The weather outside was frightful, and the all-new 2017 Cadillac CT6 was delightful. Here’s a look at how America’s flagship luxury sedan tackles some exceptionally lousy driving conditions.
I saw some bad driving conditions during a week with the 2017 Cadillac CT6, which is one of the test-drives I’ve been most excited about this year. This car is everything Cadillac knows about cars. It’s the big one: the top model from America’s top luxury car brand, and America’s flagship luxury sedan offering to the rest of the world. I spent a few days driving it under a winter weather advisory from my local weather man, who said I should stay off of the roads. Obviously, I didn’t listen. #sorrynotsorry
Here’s the setup: this enormous luxury lounge is much bigger than it looks in photos—perfect for the transport of four large adults in the lap of connected luxury, with space to spare. Huge room at all seats. Giant display screens for rear-seat occupants. Built-in Wi-Fi for streaming data. Hell, it’s like being on a first class flight. The seats, all of them, even have a built-in massage function. Streaming a movie and getting a massage in the middle of a blizzard is now a thing that’s possible.
Gadget favorites include the Night Vision camera system which is just plain neato, and the rear camera mirror, which turns your mirror into a display, powered by a camera, and explodes your rearward view by something like 300 percent.
Under the hood? A 3-litre twin-turbo V6 with torque and horsepower rated squarely at 400 apiece. Then, an 8-speed automatic with paddle shift. And behind that, underneath the 2017 Cadillac CT6’s lightweight aluminium floor-pan? An AWD system with a continually variable centre clutch, ensuring power goes where it’s needed the most, almost undetectably, and with millisecond precision.
Ultimately, the tuning of the AWD system, traction systems, ride, handling and steering lay the foundation for confident winter driving, if the main thing you want from your ride, in really bad weather, is to feel planted, stable, and very well backed up. In fact, the return on your investment in the CT6’s advanced driver assist and traction enhancing systems is probably no more apparent than if you’re driving in a snowstorm. Fantastic headlight performance and the built-in OnStar system further boost winter driving confidence.
Ultimately, here’s one of those hundred grand cars that, really, feels like one. You get world class engineering deployed towards the delivery of exceptional confidence, even when Mother Nature is acting exceptionally crabby. Put another way, even very nasty weather does little to diminish the driving enjoyment built into this CT6, largely, because this car always feels like it’s got your back. If you’re lucky enough to be shopping in this price bracket for a great big luxury sedan, consider this one a priority test-drive.
Here’s a video demonstration of the CT6 taking on some heavy snow:
And a full video review via www.autoTRADER.ca
2017 Cadillac CT6 Platinum AWD
Engine: 3-litre V6, twin turbo, 400 horsepower
Drivetrain: AWD
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Features: Built-in Wi-Fi, Night Vision, OnStar, Android Auto, Bose Panaray Stereo, massage seats, automatic climate control, LED headlights, Magnetic Ride Control, Active Noise Cancellation
What’s Hot: Immensely comfortable, striking cabin, high-quality feel, top-notch confidence for bad weather
What’s Not: Some fussy sensors, door design allows plenty of water /snow to spill into cabin
As Tested (CT6 Platinum AWD): $100,530
