Look At That Cadillac, Look At That! Seven Bargain 400+ hp Cadillacs That Are NOT CTS-V’s.

My 2010 Mercedes S600 has about 97,000 miles and two years of warranty left, and so I’ve been preparing it for sale (hint, hint?) and hoping to replace it with another long distance highway cruiser. The BMW M760 V-12 I drove last fall was not as spacious as the Mercedes, and there haven’t been any Mercedes V-12 unicorns at CarMax in an awfully long time. I’m starting to think there may not be anymore, and so I started looking at possible placeholder cars – nice enough to drive for a year or longer but not so expensive I couldn’t impulsively sell on short notice if a Mercedes (or Audi) V-12 came on the market. I’ve looked at Cadillac CTS-V’s, but they don’t have adaptive cruise control or seat massagers, features I just have to have on the highway. I am willing to sacrifice the aromatherapy in the S-class.

Then I started filtering my searches for Auto Cruise Control, Apple Carplay, Heated Steering Wheel, and Seat Massagers. You’d think there would be more choices, but of the 61,000 cars in the CarMax inventory, less than 400 have seat massagers. Iinterestingly, the highest count are Fords – F150’s and Explorers. Who knew? Sorry but once you’ve had your back and butt rubbed at 75 mph on a thousand mile drive, you can’t not have seat massagers again. Ignoring the $70,000 and up cars, I zeroed in on these Cadillac XTS and CT6 sedans with 400 hp six cylinder motors, AWD, and most, if not all, of the features I need. And I even took the 2016 CT6 Platinum model above home for a 24 hour test drive, so we’ll start with that one.

The CT6 was the Cadillac flagship from 2016-2020, selling about 40,000 units total. The Platinum trim is the highest level. More interior pictures below, but let’s just say I was as comfortable in this Cadillac CT6 as I have been in the 2004 Mercedes S55 and 2010 Mercedes S600 I’ve owned. And neither had the audio system in the Cadillac – a 34 speaker (including in the head rest) Bose Panaray sound system. Loved it – especially coupled with Apple Carplay. Never heard of Panaray so had to Google it. First, Panaray is a “portmanteau” word, blending the sounds and combining the meanings of two others – panoramic and array. The sound system is a $3,700 option in lesser Cadillacs and standard in the Platinum models. I can see me turning the stereo down to share with passengers what both Panaray and portmanteau mean, once I learn to pronounce it.

I’ve never had a car with a heads up display (HUD). At first, because of my height, the display in this CT6 was only fully visible when I slouched. Then I read a review that taught me it’s adjustable and and customizable. And just like that I had pertinent info on the windshield right where I needed it. And like my S600, the CT6 had night vision! I still don’t find it useful, but I like having it to show off to hitchhikers and drifters I pick up on road trips.

When I first learned of 400 hp twin turbo six cylinder motors in these cars I was skeptical. Big sedans deserve big V-8’s. Or more. Having driven this car for a 24 hour test drive, I can share first hand that it is…just good enough. If you’re on team “nobody needs a V-8 or V-12 anymore just to rocket down ramps” this motor will make you happy. In Sport mode it made just enough noise for me, accelerated quick enough, and felt very strong. Not 500 or 600 hp strong, but I could live with this until another S65 comes my way. The car is rated at 18/26 mpg and I could see that coming in handy on cross country trips. In the video below the best they could do was high-five second 0-60 mph runs. Other car reviews done that in about five seconds flat. Perhaps a km/h thing. But at least you can hear the motor in the video.

The Platinum trim also included wireless phone charging and remote start, neither of which worked in the 2016 I test drove. This car had 55,000 miles and while it was equipped with limited lane keeping assist it did not have Cadillac Super Cruise – arguably the industries best hands free driving – that I learned after returning the car only became available on 2018 models and newer. I returned the car in thinking I might need that, and yet Super Cruise adds $15,000 to the price. Not really into self-driving cars, but I think for long distance driving I just might. This 2016 Cadillac CT6 Platinum is still here at Dulles, Virginia, unless I panic and buy it. It might be a real bargain.

Stock # 22253305  VIN # 1G6KK5R67GU160499

Let’s back up and visit the more affordable and nearly as nice Cadillac XTS. The XTS replaced the STS and DTS as the full sized Caddy from 2013 to 2019, selling over 160,000 units. The CT6 overlapped the XTS and was meant to be sold in conjunction with the XTS – not a replacement. The XTS had many, but not all, of the features available later on the CT6, carrying about the same size but not the same price tag. The only trim appropriate for an enthusiast, I think, is the Vsport. Two are available below.

This 2015 Cadillac XTS Vsport Premium has only 14,000 miles on it and is fairly loaded with adaptive cruise control, Brembo brakes, heated and cooling seats, heated steering wheel HUD, and on and on. The car is AWD and is lacking only Apple Carplay and seat massagers compared to the CT6.

The XTS Vsport Premium carries a 3.6 liter twin turbo rated at 410 hp, with a six-speed automatic, and will pull off a 4.9 second 0-60 run – a tenth of a second faster than the CT6. The car has six more horsepower over the CT6 and is slightly lighter, with a six speed vs an eight speed automatic. Both are all wheel drive. No idea how that combination results in a slightly quicker car. BEWARE – there are similarly equipped XTS sedans with a 3.6 liter six that is NOT a twin turbo – has only 304 hp. That may be enough but if you want the 400 hp motor you have to dig into the specs.

I was fascinated to learn about the XTS secret compartment behind the infotainment controls. Cool video below. One of the YouTube videos I saw on this suggested a good place for cash, valuables, or a “9mm”. I don’t recommend that. I don’t believe the CT6 has this secret stash place. I wish I did so I could hide my Wawa Peanut Chews from the family.

Find this 2015 Cadillac XTS VSport Premium here in West Sahara, Nevada, which is in Las Vegas (not north Africa).

Stock # 21150464  VIN # 2G61V5S83F9115845

Here’s a second XTS Vsport Premium (below), a year newer 2016, with 34,000 miles and a $39,998 price tag. It is almost identically equipped to the XTS above, but it does not have adaptive cruise control. Makes it a lesser value than the one above.

I usually don’t like chocolate colored interiors but this one is tastefully done. Would hide my coffee spillage. Find this 2016 XTS Vsport Premium here in Mobile, Alabama – coming soon. Maybe they’ll close the hood before it moves to the lot?

Stock # 22149361  VIN # 2G61V5S83G9105687

Let’s move to the other CT6’s, all more expensive and nicer than the $42,998 2016 model I took home. It’s pretty much identical, fully loaded with adaptive cruise control, seat massagers, heated and cooling seats, HUD, Apple Carplay and Panaray audio. It’s got 19,000 less miles than the one at the top but costs $5,000 more. All of these Cadillacs are eligible for up to 60 months and 150,000 odometer miles of MaxCare coverage. Given the electronics, the relatively high-performance twin turbo motors, and AWD, I’d take the extended warranty.

All of the CT6 Platinums have the rear DVD system neatly concealed in the seatbacks. Has a rich look to it. I also like the gray over black on this car. This beautiful 2016 Cadillac CT6 Platinum is here in Fort Worth, Texas.

Stock # 22052352  VIN # 1G6KK5R64GU149427

One more 2016 Cadillac CT6 Platinum below. By now you got the looks of the body and interior, so how about the gigantic trunk? Reviewers noted that it measures quite large but the V-shape of the trunk lid makes real world use a little less practical. I still suspect you could fit four adult bodies back there in a hypothetical mob scene.

This 2016 Cadillac CT6 Platinum is here in Raleigh, North Carolina. It’s identical to the other gray 2016 above in every way, with 6,000 less miles and a thousand dollar higher price tag.

Stock # 22277518  VIN # 1G6KK5R61GU160255

The 2017 Cadillac CT6 Platinum below, the sixth car in this queue, almost fooled me. I thought I read somewhere that Cadillac’s spectacular hands free (if you will) Super Cruise system started becoming available on the 2017 model. The one below is $8,000 more than the 2016 at the top I drove, and I was pondering paying to have it transferred in and see if it was worth it. Still white over tan, fully loaded, and wondered if Super Cruise would merit the additional expense. I was visiting CarMax service (one tends to do that on a regular basis with unicorns) to talk about S600 repairs and mentioned the Cadillacs. Turns out service tech James is a GM expert, and said “Oh no, Super Cruise only started in 2018” and showed me how to visually confirm it’s there – see the section on Super Cruise below.

Fortunately, I didn’t pay to have this car transferred and find out upon arrival it didn’t have Super Cruise. It’s still a very nice CT6 and if I had never heard of Super Cruise I think I’d prefer it over the 2016 at the top – a good 24,000 less miles, a year newer, and only $8,000 more. This nicely equipped 2017 Cadillac CT6 Platinum is here in Greenville, South Carolina.

Stock # 21963334  VIN # 1G6KN5R60HU160790

They’re starting to look alike, but they’re not. The seventh car in this queue is a 2018 Cadillac CT6 Platinum. With Super Cruise. It’s headed my way as of an hour ago. On one hand it’s a whopping $15,000 more than the 2016 “good enuff” CT6 I started with a few weeks ago, and really liked. Two years newer and 23,000 less miles, but pretty much the same car. With Super Cruise. How do you justify that?

Check out the strip on the top of the steering wheel. That’s the tell tale Super Cruise sensor that makes sure you’re keeping your eyes on the road. As James told me, no strip, no Super Cruise.

You justify it with what some auto journalists have said is the best hands free driving experience on the road bar none. Better than Mercedes. Have never been into hand free driving but in the past two years I’ve driven from Virginia to Oregon and back twice, from Virginia to Florida and back twice, and round trips from Virginia to Birmingham, Alabama and Nashville, Tennessee. Maybe 18,000 highway miles. There might be something to this. I cannot do justice trying to explain the technology and where it fits in the market, so I’ve added the promo video below.

I don’t think the Cadillac CT6 Platinum is as sophisticated overall or has the creature comforts of a Mercedes S-class. But it’s damned close and cheaper. CarMax has some loaded S550’s for the same price, but without Apple Carplay, and some loaded S560’s with Apple Carplay for a lot more money, but perhaps not as good of a hand free system? All debatable. Was an easier debate at $42,000 with the 2016 at the top, maybe less so at $58,000 for the Super Cruising 2018? If there were a V-12 S class……..

For now, this 2018 Cadillac CT6 Platinum is here in Charlottesville, Virginia. It will shortly be at my dealership at Dulles, Virginia. Interestingly, transfers from here to my dealership in Dulles, Virginia were free pre-pandemic, and became $199 or so until this week when they became free again. I understand CarMax dealerships began to increase fees during the used car mess of the past year to discourage movement. Maybe that’s abating? With free transfer I just have to see if this Super Cruise is worth it. I’ll update after driving.

Stock # 21655335  VIN # 1G6KP5R64JU104593

Thanks for hanging in there with me if you made it this far. That’s all the Cadillacs for today. Well, except for the Stray Cats hit of almost 40 years ago from the “Rant and Rave” album that I’ve been listening to on vinyl while writing. That’s why I dig what some say are old man colors – white over tan cars – only combo better is, of course, gold over cream. Enjoy.