutoStop event”. It goes on to say, “It is imperative that the customer be well informed about the unique features and operational characteristics of their vehicle equipped with Stop/Start. For the sales team to be fully prepared, they should use the Getting to Know Your Vehicle guide as an outline when presenting the vehicle to the customer”. Cadillac knows this is a terrible and they are not notifying their customers. Other cons: the run-flats are a poor ride; they’re loud and you can feel everything. The 2016 CTS models don’t come with a spare and instead have run-flats. The tactile sliders/”buttons” are over-engineered. Just give me a knob for the radio volume; ditto for the A/C fan speed. Also, a little more difficult to get out of than previous CTS. Pros: trunk is larger than previous CTS; nice and roomy. The panel that comes up in the dash is a cool storage area (and lockable). Cool feature that lets you program the radio so you are notified when your favorite band is on XM. Bluetooth with phone is loud and clear.

RWD CTS is fun!

I got the CTS as I didn't want to get an SUV. I wanted something that was fun to drive. I got one with a 2.0T engine as it is plenty powerful for my needs. Mine is a base sedan (RWD only!) with upgraded leather seats, panoramic sun roof and park white color as the options. The car has it's quirks, but nothing that you cannot live with. CUE is as good as a touch screen infotainment system gets. Don't believe the negative reviews out there. Use it and find out out yourself. I would definitely recommend it for anyone who wants a fun to drive family sedan that can fit 5 passengers with ease.

World Class Car

I have owned several Audis and BMWs. The CTS drives and rides better than any of them. The Magnetic Ride Control is amazing. I said this from the beginning and still think so 3.5 years later. It is a shame that current Cadillac cars are not more popular and I blame the press’ reflexive anti-American attitude for a lot of it.

The Eye Turner

Omg! I’m the Queen of the road in my CTS 4 2.0T. In black, it’s beauty surpasses any model. The quietness provides a peace that is unknown to any ride I’ve ever driven. The infotainment lets me be anywhere I choose; at a comedy show, a music concert, or a talk show through Pandora or YouTube. Never will I have deny my luxury, my entertainment, nor my peace when behind the wheel of my CTS 4 2.0T.

Nice car trans shifting rough

Complex cue system, maybe need. Cd tutorial for visual learners, engine designed to stop when brakes applied to stop. Explanation of no spare tire! Passenger door hard to close due to handles too far forward. Transmission seems to shift hard at times, has refused to change when accelerating hard into traffic

Time

Well, as time has passed, the shoddy Craftsman has reared its ugly head. Creaks and rattles are prominent. The CUE system is 100% shot. The transmission lurches and bucks. Never again. Update: in addition, the retractable headliner broke - they want $1500 to fix. Typical GM garbage. Just bought a Mercedes E-350, quality, ride, performance is light years ahead.

Sunroof makes a lot of noise

We purchased a 2016 CTS And weren't happy we have had a rattling noise coming from our sunroof since the day we drove it off the lot. We have complained about it to the dealership every time we bring it in for service they say they can't duplicate the noise, we drive away and the noise is back! We finally told them to keep the car until it was fixed , they put grease in the sunroof track to stop the noise that didn't work they the put tape in between the tracks that hasn't help the dealer said YOUR NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THE PROBLEM so I guess we are going to have to take it the way it is. Very disappointed with Cadillac we will be trading in our CAR and getting a BMW

Glad it's only a Loaner

I received a 2016 CTS base model with 4 cyl as a loaner while my 2013 XTS Luxury is being serviced. I love the XTS, the most comfortable car I've ever owned, ad thought about downsizing to the CTS Luxury as i like the exterior. Appearance is great, the interior is basically the same look as my XTS however it is more cramped and the quality is a bit less, but being a downsize from the XTS i was not put off by that. The ride is horrible!! It's like driving an old pick up. You feel every pebble, the engine noise is annoying. The front seat is very comfortable though, I am 6 ft. so had the seat back almost all the way, making the backseat behind me useless. Not a big issue for me, but thought i'd point it out. The biggest problem with this car is the price. They want more for a CTS and my XTS which is roomy, comfortable and rides like a cloud.

Not what a Cadillac should be

We drove the 4 cylinder with turbo. The whole time there was a high pitched whine. The engine noise was extremely loud. THe vehicle had a great instrument package except that it was not working. This was a brand new car. The interior was very cramped. The selectable ride was not working probably the same reason the instruments were not working. Overall we were not thrilled. The price was in the 50 k range so it was average for what we were looking at. But definitely was not what we were expecting as far as value and comfort.

No regrets - the love is lasting.

I've owned my 2016 CTS 3.6 AWD Luxury package for almost 5 years now, and I have to admit I still love driving this car. Even without MRC this car has a taut, firm ride and sharp, responsive steering. Although way down on practical power compared to the blown sixes in the competing BMW 535xi, Audi A6, and Mercedes E400, this NA V6 has more than enough power for everyday use and surprisingly has a nice growl that is unobtrusively amplified through the Bose sound system in Sport mode. Otherwise, the car is dead silent inside with little wind or road noise. The 8 speed transmission works well and shifts quickly with the paddle shifters in sport mode, but unfortunately even sport does not result in a much more aggressive shift pattern in automatic. The Bose sound system is not bad - not great, but better than most Bose systems I've experienced. I have no issue with the updated CUE interface in this car, and the touch-sensitive controls are complemented by a comprehensive set of steering wheel controls (although nothing beats knobs for volume and tuning). The Nav interface is very dated and the included maps are hopelessly old. The backup camera resolution is very poor, but by 2019 my dealer replaced the camera under warranty with an updated, upgraded part that makes it acceptable The interior is "Germanic", but with a dose of style. At least in all black, the different materials in different areas is not noticeable, and all contact surfaces are soft-touch. The genuine open-pore wood trim is surprisingly classy, especially with the discreet LED lighting at night. With the exterior design now 7 years and a generation old, this model still looks great to me and, maybe because it's not a very popular/common car in a sea of BMWs, continues to draw compliments in parking lots. I recently bought a GM extended warranty and decided to keep the car for at least 3 more years - I've rarely hung on to my DD car for more than 2-3 years. Update June 2023: Every time I get back into my CTS after driving another car for a while, I appreciate this car even more. 7.5 years later, I even more strongly feel that GM hit it out of the park with this one and am sad that more people didn't appreciate it. This almost 10 year old design still looks great, and the interior has held up very well. Two areas that have NOT done so well are the machined finish wheels (water gets in under the clearcoat, causing the machined finish to corrode and the clearcoat to peel), and the steel components in the suspension and underbody have extensive surface corrosion due to poor quality finishing. Both of these issues became evident in the first 4 years, but were not considered a "defect" by GM and not covered under the warranty. This gets back to my biggest gripe with the car - poor dealership service. There is really no differentiation on the service side between Cadillac and Chevrolet, which is unacceptable when you buy a premium luxury brand. Although I still intend to keep this car for several more years, I am certain that it will be my last Cadillac not because of the car, but rather the horrible service experience.

Another great Cadillac!

Bought this used 2016 Cadillac CTS last November. It has all the bells and whistles from heated steering wheel and 3 drive modes to pre-set climate controls, moonroof and a good CUE system (despite people always saying it leaves more to be desired). Plus, the exterior design with vertical LED running lights is an eye-catcher. Sheer fun to drive! Time for 5 stars as I just took a 600+ mile road trip through some rain/sleet/snow conditions in the Michigan Upper Peninsula. What a joy to drive!

Car is really nice but suspension?

I have 37,000 miles on this car and the engine performance, braking & handling remain excellent except for the same issues. The suspension remains shockingly harsh, especially the front and even in Touring mode. When going over bumps like highway milled to paved surfaces the transition patches/ramps can't be absorbed smoothly. A pothole is bone jarring. I don't think the car is meant for run flat tires? The other issue is road/wind noise. Still not quiet enough. A few things that are less than desirable. The Bluetooth and Apple Carplay complaints I had seem to have been resolved at the last dealer maintenance. Rear seat leg room remains way too cramped. Trunk space and accessibility remains very poor and would have been better if the rear bumper access point was lowered to the trunk floor level. This height difference seriously limits the length of items you can put in and is further limited by the narrow back seat opening. I'd consider an XT5 if they redesigned it. The front is ugly and the stance should be lower & flat and it badly needs performance! An XT6 would be nice. More aggressive and a hot rod. Otherwise I might consider the C6 2.0TT.

worst new car ride i ever bought

never buy a car with ride flat tires !!! EVER ! hardest ride , feel every little bump , forget about even the littlest hole in road , feels like front end falling off, REALLY falling off ! was in dealer 4 times replacing tires 3 or 4, another time 2 wheels, then after picking up car, next on star e mailed me the car had 1 or more flats when car was in my garage. I was right had a flat , and caddy is now not putting spare tires in trunk . S0......... had to be towed back to dealer. Got regional c addy guy involved for Boston area Keith (we'll only use his first name) was absolutely no use at all. said the way the car rides . (shame on cadoilac cts) So my story is after owning a brand new cts premium a cadillac for 6 months and traded it in .stay away from to cts caddy

Great Cruiser

I like the Cadillac CTS , but I fine the seats not to comfortable, during seating in the driver seat I fine it hard. The noise level is high at time depending on the type of road surface your on. Good gas mileage, cruise control works good. Overall It's satisfactory except the seats are hard to deal with driving long distances.

Very Disappointed

Found the new Luxury Cadillac CTS 4 (all wheel drive) disappointing. As usual still rides the same as 25 years ago. Noise from tires, exhaust, engine come right through with the stereo set on low, requiring music to be turned up. Lacks innovation, and technology, poor aero dynamics causing poor mileage. Very heavy for no obvious reason except they're stuck in 90's. Mercedes comes out with touch shift, GM will have to copy it. Lexus are perfectly quiet on the inside, Cadillac has yet to copy. Just seemed like a poor performance from all angles with little innovation. I will go with Mercedes or Lexus over this manufacturers offerings. Priced at 65,000 and told it rides like a Cadillac. If you want poor quality still from a U.S automaker. Test drive after driving a lexus or Mercedes and you to will be disappointed in a Cadillac just as I was. Probably be another 15 years before I give them another chance with such poor planning and innovation.

My 2016 CTS

I don't like the auto stop in the cold weather, the car doesn't warm up. I don't like the cruse control the way it works.

Best of the best

The good,the bad and the ugly

Not an old man's sedan with a plush ride

Worst resale

Not happy with resale. Paid 60k for the car and a year later it's only worth 24k. Sad,, very sad....

Beautiful car

I love this car