Many people in this market just blindly buy a BMW or Mercedes based on a name without even knowing exactly what they are getting and what else may be out there. They are short changing themselves if they do not thoroughly evaluate all their options. I rode in a friend's BMW 3 series recently and I was not impressed at all but it says BMW on the emblem so it doesn't matter to some.
I don’t think it’s time for Cadillac to go back to square one as you say. The CTS is a striking looking vehicle in my view. Brand cache isn’t something you can create overnight.
@thedriversseat - if I had the answers Cadillac would hire me 😉. On the surface I’d say it’s brand perception. The Cadillac brand (like so many other American cars) are viewed with less panache by American and European buyers. Cadillac can throw more powerful engines, drivetrains and plush quality interiors into their cars and it will not matter if the brand perception isn’t on par with it’s competitors. I believe they have a good product but they are swimming upstream in terms of winning over new customers.
It's 3 things. CUE being bashed by journalists when it shouldn't have been. Lack of translating their sedans into SUV'S like the original SRX instead of copping a fwd and rwd platforms from Chevrolet. Though they have done well 2 isn't enough. That's how the other makers are amortizing and being profitable. Lastly brand perception which is a combination of the 2. My next car will be a CTS design and dynamics are front of the line. They don't need reboot they need to start building rwd SUV 's like they don't gaf.
The CTS is a well made reliable car. Despite the prediction of this mans opinion that Cadillac will be gone you can bet it`ll be around long after we`re gone.
As long as they continue to sell the Escalade, Cadillac will be fine. It’s probably my least favorite product they sell, but somehow they convince people to spend almost 100 grand for what is essentially a really nice Yukon Denali, which is a really, really nice Tahoe.
Hold up here! You've got to be kidding me! Cadillac has made significant strides in my opinion over the previous offerings! There design language to me is top notch not cutting edge but levels ahead of the Catera disaster! For the price of Cadillac's competitors, their vehicles are astronomically priced compared to this model! Cadillac does need to tweak it's interior design a little,more art not so much science (knobs vs touch) which allows more attention to the road than to the system. But I love Cadillac's design theme,especially the hidden storage compartment radio panel(nice touch) .The Cts'v coupe is by far the sexiest offering of the bunch & the Ats'v is definitely a head turner without screaming & shouting hey look at me. So kudos to Caddy for their strides in creating competition relative to their pricing. But I'll admit Hyundai is coming pretty swiftly these days!!
Here is the problem with Cadillac. Cadillac made a awesome car years ago called the Elmiraj. This car should be be in production and on the road like yesterday. If Lexus made this car it would be 10 years old with a new model on the way. Cadillac, STOP making concept cars that you are not going to build. It’s a waste of time and money. Build the car, advertise it, ship it to dealerships and customers will come. I’ll say the same thing about the Buick Avenir ! STOP making watered down versions of these awesome concepts !!!
Man cadillac is getting better every year. I was all about BMW's and Audi's. I just bought the ATS it's just a better car. I didn't get sucked in to the fools paradise where you pay more for less just so you can say I got a bmw. They are good but cadillac just offers better and more. And people need to stop being such sheeps.
Ron you have hit upon a topic some friends and i have been discussing a while back. Cadillac is like that one good restaurant around the corner that no one is talking about with some of their menu items being some of the best to sample. My first and top-most recommendation is to get rid of Johan De Nysschen. His "claim to fame" resume includes *"...I'm from Audi and while at Infiniti I greatly improved their brand by changing all the model's naming nomenclature to a confusing mess and I recommend the same be done at Cadillac.... Oh and lets move to New York."* Secondly their entire marketing team needs to be fired (also the responsibility of Johan). Cadillac has finally improved their products over the years and though still not perfect (what ever is?) is on par and even better than most of their competition and yet the marketing is lack-luster. As for the design I think you have a point their but that design is remarkably and uniquely Cadillac a-la 21st century. You are right that they have to address this problem asap because they do finally have great product that no one has a compelling desire to own and this has been on going now for more than a couple of years now.
Silverdeamon92 Cadillac needs to focus on being Cadillac and what works for the brand... Stop trying to be BMW while pushing your American customer base out the door with these small cars, only the XTS is really doing good.
keri ellerbe I couldn't agree more and until recently this is what GM was doing with Cadillac starting the late 90s and it proved successful up until the 2010s and recently when they hired Johan. Currently Cadillac has a compelling product line they just need to market it. Personally I feel even if they introduce more crossovers, if not marketed well it wont matter how much better those vehicles are.
The biggest problem at Cadillac is starting all over again. And again. And again. The current strategy is a good one. Good exterior design, good powertrains, and good marketing. Cadillac needs better interiors, stop dealers deep discounting which leads to low resale value, and stick to the current direction. It takes time for reality to catch up with perception.
They are designing great looking cars now but tbh for the price all things being equal I’d rather have a German (Audi, Benz, BMW). They need to lower the price without sacrificing quality to move them
"..they've done everything right... but they should go back to square one..." Interesting advice! Look, to the casual observer this guy may come across as a complete nonsensical idiot. But it really is the best review of the CTS/Cadillac out there. And here's why - this guy speaks for every insecure lemming who would otherwise buy a Cadillac sports sedan. As this guy plainly shows, there is no substantive reason for not buying a Cadillac sports sedan over a German car. But why are we even talking about cars? Just because a CAR USED TO BE the luxury vehicle of choice doesn't mean it is anymore. And luxury vehicles (not sports sedans) is what people expect and buy from Cadillac. Look at what Cadillacs sell - Escalades and XT5s. It's hard to believe that this guy Johann dN can't figure out that the SUV is the new luxury sedan - that the Escalade is the Fleetwood Brougham of yore. And that he should be taking SUVs as far as it can be taken. They invented the luxury SUV and now Mercedes and BMW are making bank on them while Cadillac builds sports sedans! As a Cadillac fanboi, it is painful to give up on the idea of a thoroughly modern Cadillac SEDAN. But times have changed. And for all of the asinine reasons the SUV fad exists, the new Cadillac luxury must too be an SUV. :(
I'm writing this before I watch the video. I can't wait to hear why Ron doesn't like this car. He has never liked a car. Maybe he should build his own.
Actually the video was more about the brand/company's future direction than a critique of the car. He did state several times he was not criticizing the car in this video or their cars and even went on to mention some of the better points of the car. He did criticize the CUE infotainment but did remarked on its current improvements.
Is a marketing problem. Lincoln, which is an inferior product, is more successful because they have the weird commercials with Mathew McConaughey. You are saying the product is excellent, however, you keep complaining they have to go to square one to fix a problem you cannot identify. You can’t sell what you don’t advertise.
Exactly right. A proper marketing team should be able to convince you that your life depends upon their product, that you will never be able to exist without *their* product.
People need to realize there are more excellent options out there other than BMW or Mercedes and quit worrying about nameplate cache. I would never buy a car based on the name plate or what the friends and neighbors may think if you go outside the box
Cadillac has been making better cars then they used to. Maybe the new midengine corvette should actually be a Cadillac. Might be better for Cadillac and chevy
So if there's no compelling argument for it, what's the argument against it? Audi a6 is ugly, BMW 5 series are unreliable and base models are terrible with cheap material, and E class's models can come pretty bare as well. You can get a loaded 5 series or E class but then you're spending close to $90-100k on a midsize sedan. I personally think the CTS looks just as good and had better materials than the base model competitors. However Cadi needs a more loaded top trim like power rear window shades instead of the tacky pull up ones, soft close doors, adjustable ambient lighting, power headrest ect. The top trim should not cheap out on anything. I drove all 3 main competitors BMW Mercedes and Cadillac midsize cars and the Cadi drove the best by far and that's what should matter most and it takes regular fuel which will save thousands over the years.
If you do some research you will figure out the Cadillac is actually getting rid of some of the sedans and making a smaller and maybe a larger SUV to fill your the luxury suv market that seems to be the raging thing right now. I think Cadillac is realizing that the sedans are a dying breed.
man I don't see nothing bad about this Cadillac CTS 2018 people don't like the Some thing than people but Cadillac Toyota Lexus so don't put them car down i love my Toyota Avalon and it is a 03 I love it
This guy says he really likes the car but bashes the brand. Seriously, get real with your review! The reason Cadillac is having trouble is because they have spent plenty of money and time to get their on their sedans redesigned when the mass public is buying crossover SUV's. If you look at their sales all of their sedan sales combined are less then the total sales for the new XT5. So it is not so much the brands fault as it is the models desired by the market. They are coming up with two more crossovers and I think we will see Cadillac revived greatly by this. The part that really bothers me is that he brings up that if you are an iconic brand you can get away with minor changes to your cars. They are an iconic brand and have been for quite a few decades. It is merely the brainwashing that most people have with BMW's, Audi's and Mercedes. I ask the reviewer and anyone else this simple question. If our American made cars looked virtualy the same for decades wouldn't that maker have been given a ton of crap for lacking any innovation?? Yet the brainwashed individuals still run out and buy more German cars. Even the reviewer tells you the Cadillac is on par with them. Do yourself a big favor and go drive a Cadillac, I'm on my 5th one and they have gotten better all the time, especially the last 3. STS, ATS, CTS
Are you serious? It is 100% Cadillac's fault for getting caught with their pants down on the SUV/CUV trend. That's what car companies do!! They work 5-years out on product development and spend millions of dollars on market trend research to predict the future. Obviously BMW figured it out with 7 crossovers (X1, X2, X3, X4, X5, X6 & X7). This is a massive fail on Cadillac's part….and they have General Motors behind them. Do you have any idea how business works? Companies develop products and services based on anticipated demand. ALL COMPANIES. We've read a lot of idiotic comments on RUclips, but yours is the best. Have you heard of a company called Blackberry? They used to own the smartphone market, but then they got clever and concluded the App thing was a fad. Guess how much market share they own today??? Less than 1%. And that's where Cadillac is going to be if they don't get on track.
XtaticVideo I agree it’s crazy cause I sat inside one I felt like it had way too much plastic like my Camry... a friend of mine just leased a brand new C class AMG. It was better, but not by much. The back seats especially was garbage. Only thing I liked was the B&W speakers
I'm pleased with the progress Cadillac has made
Many people in this market just blindly buy a BMW or Mercedes based on a name without even knowing exactly what they are getting and what else may be out there. They are short changing themselves if they do not thoroughly evaluate all their options.
I rode in a friend's BMW 3 series recently and I was not impressed at all but it says BMW on the emblem so it doesn't matter to some.
Love my 2015 CTS!
I don’t think it’s time for Cadillac to go back to square one as you say. The CTS is a striking looking vehicle in my view. Brand cache isn’t something you can create overnight.
OK….then why isn't it selling? It's now in its 3rd generation and sales are abysmal. Please tell us what Cadillac is doing wrong.
@thedriversseat - if I had the answers Cadillac would hire me 😉. On the surface I’d say it’s brand perception. The Cadillac brand (like so many other American cars) are viewed with less panache by American and European buyers. Cadillac can throw more powerful engines, drivetrains and plush quality interiors into their cars and it will not matter if the brand perception isn’t on par with it’s competitors. I believe they have a good product but they are swimming upstream in terms of winning over new customers.
For young people at least, Cadillac has become much cooler in the last couple years thanks to their marketing and V sub-brand cars.
….because so many young people can afford $90K high-performance sedans like the ATS-V and CTS-V. Civic-Si is a more likely vehicle in their budget.
So basically this guy is saying he loves the car, has many better options than the competitors but Cadillac is failing? WTF?
Frank Gappa hes bitching about pricing the whole video wtf lol
It's 3 things. CUE being bashed by journalists when it shouldn't have been. Lack of translating their sedans into SUV'S like the original SRX instead of copping a fwd and rwd platforms from Chevrolet. Though they have done well 2 isn't enough. That's how the other makers are amortizing and being profitable. Lastly brand perception which is a combination of the 2. My next car will be a CTS design and dynamics are front of the line. They don't need reboot they need to start building rwd SUV 's like they don't gaf.
The CTS is a well made reliable car. Despite the prediction of this mans opinion that Cadillac will be gone you can bet it`ll be around long after we`re gone.
As long as they continue to sell the Escalade, Cadillac will be fine. It’s probably my least favorite product they sell, but somehow they convince people to spend almost 100 grand for what is essentially a really nice Yukon Denali, which is a really, really nice Tahoe.
Hold up here! You've got to be kidding me! Cadillac has made significant strides in my opinion over the previous offerings! There design language to me is top notch not cutting edge but levels ahead of the Catera disaster! For the price of Cadillac's competitors, their vehicles are astronomically priced compared to this model! Cadillac does need to tweak it's interior design a little,more art not so much science (knobs vs touch) which allows more attention to the road than to the system. But I love Cadillac's design theme,especially the hidden storage compartment radio panel(nice touch) .The Cts'v coupe is by far the sexiest offering of the bunch & the Ats'v is definitely a head turner without screaming & shouting hey look at me. So kudos to Caddy for their strides in creating competition relative to their pricing. But I'll admit Hyundai is coming pretty swiftly these days!!
I love this 2018 Cadillac CTS with the 3.6 V6 thank-you Cadillac
Here is the problem with Cadillac. Cadillac made a awesome car years ago called the Elmiraj. This car should be be in production and on the road like yesterday. If Lexus made this car it would be 10 years old with a new model on the way. Cadillac, STOP making concept cars that you are not going to build. It’s a waste of time and money. Build the car, advertise it, ship it to dealerships and customers will come. I’ll say the same thing about the Buick Avenir ! STOP making watered down versions of these awesome concepts !!!
Curtis Reid omg yes That should have made that elmiraj smh
Man I love this 2018 Cadillac CTS with the 3.6 v6 people drive what Thay want some like Cadillac some BMW Lexus and Toyota
Man cadillac is getting better every year. I was all about BMW's and Audi's. I just bought the ATS it's just a better car. I didn't get sucked in to the fools paradise where you pay more for less just so you can say I got a bmw. They are good but cadillac just offers better and more. And people need to stop being such sheeps.
Ron you have hit upon a topic some friends and i have been discussing a while back. Cadillac is like that one good restaurant around the corner that no one is talking about with some of their menu items being some of the best to sample. My first and top-most recommendation is to get rid of Johan De Nysschen. His "claim to fame" resume includes *"...I'm from Audi and while at Infiniti I greatly improved their brand by changing all the model's naming nomenclature to a confusing mess and I recommend the same be done at Cadillac.... Oh and lets move to New York."* Secondly their entire marketing team needs to be fired (also the responsibility of Johan). Cadillac has finally improved their products over the years and though still not perfect (what ever is?) is on par and even better than most of their competition and yet the marketing is lack-luster. As for the design I think you have a point their but that design is remarkably and uniquely Cadillac a-la 21st century. You are right that they have to address this problem asap because they do finally have great product that no one has a compelling desire to own and this has been on going now for more than a couple of years now.
Silverdeamon92 Cadillac needs to focus on being Cadillac and what works for the brand... Stop trying to be BMW while pushing your American customer base out the door with these small cars, only the XTS is really doing good.
keri ellerbe
I couldn't agree more and until recently this is what GM was doing with Cadillac starting the late 90s and it proved successful up until the 2010s and recently when they hired Johan. Currently Cadillac has a compelling product line they just need to market it. Personally I feel even if they introduce more crossovers, if not marketed well it wont matter how much better those vehicles are.
So true! Once he changed the "names" of the Infiniti models he confused the world! He's repeating the same thing at Cadillac.
I’ve own two CTS and both have been great
This cat is talking crazy Cadillac had its best year in 17
The biggest problem at Cadillac is starting all over again. And again. And again. The current strategy is a good one. Good exterior design, good powertrains, and good marketing. Cadillac needs better interiors, stop dealers deep discounting which leads to low resale value, and stick to the current direction. It takes time for reality to catch up with perception.
This guy is a hater , Caddilac's are beautiful cars and are doing good
They are designing great looking cars now but tbh for the price all things being equal I’d rather have a German (Audi, Benz, BMW). They need to lower the price without sacrificing quality to move them
"..they've done everything right... but they should go back to square one..." Interesting advice! Look, to the casual observer this guy may come across as a complete nonsensical idiot. But it really is the best review of the CTS/Cadillac out there. And here's why - this guy speaks for every insecure lemming who would otherwise buy a Cadillac sports sedan. As this guy plainly shows, there is no substantive reason for not buying a Cadillac sports sedan over a German car. But why are we even talking about cars? Just because a CAR USED TO BE the luxury vehicle of choice doesn't mean it is anymore. And luxury vehicles (not sports sedans) is what people expect and buy from Cadillac. Look at what Cadillacs sell - Escalades and XT5s. It's hard to believe that this guy Johann dN can't figure out that the SUV is the new luxury sedan - that the Escalade is the Fleetwood Brougham of yore. And that he should be taking SUVs as far as it can be taken. They invented the luxury SUV and now Mercedes and BMW are making bank on them while Cadillac builds sports sedans! As a Cadillac fanboi, it is painful to give up on the idea of a thoroughly modern Cadillac SEDAN. But times have changed. And for all of the asinine reasons the SUV fad exists, the new Cadillac luxury must too be an SUV. :(
I'm writing this before I watch the video. I can't wait to hear why Ron doesn't like this car. He has never liked a car. Maybe he should build his own.
Video paused at 48 seconds. Already trashing the car and the company.
Paused at 1:55. He actually said some nice thing about the car. Wow Ron, who sniffed your balls?
Unlike many who want to curry favor with auto companies, Ron seems very objective and has liked many cars such as the Honda CRV etc.
Actually the video was more about the brand/company's future direction than a critique of the car. He did state several times he was not criticizing the car in this video or their cars and even went on to mention some of the better points of the car. He did criticize the CUE infotainment but did remarked on its current improvements.
"I'm not bashing"...... oh really ???? LOL :)
Is a marketing problem. Lincoln, which is an inferior product, is more successful because they have the weird commercials with Mathew McConaughey. You are saying the product is excellent, however, you keep complaining they have to go to square one to fix a problem you cannot identify. You can’t sell what you don’t advertise.
Exactly right. A proper marketing team should be able to convince you that your life depends upon their product, that you will never be able to exist without *their* product.
People need to realize there are more excellent options out there other than BMW or Mercedes and quit worrying about nameplate cache. I would never buy a car based on the name plate or what the friends and neighbors may think if you go outside the box
Cadillac has been making better cars then they used to. Maybe the new midengine corvette should actually be a Cadillac. Might be better for Cadillac and chevy
So if there's no compelling argument for it, what's the argument against it? Audi a6 is ugly, BMW 5 series are unreliable and base models are terrible with cheap material, and E class's models can come pretty bare as well. You can get a loaded 5 series or E class but then you're spending close to $90-100k on a midsize sedan. I personally think the CTS looks just as good and had better materials than the base model competitors. However Cadi needs a more loaded top trim like power rear window shades instead of the tacky pull up ones, soft close doors, adjustable ambient lighting, power headrest ect. The top trim should not cheap out on anything. I drove all 3 main competitors BMW Mercedes and Cadillac midsize cars and the Cadi drove the best by far and that's what should matter most and it takes regular fuel which will save thousands over the years.
He said 3.3tt engine what is this a genesis g80 no it’s a Cadillac it’s a 3.6tt engine know the engines of the car u r reviewing!!!
If you do some research you will figure out the Cadillac is actually getting rid of some of the sedans and making a smaller and maybe a larger SUV to fill your the luxury suv market that seems to be the raging thing right now. I think Cadillac is realizing that the sedans are a dying breed.
man I don't see nothing bad about this Cadillac CTS 2018 people don't like the Some thing than people but Cadillac Toyota Lexus so don't put them car down i love my Toyota Avalon and it is a 03 I love it
Pretty much every bit of technical info you gave was wrong along with the pictures of the engines you spoke about.
This guy says he really likes the car but bashes the brand. Seriously, get real with your review! The reason Cadillac is having trouble is because they have spent plenty of money and time to get their on their sedans redesigned when the mass public is buying crossover SUV's. If you look at their sales all of their sedan sales combined are less then the total sales for the new XT5. So it is not so much the brands fault as it is the models desired by the market. They are coming up with two more crossovers and I think we will see Cadillac revived greatly by this. The part that really bothers me is that he brings up that if you are an iconic brand you can get away with minor changes to your cars. They are an iconic brand and have been for quite a few decades. It is merely the brainwashing that most people have with BMW's, Audi's and Mercedes. I ask the reviewer and anyone else this simple question.
If our American made cars looked virtualy the same for decades wouldn't that maker have been given a ton of crap for lacking any innovation?? Yet the brainwashed individuals still run out and buy more German cars. Even the reviewer tells you the Cadillac is on par with them.
Do yourself a big favor and go drive a Cadillac, I'm on my 5th one and they have gotten better all the time, especially the last 3. STS, ATS, CTS
Are you serious? It is 100% Cadillac's fault for getting caught with their pants down on the SUV/CUV trend. That's what car companies do!! They work 5-years out on product development and spend millions of dollars on market trend research to predict the future. Obviously BMW figured it out with 7 crossovers (X1, X2, X3, X4, X5, X6 & X7). This is a massive fail on Cadillac's part….and they have General Motors behind them. Do you have any idea how business works? Companies develop products and services based on anticipated demand. ALL COMPANIES. We've read a lot of idiotic comments on RUclips, but yours is the best. Have you heard of a company called Blackberry? They used to own the smartphone market, but then they got clever and concluded the App thing was a fad. Guess how much market share they own today??? Less than 1%. And that's where Cadillac is going to be if they don't get on track.
just buy a lexus and drive 300K miles with toyota quality , everything else is not worth the risk
You can do the same with a Cadillac. My dad has an 11 year old Cadillac DTS with 270K miles and counting.
You are not a Cadillac customer. So what.
bad interior, good performance
XtaticVideo I agree it’s crazy cause I sat inside one I felt like it had way too much plastic like my Camry... a friend of mine just leased a brand new C class AMG. It was better, but not by much. The back seats especially was garbage. Only thing I liked was the B&W speakers