Ride & Handling
Our test CTS had the optional performance suspension, and the car felt as firm as one of the high-performance V-Series versions that Cadillac sells, with harsh, jarring responses over bumps. It's not far removed from the suspension tuning on Mercedes' AMG models, like the C63 AMG, which is a firm-riding sport sedan.
The payback, however, is minimal body roll, which is welcome when the road bends. The performance suspension includes thicker front and rear stabilizer bars — as well as a limited-slip differential if you opt for summer tires — but the steering prevents the car from being as engaging as it might otherwise be; steering effort is light and steering feedback expectations remain unmet.
Tires play a significant part in the ride and handling equation, which is why it was unfortunate that our rear-wheel-drive CTS arrived with Bridgestone Blizzak winter tires on its 19-inch wheels. With temperatures in the 50s, spring was well under way when we drove the car. The summer tires that are normally part of the optional Performance Package would have been a better match for the conditions.
See also:
Total Weight on the
Vehicle's Tires
Inflate the vehicle's tires to the
upper limit for cold tires. These
numbers can be found on the
Certification label or see Vehicle
Load Limits. Do not
go over the GVW limit for the
vehicl ...
A spirit of lightness and balance
Making the Cadillac ATS one of the segment's lightest cars was a fundamental
criterion for and the guiding principle during its development, but it was done
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Rainsense™
For vehicles with Rainsense, a
sensor located near the top center
of the windshield detects the
amount of water on the windshield
and automatically controls the
frequency of the windshield w ...