The days of thinking of a Cadillac sedan as a relic of the past or something the blue hair set drives is gone with the introduction of the 2012 CTS-V. This high performance sedan worth taking a look at for anyone who wants more from the CTS line. Equipped with a massive and incredibly powerful 6.2-liter supercharged V-8, the CTS-V has the gumption on the highway one would expect out of a smaller sports model. The exterior body design doesn’t disappoint either with plenty of style and good looks to get it plenty of attention. Inside the cabin, Cadillac equipped this model with high tech gadgets and high quality materials reminiscent of the company’s earlier days without keeping the staid design more fitting for the living room than a high performance sedan. Overall, the CTS-V will suit anyone looking for good looks, lots of performance, and plenty of standard features.
New For 2012
For the 2012 model year the Cadillac CTS-V is largely unchanged. The only real change of note is this year’s model has standard automatic wipers for the first time.
Exterior
The 2012 Cadillac CTS-V is the high performance of the company’s CTS sedan. This particular model is available in one trim level and seats up to five passengers. The CTS-V features 19 inch wheels. The body style for this sedan highlights some seriously impressive body styling. The front end and grille are sure to be noticed in anyone’s rearview mirror. With its mesh grille front featuring the distinctive Cadillac emblem in the center to the widely placed headlights, the CTS-V refrains from giving the same, staid impression as your grandpa’s Cadillac. This version wants to make itself known as the high performance option it is.
Details in the metal work are one of the things that make this model special. The hood, sides, and doors all have plenty of lines to give the sedan a powerful look. For a sedan, the roof line drops dramatically back to the trunk in an almost sporty way. The rear fenders and trunk area complete the picture with matching styling.
Interior & Cargo
It used to be that sitting in a Cadillac was more like relaxing in someone’s living room than sitting in a car. All of that changed with the introduction of the CTS sedan line. The CTS-V for the 2012 model year is much like its sibling in the cabin area. It features the same good quality materials and attractive design. The dash gauges and controls are user friendly in design and placement. Also like its sibling, the CTS-V has a significant amount of head and leg room in the front and rear of the cabin, especially for a mid-sized model. It should be noted that the standard front seats aren’t necessarily as comfortable or supportive as one would hope. The solution to the problem is to add the optional Recaro seats.
Cargo space is a unique issue in the model as well. The trunk opening is narrow and creates some challenges with bulky items, such as golf clubs and luggage. The rear seats don’t fold down either, but there is a standard trunk pass through. Total, the CTS-V has 13.6 cubic feet of storage space in the trunk.
Safety
It is clear Cadillac built the CTS-V with safety as well as performance in mind. This model is fully equipped with standard anti-lock brakes, as well as traction and stability control. Front seat side airbags along with side curtain airbags were also added for security in the cabin. Every CTS-V comes with OnStar as a standard safety feature as well. The braking system is incredible for a car of this size and weight. It only takes a short 104 feet for this model to stop from 60 mph.
In both government and independent crash testing, the 2012 CTS-V delivers the goods with the highest possible ratings in frontal, side impact, and roof strength.
Driving Experience
As the high performance version of the CTS, the CTS-V is equipped with a supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 engine. This motor is paired with a standard six-speed manual transmission. If you prefer, Cadillac also offers the six-speed automatic transmission at the same price. This powertrain provides 556 hp and 551 lb-ft of torque. Fuel economy is estimated at 14/19 mpg city/highway for the manual transmission and 12/18 mpg city/highway for the automatic.
For the most part, the idea of a sedan being quick is laughable compared to other classes of vehicles. The high performance CTS-V changes that impression with speed and power on the road. This model gives up plenty of acceleration and staying power despite its heavy weight. Weighing in a 4300 lbs. the CTS-V isn’t necessarily as nimble on turns as one might like, but the sheer speed and aggressive driving possible on the straight stretches make this unimportant.
Key Competitors For The 2012 Cadillac CTS-V
- Mercedes-Benz C-Class
- Infiniti G37 sedan
- BMW M3