2017 Cadillac CTS-V Review

Standard equipment includes 19-inch alloy wheels with summer tires, Brembo brakes, adaptive suspension dampers, a high-performance rear differential, xenon headlights, automatic high-beams, LED taillights, heated side mirrors with an auto-dimming feature on the driver side, rain-sensing wipers and keyless ignition/entry.

Standard interior features include 20-way power-adjustable, leather and suede-microfiber front seats that are heated and ventilated, a power tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, dual-zone climate control, LED accent lighting, a customizable high-definition gauge cluster, a head-up display, a rearview camera, and a front curb-view camera offering a low-level view to help you avoid curb damage.

Additional standard technology includes remote ignition, a self-parking system (can autonomously park both parallel and perpendicular), OnStar telematics, 4G LTE Wi-Fi data connectivity, wireless smartphone charging, Bluetooth phone and audio streaming, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone interface, and the Cadillac User Experience (CUE) system with navigation, an 8-inch touchscreen, voice controls and a 13-speaker Bose surround sound system with a USB port, auxiliary audio jack, and satellite and HD radio.

A Luxury package includes Cadillac's new Rear Camera Mirror, three-zone climate control, heated rear seats with a split-folding seatback, a rear window power sunshade and manual rear side window sunshades. A sunroof is also available but only with the Luxury package.

The Carbon Fiber package adds a hood vent, rear spoiler, front air splitter and rear air diffuser made from carbon-fiber composite. The Carbon Black package includes the components in the Carbon Fiber package along with a black chrome grille and different 19-inch wheels.

An Advanced Security package adds a steering column lock, vehicle inclination tilt sensor and alarm, locking lug nuts, laminated-glass rear door windows and a specially shielded anti-theft alarm system.

Stand-alone options include red or dark gold Brembo brake calipers (replacing the standard gray color), polished aluminum 19-inch alloy wheels, a performance data and camera recorder, and 16-way-adjustable Recaro performance seats. Buyers also have the no-cost option of ordering the CTS-V with or without the base (not carbon fiber) front air splitter.

The 2017 Cadillac CTS-V uses a slightly retuned version of the supercharged 6.2-liter V8 engine found in the Corvette Z06. It makes 640 horsepower and 630 pound-feet of torque, down just a tad from the Corvette's numbers.

An eight-speed automatic transmission sends power to the rear wheels via an electronic limited-slip differential. Steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters allow manual shifting of the transmission, but alas there's no option for a true manual transmission. Four drive modes — Snow, Tour, Sport, Track — adjust the amount of accelerator, transmission, steering and suspension response. Track mode itself offers five levels of traction control, allowing drivers to test their thresholds of courage and skill.

In our testing, a CTS-V lunged from zero to 60 mph in a sizzling 4.1 seconds — an impressive result for a car that also returns a respectable 17 mpg in combined driving, according to the EPA.