2014 Cadillac CTS Continues Car of the Year Trend

One of the more prominent of the auto industry’s MVP trophies—the Motor Trend Car of the Year Award—has gone this year to the all-new 2014 Cadillac CTS. It’s the second time a CTS has earned the honor, with the second-generation sedan claiming the prize when it launched for 2008, and it also marks the fifth MT COTY award for Cadillac products. The publication’s very first Car of the Year honor, presented in 1949, went to the “Cadillac Motor Division” as a whole, and the brand scored the 1952 title as well. The 1992 Cadillac Seville Touring Sedan rounds out the honor roll.

As for the 2014 Cadillac CTS, it beat out seven finalists from the year’s 22 “all-new or substantially upgraded” models, with members from that short list put through a battery of on-road and on-track testing, then evaluated by MT judges in six different categories: design advancement, engineering excellence, efficiency, safety, value, and performance of intended function.

But as explained by Ed Loh, editor-in-chief of Motor Trend: “Our judges were particularly impressed by the CTS’s responsive powertrains and masterful balance of smooth ride and sporty handling.”

That’s probably because the new 2014 Cadillac CTS offers features like the latest iteration of GM’s Magnetic Ride Control suspension technology and three levels of powertrain performance:

• 272 hp and 295 lb.-ft. of torque, from a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine that further enables up to 30 mpg in highway driving
• 321 hp and 275 lb.-ft. of torque, produced by a naturally aspirated V6 that displaces 3.6 liters yet still delivers up to 29 mpg highway
• 420 hp and 430 lb.-ft. of torque, courtesy of a new twin-turbo 3.6-liter V6 that can propel the car from 0-60 mph in a mere 4.6 seconds

The party line from Bob Ferguson, General Motors’ senior vice president of Global Cadillac: “The all-new 2014 Cadillac CTS sedan delivers crafted design, thrilling performance and sophisticated technology. With Cadillac growing globally, driven by rising product credibility, the new CTS elevates the brand to a new level.”