Cadillac CTS

The Cadillac CTS has been a very popular model. It is a rear-wheel drive compact sedan and the essence of modern Cadillac design. It is a shining example of what General Motors and Cadillac are capable of producing when they put their minds to it.

I recently did a mini road trip in a new CTS. The 664-mile drive took me from Houston to the Dallas area and back. I drove the back roads on the way up and Interstate Highway 45 on the return route. Moving at a steady pace, I averaged 61.2 miles per hour on the entire trip.

My test car was a sedan powered by the base 3.6 liter V-6 with 263 horsepower. There is a 304 horsepower direct injection version of the 3.6 also available. The CTS had the optional 6-speed automatic transmission. The CTS is pegged as a luxury sport sedan so a manual transmission is offered.

I discovered that there is a lot to like about this car. The road manners are excellent. The car has an impressive on-center feel, which is a big plus for the driver. Constant steering corrections are not necessary in this vehicle. It tracks down the road right where you aim it. The handling and interior comfort are also very impressive.

Even the base engine had sufficient power and the fuel consumption was low. The fuel economy reading according to the on-board computer was 27.6 miles per gallon for the entire trip, which is very respectable considering that the EPA ratings are 18 city and 26 highway.  

The CTS receives many well deserved complements on its appearance. Both the interior and the exterior styling are attractive and totally modern. The interior was pleasant and the controls were well positioned. It ’s a great road trip car. The seats are both heated and cooled.

Cadillac is actively broadening the CTS lineup. In addition to the base sedan, Cadillac offers a CTS-V. This high performance variant comes equipped with a supercharged 6.2 liter Corvette-derived engine boasting 556 horsepower. The vehicle lives up to the hype with acceleration from 0-60 in an astonishing 3.9 seconds. This Cadillac sedan also holds the record for the fastest lap of any production sedan in the world at the famous Nurburgring in Germany with a time of 7:59:32.

Coming very soon is the 2010 CTS Sports Wagon. Interior space is increased without any droopy station wagon styling. It is a fine, functional and fun piece of automotive work.

Cadillac has also shown us an auto show version of a very eye catching CTS-like coupe named the Converge, equipped with the plug-in electric drive from the Chevy Volt. With all this, I guess it ’s not unreasonable to expect a convertible CTS in the future.

If you’re looking for the combination of a luxury brand and a responsive sport sedan, the CTS is a very nice vehicle.

Nissan Cube

Industry trends show a segment in the automotive landscape that is actually projected to grow. This is part of the reason why a number of manufacturers have jumped on
the small crossover vehicle bandwagon.

Nissan recently introduced its entrant in the class, the Cube. In Nissan’s case, however, the Cube is only new to us in this market. It’s a world car that has 10 years of experience, and this new model is actually the third generation of the vehicle.

Nissan has designed the Cube to provide a serene, stress-free experience both for the driver and passengers. The Cube is a five-occupant vehicle with a cargo area behind the second row of seats. The vehicle shape is “cubical” (hence the name Cube) in nature and purposefully boxy and upright. It is designed primarily for functionality and to deliver the maximum interior volume from this small vehicle.

The Cube is loosely based on the Nissan Versa platform and is therefore equipped with its 1.8 liter 4 cylinder engine, good for 122 horsepower and 127 ft. lbs. of torque. The vehicle is offered with either a manual or a CVT transmission. The CVT, which will likely represent about 80 percent of sales, is a gearless automatic-like device that delivers smooth driving, good response and good fuel economy.

The seating position is elevated both in the front and the back, so entry and exit is easy. You also get an excellent view of the road. The car has a very high roof so even with the high seating, there is tons of headroom. This yields both a comfortable rear seat and a very versatile cargo area. The unique rear styling of the vehicle is call “asymmetrical” by the designers, meaning that the left rear of the vehicle is different from the right rear.

The cargo door is side-opening rather than a hatch and is hinged on the driver’s side and opens from the curb side. Closing the door does not require a high reach —something some owners physically can’t do. Inside the cargo area, the floor is below the lift-over of the door, which is really great for putting bags and items in the back. While driving they will stay put in the bin area and don ’t roll all over the car.

The Cube has a full suite of safety equipment, which is especially welcome on smaller vehicles. This includes standard front, side and side curtain airbags, ABS brakes, EBD electronic brake force distribution, BA brake assist and stability control. As with your typical Nissan vehicle, it is designed to perform well in a crash.

The starting price of the Cube is a miserly $13,000 and change. This is a great value for a vehicle like this. In any event, Nissan welcomes all buyers and is happy to have customers in any age group take a Cube home with them.

Visit www.car-data.com for more information on these models.