The 2003 Cadillac CTS Base is a Rear-wheel drive Sedan. It can accommodate up to 5 passengers. It has 4 Doors and is powered by a 3.2L V6 DOHC 24 valves engine which outputs 220 hp @
6000 rpm and is paired with 5 speed manual gearbox. The 2003 Cadillac CTS Base has cargo capacity of 362 Liters and the vehicle weighs 1620 kg. In terms of ride assists, the 2003 Cadillac CTS Base has stability control and traction control in addition to anti-lock brake system (ABS). The vehicle has an optional engine as well It offers and. Safety features also include None and None. The front suspension is Front independent suspension while the rear suspension is Rear independent suspension. The car also features a It has 16'' alloy wheels as standard. Electronic features include Cruise Control. For convenience, the car has Power windows and Power door locks. There is also a remote keyless entry feature. Moreover, the car has. The steering wheel has audio control buttons. In terms of performance, the car has 240 N.m of torque and a top speed of 222 km/h. The 2003 Cadillac CTS Base accelerates from zero to 60 mph in 7.8 seconds and hits quarter mile at 15.8 seconds. Fuel consumption is 12.9 L/100km in the city and 8.4 L/100km in the highway. The car price starts at $ 41,595
2003 Cadillac CTS 3.6 - Exhaust Top speed Features Technical Details Acceleration Speed
2003 Mercedes S55 AMG vs Cadillac CTS V drag race
2003 Cadillac CTS 3.6 - Exhaust Top speed Features Technical Details Acceleration Speed
2003 Cadillac CTS Used Price Estimates
Estimates based on a driving average of 12,000 miles per year
Used Condition
Trade In Price
Private Party Price
Dealer Retail Price
Outstanding
$ 1,770
$ 2,583
$ 3,037
Clean
$ 1,563
$ 2,284
$ 2,684
Average
$ 1,150
$ 1,687
$ 1,976
Rough
$ 737
$ 1,089
$ 1,269
It can run with the best of them, but the awkward proportions and unrefined interior leave it a step behind the class leaders.
As the first car to employ Cadillac's new "art & science" design philosophy, the CTS is a bold step forward for a division that is slowly trying to regain its status as a top-tier luxury car maker. Competition in the entry-level luxury sport sedan segment is fierce, currently dominated by the likes of BMW's 3 Series, Audi's A4 and Mercedes' C-Class. Cadillac is hoping to attract customers by offering sport sedan performance combined with the room and comfort of a midsize.
The CTS comes equipped one way, but two option packages are offered to add varying levels of luxury and sport. Standard equipment includes leather seating; front, side and head-curtain airbags; an eight-way power adjustable driver seat; dual-zone climate control; an AM/FM cassette stereo and CD player; the OnStar communications system; ABS; and traction control, all for a base MSRP of $ 29,990.
Upgrading to the Luxury package adds a power passenger seat, an audible theft-deterrent system, two-driver memory package, programmable garage door opener, electronic voice recorder and wood trim on the steering wheel, shift lever and door handles. Additional options include an upgraded Bose audio package with CD-ROM ( where's the DVD?) navigation, heated front seats, xenon headlamps, a power sunroof and machine-finished aluminum wheels.
For the ultimate in handling and comfort, you'll want to upgrade to the top-of-the-line Luxury/Sport package. This includes all the added features of the Luxury package along with a sport-tuned suspension, 17-inch wheels and tires, speed-sensitive power steering, high-performance brake linings and the StabiliTrak stability control system.
Only one engine is offered, a 3.2-liter V6 rated at 220 horsepower and 218 lb-ft of torque. Power is directed to the rear wheels through either a five-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmission. The fully independent multilink suspension was developed during months of testing on Germany's famed Nurburgring test track, a notoriously rigorous circuit used for years by Porsche and BMW. The testing paid off, as the CTS displays brilliant handling, precise steering and highly capable brakes that make spirited driving a pleasure. The five-speed manual is light through the gates, but a little rubbery upon engagement. The automatic gearbox responds quickly to throttle inputs, providing crisp, well-timed shifts with little hesitation.
Although the CTS competes in the entry-level sport sedan category, its physical dimensions more closely resemble that of larger midsize luxury sedans like BMW's 5 Series and Audi's A6. The result is a spacious cabin that easily swallows five adults. The bucket seats in front are supremely comfortable, offering a wide range of movement and supportive side bolsters. The cabin materials aren't quite up to European quality standards, but most surfaces are soft to the touch, so the cabin at least feels luxurious.
Compared to its predecessor, the CTS is a giant leap forward. Every aspect of the car has been improved over the Catera. From the excellent handling to the smoother, more powerful engine, the CTS is now much better equipped to handle the intense competition in the sport sedan category. The edgy styling is sure to garner both fans and critics, but one thing is for sure, it will never get lost in the crowd. If that's the kind of sedan you've been waiting for, then the CTS certainly deserves a test drive.
The Cadillac CTS was first introduced to the North American market at the 2002 Detroit International Auto Show.
Cadillac's history can be traced back to the beginning of the 18th century. Although coaches, horse riding or walking were the favorite means of locomotion during those times and no cars had been yet made, it's important to trace the brand to its origins. The genesis of Cadillac as it is widely known today began in 1701, when a group of French explorers led by Le Sieur Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac traveled to the northern parts of the US and established Ville d'Etroit. The settling would ultimately come to be known as Detroit, a flourishing industrial city, teeming with car plants and foundries.
However, Sir Cadillac would not have any connection to the future of the Cadillac car workshops. Its actual beginnings can be traced to the mid 19th century, when a boy named Henry Martyn Leland was born. Leland grew up on a farm near Barton, Vermont, where he received a solid working-education that taught him the importance of doing a job properly, regardless of its importance.
The farm-training he received, combined with his penchant for improving working methods, led to his growth as an engineer. However, Cadillac would not yet emerge as an automobile brand. By 1890, Leland had founded his own company in partnership with Robert C. Faulconer and Norton, after having convinced the former of the city's need for machine shops. The company's area of expertise was gear grinding and the development of special tools.
Soon after the company received general credit for the quality of the products it marketed and Leland had asserted himself as a talented engineer, the shift from steam-powered vehicles to gasoline-powered ones was made. Following the work of the visionary Daimler and Benz in Europe, a man named Ransom Eli Olds from Michigan teamed up with a group of investors under a firm called Olds Gasoline Engine Works. Their main objective was to build a gasoline-powered engine to be fitted on the chassis of a vehicle.
The project was a success but the resulting product was flawed: the gears in the transmission were too loud. Olds turned to Leland and Faulconer for help. The two entered a straight competition against the Dodge brothers who were also supplying engines for Olds. Although Leland's ultimately developed 10.25 Hp engine was better than that of Dodge, Olds turned it down due to the high car sales his company registered at the time. Basically, there was no need for a new engine.
Still, Leland's engine would soon come to use. Shortly after Olds' refusal of using the newly designed engine, Leland was looked up by two men concerning the liquidation of a company that had previously built cars. Its name was the Detroit Automobile Company and had been initially reorganized by Henry Ford, who left shortly after the company began crumbling again. Leland persuaded the investors to stay in business, convincing them of the utility and importance of the automobile industry in the near future.
With an engine already designed, Leland and Faulconer were brought in and the company adopted the name of Cadillac, that of the explorer that had founded the city over two centuries ago. The Cadillac coat of arms was adopted as the company's new logo and the baby-firm would still receive international recognition for its automobiles.
Leland's engines had already garnered appreciation and were some of the most accurately built units of the time. In fact, not only the engines were reliable and built with pinpoint precision, but they were also highly versatile, successfully catering for the need of interchangeability. This feature has earned Cadillac the Dewer Trophy, being the first time when such an award was handed to an American automobile manufacturer.
Later on, Cadillac would be part of a larger entity, the General Motors company, then run by William Crapo Durant - who paid $ 4.5M in cash for Leland's company to merge with GM. From that point on, several models would be developed and enter production by Leland's departure in 1917.
The Brougham, Fleetwood, Deville and the Eldorado are some of the most famous models build by the GM's prodigious branch. Its accomplishments vary from speed breaking records on American territory to engineering improvements that were a premiere for the automotive world. For example, Cadillac introduced the revolutionary electrical lighting and ignition Delco system as standard equipment on their cars, as well as boasting the world's first independent front suspension on its entire line of automobiles in 1934.
Closed cooling systems, electronic injection systems and catalytic converters are also among the long list of first-to-have-done things introduced by Cadillac in the US. Despite the low reception of the brand in Europe, Cadillac remains one of the great classics overseas, still boasting a privileged status among American car producers. After all, it's a brand deeply rooted in nobility grounds.
2003 Cadillac CTS Consumer Reviews
tamarinpersevere, 01/21/2016
4dr Sedan (3.2L 6cyl 5M)
A great used car style and reliability
my car is used 2003 I had 96,000 when I brought the car I now have 229,000 miles. So far just minor work I have been blessed. Its a great car.
balearicventricle, 05/31/2013
LOVE the car but it's had its problems
My parents bought me an '03 luxury model CTS for my 16th birthday and I've been driving it for two years now. For 10 years old, it still looks great and in style, however it has had its share of problems. I have had to replace the rear O2 sensor. The camshaft and crankshaft position sensors on the engine also both went bad, which made the car stall randomly after running for a while. It was also leaking fluid onto the exhaust manifold which caused a bad burning smell when the heat was on, which was an expensive fix. Handles OK in the winter, but I wasn't able to make it up a snow covered hill. Great car but it's showing its age under the hood.
whispersbrain, 07/21/2010
Never buy again
I liked the looks of this car when it first came out so I bought one. I should have waited until they figured out the problems. I had instant problems with the check engine light. It took 5 trips back to the dealer before they figured out that it was the thermostat and had to reset the sensors every time. Now it dies when you come to a stop. The final kicker was the headlamp. It went out so I looked in the manual on how to replace it. Of course it said see dealer. They quoted me $ 1100 to replace it. How stupid is the design team at GM? I will never buy another GM car.
alienlily, 12/05/2012
Cadillac CTS 2003
MY CAR HAS 90,000 miles.
Bought it 14 days from a used dealership with no warranty. The car has broken down and is complete trash.
Took it to a local garage I trust, and they cant figure out whats wrong with the car, theyre suggesting to take it to cadillac they never sent me away before.
Im so depressed, this car has so many problems, and my heat hasnt worked since I bought the car, i cant believe i am going through this i traded in my Pt Cruiser which everyone talks crap about it, but it never left me stranded!!! I never had issues with my PT Cruiser : ( I just want to cry i made the worst decision & purchase of my life. I am carless, to repair is going to be an arm and leg. I already kno
nervousmute, 02/19/2019
2006 Cadillac CTS
"WOW! I LOVE THIS CAR; HEALTH REASON FOR SALE"
MADE GOOD DECISION; GOOD LUCK WITH CAR! I DID;
hoodenfood, 01/30/2019
2004 Cadillac CTS
"best car I ever ownd"
Cadillac is a machine not just car, It's overall a great car.
inbreeding, 01/25/2019
2006 Cadillac CTS
"Smooth driving, manual shifting not so great"
It was hard to smoothly shift from 1 gear to 2.. and downshifting was rough, but it drove smoothly on road, nice body and frame.. onstar being equipt was reliable, came with extra new tire and changing equipment in trunk area. Large spacious trunk
I have owned and still have a 2009 Kia amanti it is now 2024 I have 51000 miles on this car excellent handling in all weather except ice and deep snow very fast in traffic I think the handling is tight and responsive. My spouse has driven this on the interstate frequently and the first thing he did was get it up to 220 mph at this speed is floaty but under 80 mph just a pleasure to drive *****
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