It took a generation, but today's Cadillac CTS can truly bill itself as "world-class." When it bowed in 2003, the entry-level Caddy lacked a certain refinement in styling and materials--not to mention the coupes, wagons, and super-sport derivatives that Audi, BMW, Mercedes, even Lexus already had on tap.
Since it emerged in 2008, the second-generation CTS has pitched Cadillac, at long last, into the heated battle waged between the likes of the BMW 3-Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Audi A4, even the Infiniti G37 and Lexus IS. A truly sporty sedan, it now counts Coupe and Wagon models along with its Sedan stock and trade--and has a world-beating CTS-V lineup as its trump card.
Of all these cars, the CTS may be the most distinctive, and most attractive. It's flashy, yes, but the Cadillac Art & Science theme doesn't suffer from the me-too syndrome that endangers some of the cars in this class. There's no way you'd mistake its edgy, bladelike fenders and sparing use of chrome for anything but American, and those are just the big themes. Some details are mesmerizing, like the upswept headlamps on all versions, or the V-taper on the rear ends of the coupe and wagon. Of all the versions the Wagon is the most arresting--and that's an accomplishment. Every CTS shares an interior that's a great leap ahead for GM, if still a little cluttered and glitzy. Sharply delineated, with some functions and controls scattered around, subservient to the look, the CTS' cabin pretty much flips off the German less-is-more ethos, and goes for pure dazzle. It gets the contours right, but some of the plastic pieces still stand out a little too easily from the otherwise high level of trim quality. To be fair, that's more common across the luxury board these days.
Two engines, a choice of manual or paddle-shifted automatic transmissions, and an option for all-wheel drive allow drivers to configure their CTS in some interesting ways. Price is the reason to stick with the base 3.0-liter, 270-horsepower V-6 with direct injection, in sedans or wagons. It's smooth, relatively quiet, and puts out reasonably brisk performance. All coupes and other wagons and sedans get a revamped version of GM's 3.6-liter direct-injected six-cylinder this year; we haven't driven it yet, but the 318-hp six is sure to be our preference, with its 48-hp advantage over the base engine, and its close specs to the outgoing engine. Definitely give a pass to the balky manual six-speed transmission: it's only offered on base coupes and sedans, and in any case, GM's GM's six-speed automatic, with paddle shifters and sweet gear changes, is a better companion for sporty driving, anyway. All body styles have an option for all-wheel drive, and it extracts the usual weight and gas-mileage penalty--but makes the CTS more usable in the northern tier.
We've driven most of the available combinations of drivetrains, and in all, the CTS has some common traits, no matter how it's configured. Steering is a highlight, even crisper when a sport package with summer tires is added--the "FE3" setup on rear-drive models. Ride quality is well-controlled on sedans and especially on wagons, while the stubby coupe can feel a tad more busy. In the grander scheme, the CTS has finally hit its intended targets for ride and handling, just as Infiniti's done with the G37 lineup. All CTS vehicles are rated at 18/27 mpg except for the AWD sedans and wagons, which earn 18/26-mpg ratings, and manual rear-drive coupes, which are rated at 17/25 mpg.
Performance is very good, but like other cars in this segment, the CTS could use some more elbow room. The cabin is comfortable but snug, though the Wagon's longer rear door openings make it more useful, as does the extra 25 cubic feet of passenger space. The wagon also lets owners flip down the rear seats for a total of 53.4 cubic feet of room. The coupe doesn't lose much legroom compared to the sedan, but it's noticeably cramped, especially in rear-seat headroom. On all versions, sport sedans are inferior to the base ones, and have an odd concave padding down the middle of their cushions. There's a base "leatherette" upholstery, but most cars you'll see on lots will be outfitted with a fine grade of leather.
All CTSs are loaded--it's really just a matter of how loaded, and which tech and audio upgrades are specified. The sedan comes with power doors, locks, and mirrors; cruise control; automatic dual-zone climate control; a power driver seat; a tilt and telescoping steering wheel; an AM/FM/CD/XM audio system with auxiliary jack; an air filtration system; and automatic headlamps. The Sport Wagon adds a power tailgate to that list. The major options include a panoramic sunroof; a particularly advanced, easy-to-use entertainment system with hard-drive music storage and memory to hold radio broad-casts; a navigation system with real-time traffic; ventilated seats; a pet cover for the wagon's cargo hold; and 18- or 19-inch wheels and tires, to go with different suspension packages and all-weather or summer tires. For the 2012 model year, Bluetooth is standard across the board.
No, your eyes aren't deceiving you. The revamped 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class bears a striking resemblance to last year's car. But of course looks can be deceiving, and despite what its familiar exterior may suggest, the C has been significantly revised for 2012. More specifically, some 2000-plus components have been replaced or changed. But the most significant update by far was the addition of a sleek new two-door model to the C-Class range, and thankfully it isn't yet another confused four-door "coupe" wannabe (we're looking at you, CLS). For the 2012 model year, the C-Class gets two new engines (not counting AMG models): a 201-horsepower 1.8-liter turbocharged four-cylinder found in the base C250, and a heavily revised, direct-injected 302-horse 3.5-liter V-6 used by the C350. The brand's 228-horse, 221 lb-ft 3.0-liter V-6 still lives on, but only in the C300 4MATIC. (That model's six-speed manual gearbox has been axed for 2012).While not significantly updated, the C's sheetmetal remains attractive, with chiseled, recessed character lines and angular edges. The aluminum hood, doors, and front fenders have been slightly tweaked to accentuate width and athleticism. The restyled, sweeping C-shaped head- and taillamps with LED elements distinguish the model from everything else in the Benz range. Sport models equipped with the optional Dynamic Handling packaged sit 0.6 inch lower and receive stiffened dampers and higher spring rates for improved lateral performance. Distinct twin-spoke 17-inch alloys and AMG-styled cladding also separate the model from its Luxury edition sibling.With valve-timing, direct-injection, and Lanchester balanced shafts (ones that run faster than the engine to counteract movement), the 1.8-liter turbocharged four-cylinder fitted provides a peppy, relatively fuel-efficient (21/31 city/highway mpg) means of propulsion. Sixty mph from nil comes up in 7.2 seconds, while a quarter mile gets slowly defeated in 15.4 seconds at 89.5 mph.In the esses, the 250's smooth and communicative hydraulically boosted rack-and-pinion steering feels weighty throughout rotation, which, together with an engine screaming for mercy and the optional Sport suspension shouldering the 3515-pound mass, makes cornering a surprisingly entertaining -- albeit not super-sticky -- proposition. Around our figure-eight course, it manages a 27.2 second run at an average 0.63 g.The C350 Coupe is nearly identical dimensionally to its four-door brethren, but sits 1.5 inches squatter thanks to a vastly raked A-pillar. Interior shoulder- and headroom suffer slightly (front kneeroom actually grows 0.3 inch to 42 inches), but not many staffers complained, especially with the standard-issue panorama roof expanding the perceived space. Testing mastermind Kim Reynolds did smack his head upon entry, however. Engineers eased rear seat ingress and egress with an easy one-push front seat fold/return. To the delight of rear passenger knees, the front seatbacks are generously scalloped.Much as it is with the sedan, the most interesting aspect of the coupe is what motivates it. The new 3.5-liter V-6 uses a bevy of innovative tech, and offers additional power and efficiency compared to its predecessor. It is direct-injected, uses a multi-spark ignition system, and has better balanced 60-degree cylinder angles (with 12:1 compression ratio) in place of the outgoing V-6's 90-degree configuration (with 10.7:1 compression). Its revised cam chain drive allows for smoother operation and lower noise levels. The redone cooling system dissipates heat soak during hard driving via a two-stage flow, and warms up the powertrain more efficiently in the coldest of climates. Benz's familiar seven-speed automatic gearbox with dinky plastic Touch Shift paddles delegates power to the rear 18-inch rubber.While Mercedes-Benz has beaten arch nemesis BMW to the next-gen-turbo-four-in-a-small-sedan punch, you have to remember that Audi and its A4 have been there, done that. Until we get the trio together next spring, we'll reserve judgment as to who is the legitimate king of the ever-popular small luxury sedan segment. Nonetheless, the C-Class, be it two- or four-door, four- or six-cylinder, remains one cool, classy contender.Front engine, RWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan Front engine, RWD, 4-pass, 2-door coupe 1.8L/201-hp/229-lb-ft turbo DOHC 16-valve I-4 3.5L/302-hp/273-lb-ft DOHC 24-valve V-6 
Compact sedans are all the rage, with a host of new entries from both domestic and import manufacturers reaching showrooms recently. Nissan will cash in on that popularity with the 2012 Versa sedan, debuting today at the New York auto show with refreshed styling and tweaks to improve fuel economy. The 2012 Versa rides on an evolution of the last car's platform called V, for Versatile. The sedan's wheelbase and width are unchanged from the current model, but it loses about an inch of length and height. Despite this, Nissan says that packaging improvements for the engine and transaxle mean there is more trunk space. The new car also should be marginally lighter than before.
Styling-wise, the new Versa takes cues from the larger Altima and Maxima sedans, starting with a new grille design and oval-shaped headlights, and continued with a smoother rear and reshaped taillights that sweep from the rear bumper to the Versa's rear haunches. The hood and sides are broken up by an assortment of creased character lines akin to those seen on the Hyundai Elantra. Whereas the old Versa had a more conventional flat roof and steep rear window, the new car's roofline gently slopes toward the trunk, following the coupe-like trend. The exterior changes reportedly help achieve a low 0.31 drag coefficient. 
Nissan claims the Versa's rear seats offer more legroom than a BMW 5 Series or Mercedes-Benz E-Class, and says much effort was spent making the seats comfier and the interior more spacious and appealing. The new dashboard has rounded, contoured controls in place of the drab flat-plastic layout in the old car, a simpler dual-gauge instrument cluster, and a redesigned steering wheel. That said, the interior continues to showcase expanses of plain plastics and fabrics (in either Sandstone or Charcoal color schemes) that don't look particularly upscale.