I don't get to drive my wife's 2019 CT6 very often. Today I drove it for about 30 miles and it continues to impress me. The ride and handling are the best I have ever experienced in a large car. Super smooth transmission and engine (V6 without turbo). The driver aids are excellent without being intrusive and the stop/start system is so silent that I don't notice that it has turned the engine off unless I look at the tach. We have had it for six months and experienced only one minor problem. A squeak in the front suspension which was fixed under warrantee.
Simply a great car
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I whole hardily agree with your comment. My current Cadillac is the 2018 CT6 with the Twin Turbos. I do have concerns that the dealerships / Call Center is left behind on the Technology in this car. It all started when I returned to the dealership for a run down on the Features in my car. I stated the I could not find the insertion area for the video recorder. The first person said I did not have the feature. I had to get out the window sticker to prove my point. Second person started rummaging through my glove box for the slot. after the fifth time of saying that the manual says it is in the trunk, I was finally listened to. and it was found tucked in a near corner. Then I complained that WPL's and WMA's would not function correctly. I also had ago around with the call center many times with their bogus answers. Their constant claim was that in deference to the manual was that you cold not use a thumbdrive larger than 32 gig and it had to be formatted in a special way and it could not be wpl's or wma's. I had a "Local Cadillac" Rep in my car tell it had to be a 32 Gig. I pulled out my 32 Gig and it worked the same way. His comment was now that it "should" be a 32 Gig. I ceremoniously asked him to leave my car and left the dealership. All other functions worked flawlessly such as Albums, Genre, etc. Just not Playlists. One day recently after just sitting down and thinking through the way the CUE system was working and what was needed. I finally got it to work to the contrary what Cadillac was saying. As I started with the Car is super, the support is less than adequate. I hope police officers don't read these forums but yesterday I pulled up behind a Mustang GT with the 5.0 liter engine. He turned to enter the Interstate and he gunned it and I stayed right with him. he accelerated even more and again I stayed with him. After going too fast down the interstate, I backed off. I felt the reminiscence of the "Little Nash Rambler" song. anyway he went on his way. I lost track of him finally and continued on to my home. One stoplight from my home I looked up ahead and guess who was there. The same "Little Nash Rambler". He must have recognized me again and he again took off. I stayed with him but "discretion being the better part of valor" I backed off and he was gone again.
Enjoy your ride!
Enjoy your ride!
I have had mine for a little over a month and continue to be impressed. It is quiet, rides great and of course is very strong. The 10spd transmission is also flawless so far. The car feels very substantial in a way that my CTS did not. The CUE did freeze up on me a couple of times while in NAV mode but hasn't had any issues since the dealer replaced the nav ssd card.
I also agree.....
I recently traded my 2016 CT6 Premium Luxury 3.0TT for the 2019 CT6 Platinum. That essentially added Super Cruise, magnetic ride control, active rear steering, 19" wheels, a bit better interior, the rear seat entertainment package (which I will never use).....AND a transmission that is flawless!
I am really enjoying driving this car. In the 2016 I mostly preferred "Tour" mode, but with the 2019 I find my self locked onto "Sport" mode. The dang thing drives like a sports car....Cadillac did a superb job in melding the characteristics of a luxury ride with that of a sports car ride.....which is exactly what I was looking for. Prior to the CT6's I was in a BMW 650 thinking it would be that kind of a car....but it turned out to be neither.
The CT6 won me over from a 25 year stretch of BMWs, Mercedes, and Jags. I never thought I would ever even consider riding in any American car again, let alone a Cadillac, but the CT6 styling won me over in 2016. That said, I was disappointed with the transmission in the 2016. If not for the fact that the transmission is now replaced with a superbly operating new 10-speed I would have jumped back over the fence to the Europeans. For my new on I did consider the Mercedes and Audi offerings (almost bit on an Ausi A7) but was won over by the new Caddy....I concluded that I would in fact miss my CT6 otherwise!
Three months and 2000 miles on the 2019 with no problems to report....just accolades (well OK, the interior could be a bit better for a car that is in this price bracket).
It is really a shame that GM has been unable(or perhaps uninterested) in finding a way to market the CT6 which is a very uniquely engineered car!
I recently traded my 2016 CT6 Premium Luxury 3.0TT for the 2019 CT6 Platinum. That essentially added Super Cruise, magnetic ride control, active rear steering, 19" wheels, a bit better interior, the rear seat entertainment package (which I will never use).....AND a transmission that is flawless!
I am really enjoying driving this car. In the 2016 I mostly preferred "Tour" mode, but with the 2019 I find my self locked onto "Sport" mode. The dang thing drives like a sports car....Cadillac did a superb job in melding the characteristics of a luxury ride with that of a sports car ride.....which is exactly what I was looking for. Prior to the CT6's I was in a BMW 650 thinking it would be that kind of a car....but it turned out to be neither.
The CT6 won me over from a 25 year stretch of BMWs, Mercedes, and Jags. I never thought I would ever even consider riding in any American car again, let alone a Cadillac, but the CT6 styling won me over in 2016. That said, I was disappointed with the transmission in the 2016. If not for the fact that the transmission is now replaced with a superbly operating new 10-speed I would have jumped back over the fence to the Europeans. For my new on I did consider the Mercedes and Audi offerings (almost bit on an Ausi A7) but was won over by the new Caddy....I concluded that I would in fact miss my CT6 otherwise!
Three months and 2000 miles on the 2019 with no problems to report....just accolades (well OK, the interior could be a bit better for a car that is in this price bracket).
It is really a shame that GM has been unable(or perhaps uninterested) in finding a way to market the CT6 which is a very uniquely engineered car!
2019 Cadillac CT6 PremLux replacing 2017 CT6#2, Replacing CT6#1
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229 Posts
I agree, FredK. Here is my 6 month progress report on my 2019 CT6 ownership experience: 2000 miles with no problems, no issues, no questions and no reason to return to the dealership since delivery. So, yes, I'm happy with it, for what it is.
The new 10 speed transmission is vastly superior to the crude clunkiness of the 8 speed transmission used in the 2016-1018 CT6. That being said, no transmission beyond 6 speeds can be considered ‘perfect’ as engineers seem compelled to complicate the simple matter of shifting. I will always be puzzled about the elusive benefits of this trend. That being said, coming from an incredibly bad experience with failed transmissions, this 2019 is a great driver.
Having owned three of these things, one’s expectations of quality tend be adjusted downward to the reality of a vehicle at this price point. With no drama and long absences for repairs, I have really enjoyed driving this one. This is a great $50,000 car and the MSRP price above that has to cover the glossy lifestyle magazines, social media presence, high performance race track scene and SUV advertising budget. GM forced the division to economize with interior materials, resulting with a very average GM cockpit. GM then forces a generic power train on the division and they are told to attach a nice looking body, promote the lifestyle associated with the brand and keep it down to 10,000 units a year. It's not an SUV and GM really doesn't care much.
It's a very attractive sedan and it's interesting to be driving such a rare car here in NY. I have never seen another CT6 on the roads around here.
The new 10 speed transmission is vastly superior to the crude clunkiness of the 8 speed transmission used in the 2016-1018 CT6. That being said, no transmission beyond 6 speeds can be considered ‘perfect’ as engineers seem compelled to complicate the simple matter of shifting. I will always be puzzled about the elusive benefits of this trend. That being said, coming from an incredibly bad experience with failed transmissions, this 2019 is a great driver.
Having owned three of these things, one’s expectations of quality tend be adjusted downward to the reality of a vehicle at this price point. With no drama and long absences for repairs, I have really enjoyed driving this one. This is a great $50,000 car and the MSRP price above that has to cover the glossy lifestyle magazines, social media presence, high performance race track scene and SUV advertising budget. GM forced the division to economize with interior materials, resulting with a very average GM cockpit. GM then forces a generic power train on the division and they are told to attach a nice looking body, promote the lifestyle associated with the brand and keep it down to 10,000 units a year. It's not an SUV and GM really doesn't care much.
It's a very attractive sedan and it's interesting to be driving such a rare car here in NY. I have never seen another CT6 on the roads around here.
It isn't really noticeable while driving, you do notice the shorter turning circle.
2019 Cadillac CT6 PremLux replacing 2017 CT6#2, Replacing CT6#1
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229 Posts
I've owned one CT6 with rear steering and two without . . . no noticeable difference and not sure what all those extra parts accomplish with vehicle handling. When parked and running, extreme spins of the steering wheel only show a slight wobble in the rear wheels.
I see a difference.......
I currently have a 2019 CT6 with rear steering...my previous car was a 2016 CT6 without rear steering.
Turning radius is much tighter (very much easier to maneuver the sharp turn into my garage for sure). There is also a quicker responsiveness when changing lanes for highway driving (although this is somewhat less noticeable).
Has more of a sports car character to it.
With AWS, when taking a slow street corner I notice the car pivoting into the turn. The car feels more stable and confident in higher-speed sweeping turns (e.g. cloverleaves) because the rear wheels are turning into the curve, not simply following the front wheels. High-speed lane changes do feel more confident/less dramatic with the AWS; more like the whole car is ‘crabbing’ into the next lane and less like the rear is catching up to the front.
I agree. I leased a 2012 CTS, and then a 2014 CTS Premium prior to my evaluation of the CT6. At fisrt glance and test drive, I was relatively unimpressed. It seemed bland more than "understated". But I drove it again as my lease was nearing the end and became a huge fan.
My major complaint with the CTS was the poor ride on bumpy roads. I has 18 inch tires on my 14, and I assumed that the ride would be even worse on the 2017 CT6 with 19s and a lower profile tire. I was wrong. I think the CT6 is a near-perfect ride balance between sport and luxury. When I drive it aggressively around curves I feel very stable, but around town it is also very smooth. I'm a year from lease end so many things could change, but I'm concerned about the car's future.
First they were stopping production, then it was back on, it's all very unclear. My sales rep at the dealer told me that the XT4 SUVs are outselling every other body style combined. That is part of a larger trend in the US market. Dammit, I don't want a top-heavy SUV, I want a sedan!
Anyway, I have a 2017 Luxury with Panaray and other goodies where the MSRP was just under 70k, and I love the car. Minor complaints on low-speed transmission shifts as seen elsewhere, and CUE. But other than that, this car is a dream.
My major complaint with the CTS was the poor ride on bumpy roads. I has 18 inch tires on my 14, and I assumed that the ride would be even worse on the 2017 CT6 with 19s and a lower profile tire. I was wrong. I think the CT6 is a near-perfect ride balance between sport and luxury. When I drive it aggressively around curves I feel very stable, but around town it is also very smooth. I'm a year from lease end so many things could change, but I'm concerned about the car's future.
First they were stopping production, then it was back on, it's all very unclear. My sales rep at the dealer told me that the XT4 SUVs are outselling every other body style combined. That is part of a larger trend in the US market. Dammit, I don't want a top-heavy SUV, I want a sedan!
Anyway, I have a 2017 Luxury with Panaray and other goodies where the MSRP was just under 70k, and I love the car. Minor complaints on low-speed transmission shifts as seen elsewhere, and CUE. But other than that, this car is a dream.
I agree as well with all the positive comments, BUT The problem is the stupid things that shouldn’t be issues at all in a car at this price point. Software glitches, seat clunks, cameras coming on for no reason, Cue aberrations, all detract from enjoying a car that should not exhibit these serious engineering flaws, the result of rushing a product to market to be beta-tested by paying customers. And then, of course, there is the dealer support, which is just about non-existent: even the dealer’s “best” techs really just blunder about when it’s not something obvious or common. I’ve had the car in for the same issue 4 times without resolution, and it’s clear that the dealer wishes I would just go away. The gal who does loaners is getting to know me pretty well, though.
This is very close to my situation as well, except I opted for the 2019 Sport. I've had four Jaguars over the past twenty years and was considering a 2019 XJ (or XF Sportbrake), but honestly the Caddy blew it out of the water and had a much more competitive price.
For its size, I'm amazed how light and sporty it feels. It's only when I try to fit it into my garage that I realize how big it is. Really thrilled with Caddy's current design and engineering direction, though like you said I'm NOT thrilled (or amazed) with how GM continues to do strange things with marketing and such. This car should be selling much better than it is... but regardless, I'm thrilled with mine.
2019 XTS Prem Lux AWD Phantom Gray/Ebony traded 2017 CT6 Prem Lux AWD Stellar Blk
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1,041 Posts
I had a 2014 Jaguar XJ AWD and was looking at trading for a 2017 when I decided to order a 2017 CT6 Premium Lux AWD instead.
At this point I would have to say the XJ was the better car. Due to the harsh shift issue and a few other things I was in the process of trading the 2017 CT6 for a 2019 but pulled that order and traded for a 2019 XTS Premium Lux AWD.
I like the XTS far better than I did the CT6 but Cadillac just does not match up to the Jaguar when it comes to fit and finish and infotainment and information system.
The CUE is still a piece of work in progress as some of you who have or will purchase the 2019 CT6 with the updated CUE will soon find out.
Just traded my '17 XT5 Luxury for a '19 Luxury CT6. I liked the XT5 a lot but I'm pretty sure I'm going to love the CT6. It is smoother, quieter and handles better (the XT5 handled good), CT6 better. The new 10 speed seems exceptional so far for me and the 3.6 liter has plenty enough power (at least for me). My previous cars were two STS's, an '06 and '11 so my move back to a sedan was what I ultimately wanted.
I feel like the '19 has fixed many of the issues with the earlier CT6s, especially with the harsh shifting and other complaints I've read here.
And while I might agree that in the Jag some fit and finish were better (the seats are a little nicer, the knobs feel heavier and more substantial), I find the dash and layout to be fairly pedestrian, especially compared to the walnut cabinets of my older Jags.
Finally, when optioned out similarly to what is in the CT6 sport, I didn't feel like the Jag was worth $16,000 more than the Caddy. And the Jag 3.0 puts out 340hp, compared to the Caddy's 404.
Not to mention I actually think the Caddy looks better. I miss the older "cigar" Jags, even with all their quirks and problems.
Of course, Jag also puts out a 500hp beheamoth... but again I'm comparing apples to apples. That one is over $100k, clearly not a comparable engine or car.
I’m a first time Cadillac owner and before I bought my fully loaded ‘19 CT6 Sport TT, I looked at what seemed to me to be many of the comparable models in the same class and price range — including Cadillac, Lincoln, Audi, Volvo and Genesis. I wasn’t interested in Tesla, Lexus, Infiniti and Acura. Mercedes, BMW and Jaguar‘s comparable models were not in the same price range. And the CT6 just seemed a cut above on styling, engine and no one has an autonomous driving system anywhere near as good as Super Cruise (I wouldn’t trust my life to Tesla’s).
The Super Cruise is what really sealed it for me. The CT6 also has more interior space than the others and the dash layout is much more appealing. The popup iPad-like control interface in the Audi seemed like an afterthought. And because I’m new to Cadillac, I am very happy with the Cue system. I am a survivor of Ford’s My Touch system which was a nightmare in the early years (I would try to turn on the radio and the AC would start blowing instead). Ford fixed a lot of the bugs and I got a whole new computer after four years, but it’s not nearly as elegant as Cue.
I also love the 10-speed engine. Smooth as silk. I‘m glad I hadn’t heard about all the problems with the 8-speed, because maybe that would have steered me elsewhere. Instead, I’ve been happy with the engine from the beginning. I didn’t know it was newly designed.
My only complaint about the CT6 so far are the small climate buttons below the Cue system. They just feel cheap. But I don’t touch them often. Everything else is exactly what I wanted. The CT6 is ”simply a great car” as this thread was titled. I couldn’t agree more. The perfect mix of sport and luxury. A big car feel when you want that, but also with a lot of horsepower and nimbleness.
As someone who makes my living in advertising, I can’t for the life of me understand why the world doesn’t know more about the CT6. The Super Cruise system alone should be far better known. No one I know has ever heard anything about it. It’s a silly name, but it is an amazing advance in autonomous driving. The lack of awareness is advertising and brand malpractice. They may not sell many CT6 cars, but it wasn’t for lack of me trying to buy one. In February, they were already refusing new orders for the 2019 model year.
The whole thing is baffling.
The Super Cruise is what really sealed it for me. The CT6 also has more interior space than the others and the dash layout is much more appealing. The popup iPad-like control interface in the Audi seemed like an afterthought. And because I’m new to Cadillac, I am very happy with the Cue system. I am a survivor of Ford’s My Touch system which was a nightmare in the early years (I would try to turn on the radio and the AC would start blowing instead). Ford fixed a lot of the bugs and I got a whole new computer after four years, but it’s not nearly as elegant as Cue.
I also love the 10-speed engine. Smooth as silk. I‘m glad I hadn’t heard about all the problems with the 8-speed, because maybe that would have steered me elsewhere. Instead, I’ve been happy with the engine from the beginning. I didn’t know it was newly designed.
My only complaint about the CT6 so far are the small climate buttons below the Cue system. They just feel cheap. But I don’t touch them often. Everything else is exactly what I wanted. The CT6 is ”simply a great car” as this thread was titled. I couldn’t agree more. The perfect mix of sport and luxury. A big car feel when you want that, but also with a lot of horsepower and nimbleness.
As someone who makes my living in advertising, I can’t for the life of me understand why the world doesn’t know more about the CT6. The Super Cruise system alone should be far better known. No one I know has ever heard anything about it. It’s a silly name, but it is an amazing advance in autonomous driving. The lack of awareness is advertising and brand malpractice. They may not sell many CT6 cars, but it wasn’t for lack of me trying to buy one. In February, they were already refusing new orders for the 2019 model year.
The whole thing is baffling.
Baffling for sure.......
Back in April I had to travel 800 miles to find the 2019 CT6 Platinum that I wanted....no local dealer had one and ordering was not possible. Yet....I was constantly getting flyers and offers in the mail from Cadillac to trade my 2016 leased CT6 for a new 2019 Platinum. It is like one part of the company has no clue of what is going on with the other part.
And I agree there is about "zero" awareness of the CT6. Other than a few odd TV commercials when it was launched in 2016 there has been no support.
I have yet to encounter anyone who knows about SuperCruise....which I agree is head and shoulders beyond Tesla. When the subject of self-driving cars comes up among people I know and meet I consistently get challenged that Cadillac SuperCruise is some figment of my imagination. Then I take them out for a demonstration and their jaws drop with amazement......along with the same comment about why doesn't GM advertise this?
GM does not know gold when they see it!
And GM has some very serious business issues to sort out regarding their future.
I agree. I found this part of the car one of my only complaints as well. It feels like a throwback to the older models. I'm guessing in the next year or two they will replace it. But, yes, I'm with you in not touching it, and not loving it.
My only other SLIGHT issue is the plastic on the drink holder trim next to the shifter. It's wood or carbon fiber on the Platinum and the CT6-v; I wish they'd at least have made it the perforated leather or SOMETHING other than a stiff icky black plastic.
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