Recently I have done weekend test drives of the Cadillac CTS-V, the Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon, the Cadillac Escalade ESV, and the Cadillac SRX 3L. You can find all of my test drives under the ‘Test Drive‘ tag.
I have enjoyed each vehicle. A part of testing each vehicle is trying to understand that individual design, what the Design Team had in mind, who the target audience for the vehicle is. With the Cadillac CTS-V, I fit within the demographic that the team is targeting. People who want maximum sport, with all the luxury appointments of a Cadillac. That one was easy for me to ‘get’ and to understand.
The Cadillac Escalade ESV offers amazing space and storage ability, along with 3 rows of seating. It is a terrific vehicle for when you need to tow, or carry a large family, or frequently carry large items. It drives well, and is extremely well mannered regardless of size, but especially for a large vehicle.
The Cadillac Sport Wagon offers the feel of the sedan — lower weight, lower center of gravity, more sporty handling — while providing easy access storage space and utility. The Cadillac Team has carefully engineered the cargo storage and seat configurations with actual uses of the Sport Wagon in mind.
The Cadillac SRX was a real surprise to me. The inherent goodness of this vehicle is very high. The package as a whole is delightful. Integration of a digital display in the dash, along with thoughtful features like folding mirrors and predictive pathing on the back up camera display push this Cadillac very high on my list of desirable vehicles. Before I drove one, I was pleased that the SRX was selling well for Cadillac, but would never consider it as a daily driver. After driving one, I not only appreciate why they sell so well, but would consider purchasing one.
And therein lies the interesting side-effect of my test drives. My palate is expanding. I have come to appreciate an even wider variety of Cadillac designs and choices. While I am fond of pointing out that “every Cadillac does not have to be a CTS-V”, now I feel that more than ever.
I have been shopping for a low-mile 2008 Cadillac STS-V as my next vehicle. Now I plan to consider a low-mile 2009 Cadillac CTS Premium Model as well until the 2009 Cadillac CTS-V prices come down to my budget. Before I valued the V-series packaging and absolute acceleration/braking/cornering; now I appreciate the balanced packaging of the current Cadillac line.