Cadillac CTS

The Cadillac CTS is a kind of small saloon and a half, or large saloon less a portion. Bigger than a 3-series, smaller than a Five, but priced to nick sales off Threes and Audi’s A4. Cheap, but with reason.

• Comfort

  A comfy car despite the handling deficiencies, the CTS is quiet and removes any bumps without so much as a flutter. Big petrol engines work well to keep the ambient noise levels down too.

  

• Performance

  Two to choose from here, a 2.8 and 3.6-litre, both V6. The smaller 215bhp engine gets the CTS from 0-62mph in 8.4 seconds and on to 140mph max, while the larger 3.6 with only 257bhp spikes the car from rest to the benchmark in seven seconds dead and on to 145mph. Both are fine, but don't go drag racing; you'll lose. We don't get the V8, 400bhp ‘V'-spec car. Bah.

  

• Cool

  Angular styling stands out, and at least it's not another bloody 3-Series. But still too boring to be cool.

  

• Quality

  Mechanically spot-on, the CTS suffers inside. The Yanks don't mind so much about quality of plastics, but we Europeans do, and no A4 or 3-Series owner is going to be worried by this display of tackiness.

  

• Handling

  Not the Caddy's strong suit at the moment. Needs encouragement to take a bend properly and tends to spin a wheel when it gets upset. A 3-Series laughs in its face and dances on its grave. Which is a horrifying mix of linguistic imagery.

  

• Practicality

  Bigger than the cost-equivalent European car, the CTS is pretty big and useful. The boot is 420litres, there's space in the back and it's cheap real-estate if you need to move people about.

  

• Running costs

  Several grand cheaper to begin with, but that's where the good stuff ends. Neither engine will get more than mid-20s for mpg and they're all in a high tax bracket. No frugal diesel hurts the CTS big time in Europe.