Cadillac's CUE infotainment system first debuted on the automaker's 2013 XTS, and despite attempting to emulate the functionality of a smartphone or tablet, fell just short. Poor performance speeds and an ineffective touch interface hampered the system's success. For its new 2014 CTS, however, Cadillac is trying to right the wrongs of CUE's past, improving performance and adding Apple's Siri Eyes Free mode functionality.
The first thing consumers will notice when they lay eyes on the new CTS is its longer, leaner and lower body styling. Cadillac has stretched the CTS by 5 inches, adding legroom and making the vehicle look more athletic than its predecessor. The 2014 CTS also gets a new model, the Vsport.
That version, which will sport a 420-horsepower twin-turbo V6, will slot in between the entry-level CTS, available with a 321-horsepower naturally aspirated V6 and the moster CTS V, which comes with a 550-horsepower supercharged V8. Cadillac says the CTS V, however, will carry over the 2013 model's styling and mechanics.
Inside, the 2014 CTS sports an 8-inch center-mounted touch-screen display powered by the automaker's CUE infotainment system. For the most part, CUE remains unchanged from the version we reviewed in the XTS, though Cadillac says that it has decreased touch response time, something that was a rather large problem in the initial version of the system. Unfortunately, Cadillac was unable to activate the system for testing, so we were unable to test it for ourselves.
The 2014 CTS also serves as Cadillac's first implementation of Apple's Siri Eyes Free mode. Users with Siri-equipped iPhones can connect their devices to CUE via USB or Bluetooth and tap the voice control button on the steering wheel to activate Siri. The software, which we previously used in the 2013 Chevy Spark, is a slightly augmented version of the digital assistant, stripping out things that could lead users to take their eyes off of the road, such as Web searches.
On the safety front, the new CTS also includes General Motors' new self-tightening seat belt. According to Cadillac representatives, the belt will automatically detect when you are driving the CTS aggressively and tighten itself to ensure you stay planted in your seat. Alternatively, the belt will also tighten itself if it detects you are about to crash. Additional safety features include Cadillac's parking assist technology, which, when activated, will automatically parallel park your vehicle for you.
Pricing for the 2014 Cadillac CTS has not yet been announced, but the automaker says the vehicle will go on sale later this year.
