2014 Cadillac CTS is Motor Trend Car of the Year
The experts have spoken, and the redesigned 2014 Cadillac CTS is Motor Trend Car of the Year. Cadillac dealers and automotive advertising firms who service them are rejoicing.
Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for the Car of the Year achievement, a vehicle must be completely new or substantially upgraded. Once a car’s eligibility is verified, it is put through a stringent test to measure its braking, acceleration and handling capabilities.
Once these scores are recorded, the judges then put the cars to the ultimate challenge during a three-day period at an automotive testing facility, where the finalists are selected. From a field of 22, eight were selected as finalists; the BMW 4-Series, the Chevrolet Corvette, the Jaguar F-Type, the Kia Forte, the Mazda3, the Mazda6, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, and the Cadillac CTS.
That’s when the real fun begins, as each finalist is put through a rigorous 10-day battery of real-world tests that simulate a broad spectrum of traffic conditions and road surfaces. Motor Trend’s experts paid close attention to each car’s delivery in the areas of design advancement, engineering excellence, efficiency, safety, value in its segment, and performance of intended function. Note: Each Motor Trend judge got the opportunity to test-drive every eligible car.
The 2014 Cadillac CTS conquers all
When the dust settled, it was the CTS that stood tall, garnering its second such award in the last six years. Bob Loh, editor-in-chief for Motor Trend, was very direct in his praise for the CTS. “The all-new 2014 Cadillac CTS prevailed over one of the most competitive fields in recent memory because it best met our award’s key criteria,” he explained. “Our judges were particularly impressed by the CTS’ responsive powertrains and masterful balance of smooth ride and sporty handling.”
To some degree, GM executives were not surprised by the decision. “The all-new 2014 Cadillac CTS sedan delivers crafted design, thrilling performance and sophisticated technology,” said Bob Ferguson, General Motors’ senior vice president of Global Cadillac. “With Cadillac growing globally, driven by rising product credibility, the new CTS elevates the brand to a new level.”
The new, award-winning CTS is just beginning to make its initial appearance in Cadillac dealer showrooms, and it will be interesting to see how much this award causes a boost in its sales.
Cadillac’s onslaught of new and redesigned vehicles has resulted in a 27% increase in the brand’s sales over the same time period in 2012, and there is more excitement on the way. Dealers are also looking forward to the 2014 ELR electric coupe and the redesigned 2015 Escalade, both of which will be arriving in the first quarter of next year.