Audi, Lexus and Infiniti – has come to be seen as the industry’s definitive mid-sized luxury sedan.
Then there’s Cadillac, which, long ago, claimed to be the “standard of the world” back in its heyday. But Cadillac had fallen (on its own merits) into mediocrity in the eyes of much of the automotive aristocracy.
Now, Cadillac is on a tear, trying to reclaim its former glory as the brand sets its sights squarely on the sportier, sexier end of the segment. Yep, prime BMW territory. It’s game on!
While the 5-Series boasts strong sales and a great reputation, it enters this fight at a slight disadvantage. How come? Compared to the Caddy, it’s an old car. The current 5-Series was introduced as a 2011 model, and is the largest, heaviest, and most conservatively styled 5-Series in its four-decade history. For 2014, changes are limited mainly to slightly modified fasciae, snazzier head and tail-lamp innards, and subtle interior updates.
The 2014 Cadillac CTS is all-new from the ground up. Five inches longer, with a longer wheelbase yet considerably less weight than its predecessor, the CTS is now sized and packaged as a proper mid-size luxury sedan. Since it was smaller—and cheaper—in its last iteration, some people may have a hard time seeing the CTS on par with the 5-Series, but trust us, now it is.
With its long, creased nose, bold grille, dramatic vertical LED lights and crisp, tailored body contours, the CTS is dressy and provocative, projecting exactly the sort of edginess that makes sport sedan customers notice. If there is a way to measure sedan “swagger,” the Caddy wins, hands down.
Model Range
The BMW 5-Series has its supreme reputation to fall back upon.
BMW
The BMW 5-Series has its supreme reputation to fall back upon.
Something the BMW boasts, at least for 2014, is variety. While our comparison concentrates on the entry-level, four-cylinder models of each, BMW does offer several turbocharged powertrains.
These are positioned above its 240-hp 4-cylinder gas engine, and include a tire-smokin’ 445-hp V-8, a pricey hybrid, and my personal favorite, a torquey, fuel-efficient diesel. The 5-Series is also available as a tall-bodied, five-door model called the Gran Turismo. For hot-shots with $100-grand to spend, there is the track-tuned M5.
The Caddy lineup starts with a turbocharged 272-hp 4-cylinder. Next up is a 321-hp V-6 model, followed by the turbocharged, 420-hp V-Sport model. At this point, Cadillac only offers the CTS in sedan form, with no diesel or hybrid variant. A new, faster CTS-V is being prepped to take on the M5, however.
You can equip each car more or less with the same level of leather, wood, audio fidelity and connectivity, but their presentations could not be more different. The BMW is placid, the corporate boardroom of the two, while the chrome-drenched CTS interior screams “Viva Las Vegas!”
The 5-Series sticks with the latest evolution of BMW’s iDrive hockey-puck-and-screen interface. Meanwhile, the Cadillac’s center controls use a large touch-screen, sized and is configured like an iPad. You can decide for yourself which layout looks better, but when it comes to sense of occasion, the Cadillac wins.
Just bring a microfiber cleaning cloth for the CTS, as the piano black trim on numerous touch points collects smudgy fingerprints.
The 528i’s 240-horsepower and 255 lb.-ft. of torque is delivered in a calm, smooth fashion, which is both good and bad. While it’s never loud or raucous at any speed, it’s generally unexciting. The Caddy’s 272-hp and 295-lb.-ft. punch is accompanied by a snortier exhaust note, and it gets hauling down the road just fine, thank you. Credit the fact that the Caddy weighs about 3,600 lbs., or roughly 200 lbs. less than the BMW.
The manufacturers’ acceleration estimates back up our seat-of-the-pants impression, with BMW stating a 0-60 mph time of 6.4 seconds for the 528i, versus Cadillac’s 5.7 second claim.
In terms of transmissions, the BMW has an advantage in gear count: eight compared to the Cadillac’s six. This helps the 5-Series achieve terrific EPA fuel economy numbers: 23 mpg city/34 mpg highway, compared to the Cadillac’s 20 mpg city/30 mpg highway. But the Cadillac’s automatic transmission brings its 272-hp to life. As the specs suggest, both are fast sedans, but the Cadillac feels quicker and more engaging.
Steering and braking response in the CTS is simply spectacular. Bumps and road impacts are nicely muted—this is still Cadillac, after all—yet it offers plenty of road feel for the driver. This is a nearly impossible task for engineers, but the Cadillac team deserves serious accolades. Even BMW has erred on the side of luxury, with less road feel coming through the steering and a sense of heft that runs counter to its sport sedan promise.
The Winner: Cadillac CTS
Both cars are fine choices, but the BMW is the cautious pick for customers, because of its conservative styling and the enormous popularity of the brand. We understand skepticism that the CTS is suddenly on par with BMW, especially when it comes to overall performance. But Cadillac clearly saw an opportunity when BMW grew the 5-Series into the giant it is now, and the American luxury brand went for the 5-Series’ jugular with its all-new CTS.
