2014 Cadillac CTS Review

Community Auto Group of Mason City

2014 Cadillac CTS

Community Auto Group of Mason City

Introducing the New Cadillac CTS reviews. If you have any questions feel free to contact us at. Community Auto Group serving Mason City, Charles City, Austin, Clarion, Ames, Des Moines, Cedar Falls.

Specifically, the CTS is 4.1 inches longer (now 195.5 inches), including a 1.1-inch longer wheelbase (up to 114.6 inches). It also cuts a lower profile into the wind, with a one-inch lower roof line (now at 57.2 inches). At the same time, the 2014 CTS weighs about 200 pounds less than the 2013 BMW 528i (according to Cadillac) at 3,616 pounds–and it’s more than 250 pounds lighter than the outgoing model of the CTS.

That lighter weight is distributed evenly front-to-rear, with a 50.1/49.9% weight balance. (Compare with the 2013 CTS models)

A curious factoid: that’s a better front-rear weight bias than the 2013 Chevy Corvette Grand Sport’s 51/49% distribution.

Together with the lighter weight, this should result in a CTS that’s more dynamic and capable than the current model. Also aiding the CTS’ ability to control its motion, both in terms of comfort and performance, is the availability of Magnetic Ride Control adjustable dampers, even on the base model–a first for the CTS.

Of course, the powertrains will play heavily into the feeling of sport in the 2014 CTS’ nature, as well.

The engine lineup starts with the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, rated at 272 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. This is the same engine offered in the new ATS, and even in the larger CTS, manages GM-estimated 19/30 mpg city/highway gas mileage ratings in rear-wheel drive form. All-wheel drive is also available, scoring estimates of 18/28 mpg. A six-speed paddle-shifted automatic transmission is standard with the turbo four-cylinder engine.

Next up the line is the familiar 3.6-liter V-6 engine. Rated at 321 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque, the V-6 rates 19/28 mpg in rear-drive, and 18/27 mpg in all-wheel drive. It’s also available with the six-speed paddle-shift automatic, but can optionally upgrade to the new eight-speed paddle-shift automatic, another first for Cadillac.

The range-topper, dubbed the CTS Vsport, comes with the newly announced 420-horsepower 3.6-liter twin-turbocharged V-6 engine. Backing up the tall horsepower figure are 430 pound-feet of torque. Only available in rear-drive form, the most powerful CTS earns an estimated mileage of 17 mpg city and 25 mpg highway. It comes standard with the eight-speed automatic.

Another curious factoid: the 2014 Cadillac CTS Vsport packs just 8.6 pounds per horsepower. That’s just one more pound per horsepower than the 436-horsepower 2013 Chevy Corvette Grand Sport.

Other standard features on the Vsport include 18-inch alloy wheels wrapped in Pirelli tires, with an optional 19-inch upgrade; a quicker steering ratio; Brembo disc brakes; a heavy-duty track cooling package; driver-selectable track mode with unique steering and Magnetic Ride Control calibrations; and an electronic limited-slip differential.

Technology & Safety

One of the central experiences of the 2014 Cadillac CTS will be the CUE infotainment system. Short for Cadillac User Experience, the CUE system is still a young one; our experiences with it in the Cadillac ATS leave us looking forward to it reaching maturity.

In the CTS, CUE gets an 8-inch high-res touch screen with haptic feedback, Bluetooth connectivity for smartphones and audio, voice recognition, and USB and SD Card inputs. Navigation is available on the base 2014 CTS, and standard on higher trims.

In front of the driver, a 12.3-inch LCD digital instrument cluster interacts with the CUE display and the car’s onboard active safety tech, with a choice of four layouts. A full-color head-up display (HUD) is also available.

Automatic Parking Assist is optional, letting the 2014 CTS park itself in parallel spaces.

The 2014 CTS’ safety tech includes ultrasonic sensors, radar, and cameras to enable the Front and Rear automatic braking system, helping to prevent or avoid low-speed collisions from either end. An available Driver Awareness Package includes the Safety Alert Seat first seen on the new XTS.

Other available safety tech includes: full-speed adaptive cruise control; panic brake assist; forward collision alert; automatic collision preparation; lane departure warning; side blind zone alert; rear cross-traffic alert; rear view camera with dynamic guidelines; and adaptive forward lighting.

OnStar is included for one year, including access to the car’s systems remotely via smartphone apps. And of course, the CTS includes a full complement of standard airbags–10 to be exact, with dual-stage “low-risk deployment” on the front passenger airbag, intended to adjust the airbag’s function to the size of the occupant and severity of the crash.

Luxury & Refinement

Active noise cancellation reduces noise levels in the 2014 CTS’ cabin by up to 20 decibels. The noise cancellation system works through the Bose audio system and interior microphones.

Another nice “look at that” feature is a motorized cup holder cover. After all, you’ve arrived; you shouldn’t have to open the cup holders manually.

But the real centerpiece of the interior is, well, the interior itself. A new one-piece wrapped upper instrument panel caps the dashboard and ties it through to the base of the center stack, while very attractive wood trim (in the initial photos) complements cut-and-sew upholstery throughout.

A total of six two-tone combinations are available for the interior, with wood, carbon fiber, and aluminum trim options. Leather seating is also available, including an upgrade to semi-aniline leather.

The front seats are available in 20-way adjustable, full-leather form, with 16 power assist adjustments and manual adjustments for the cushion length extension and headrest position. The standard CTS seats are 14-way power-adjustable units.

Other available interior tweaks include LED ambient lighting; tri-zone climate control with vents in the rear center console; rear door and window shades; and standard Bose Cabin Surround audio.

Three trim lines will be offered, with varying levels of standard equipment, including Luxury, Performance, and Premium Collections.

Community Auto Group serving Mason City, Charles City, Austin, Clarion, Ames, Des Moines, Cedar Falls.

2014 GMC Sierra Reviews

2014 GMC Sierra Reviews

Community Auto Group of Mason City, IA Serving, Des Moines, Urbandale, Ankeny, Pleasant Hill and Cedar Falls, Iowa

Take one look inside the all-new 2014 GMC Sierra and you’ll see clearly why this is the new standard in truck interiors. Designed to deliver style and substance, the Sierra’s interior brings comfort, refinement and convenience to a whole new level.

In addition to all-new design and technology, the 2014 Sierra boasts the longest list of standard features ever for a full-size GMC pickup. From connectivity solutions, to a standard tie-down system in the rear, to the segment’s only standard projector beam headlamps, many premium features are found on each and every all-new Sierra.

Then, here is the Performance of the 2014 GMC Sierra

Sierra‚ all-new EcoTec3 engines are paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission and are based on 50+ years of proven small-block performance. New technologies make each of those engines more powerful and more efficient than ever.

New EcoTec3 Engine

GMC Sierra’s engine portfolio is updated for 2014 with the goal of increased in power, torque and fuel efficiency across the board. There will be a 4.3L V-6, a 5.3L V-8 and a 6.2L V-8 offered, all from a shared EcoTec3 engine family. Each engine features standard direct injection, continuously variable valve timing and Active Fuel Management, which means they seamlessly switch to run on four cylinders during light-load driving to save fuel. Some observers may see the introduction of an all-new pushrod V-6 in this day and age as laughably retrograde or backwards, but GM saw some compelling reasons to stick with the tried-and-true OHV layout for the base engine, as opposed to adopting the 3.6-liter “high-feature” DOHC V-6 for truck duty.

In a further vote of confidence in its entry-level mill, the V-6 is available for the first time in a crew or extended-cab 4×4 configuration.

2014 GMC Sierra engine 5.3-liter V-8

The base V-6 also shares its high 11:1 compression ratio with the new fifth-generation 5.3-liter V-8. The optional 6.2-liter V-8 gets a slightly higher 11.5:1 compression optimized for premium fuel. In percentage terms, we’re expecting the biggest gains for the V-6, since it was based on the generation-older original small-block architecture, rather than the newer LS1 (Gen III and IV) engines. We’re confidently predicting output levels in the ballpark of 280 hp and 300 lb-ft of torque for the V-6. Guesses for the 5.3 and 6.2 are a little more speculative, but we’re going with between 355-375 hp and 365-385 lb-ft for the 5.3, and 430-450 hp and around 450 lb-ft of torque on the 6.2.

Sierra owners expect outstanding power when trailering and hauling, and excellent efficiency when highway cruising or commuting to work. Sierra is engineered to meet these expectations. All three of Sierra’s engines feature three sophisticated technologies that work together to optimize power and efficiency:

Direct Injection injects gasoline directly into the combustion chamber of the cylinder and allows for the use of a higher compression ratio. This technology also improves torque, power and efficiency.

Active Fuel Management senses load and power demand, then activates or deactivates four of the engines eight cylinders (2 cylinders on V6) to meet driving conditions.

Variable Valve Timing allows for different valve timing at different engine RPM and operating conditions to maximize performance.

Safety

As for the salvation of the driver, the following are noteworthy:

The 2014 Sierra’s state-of-the-art safety and driver alert technologies provide peace of mind and help prepare you for the unexpected. Sierra’s advanced technologies pair intelligent engineering with driver-centric safety, using cameras or ultrasonic sensors to watch where you might not be looking. These available technologies include:

Forward Collision Alert and Lane Departure Warning. Sierra is the first pickup to offer this technology, which lets you know when you are approaching another vehicle too quickly or when you‚ left your driving lane.

Safe & Connected: OnStar

Available on most Sierra models is a 6-month trial subscription to the OnStar4 Directions & Connections Plan. The plan includes:

Automatic Crash Response

Turn-by-turn Navigation

Roadside Assistance

Emergency Services Link

Remote Door Unlock

Community Auto Group of Mason City, IA Serving, Des Moines, Urbandale, Ankeny, Pleasant Hill and Cedar Falls, Iowa

2014 Nissan Altima Reviews

2014 Nissan Altima Offered at Community Auto Group of Mason City, serving Mason City, Ames, Urbandale, Des Moines, Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids, Dubuque, Iowa City, Iowa, and Southern Minnesota

2014 Nissan Altima Offered at Community Auto Group of Mason City, serving Mason City, Ames, Urbandale, Des Moines, Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids, Dubuque, Iowa City, Iowa, and Southern Minnesota

Nissan’s flagship mid-size sedan gets an overhaul next year, when the all-new 2013 Nissan Altima debuts. The following year, the 2014 Altima will feature an all-new Nissan-designed powertrain that includes the Altima’s first hybrid engine. The full specs of the system have not yet been released, but at a technology briefing in Tokyo, we were able to discover some details of the upcoming hybrid.

The Engine

A supercharger will feed the new 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine used in the hybrid Altima. Nissan says this result in a solid boost of torque at a low rpm. Why not a turbo? Engineers mentioned that a turbo would require direct fuel injection, and that would bump up the cost. The supercharger allows Nissan to use the less expensive port fuel injection.

Nissan already features a 1.2-liter turbocharged 3-cylinder engine in its Micra. That smaller displacement engine will also receive the hybrid treatment and find itself in a future small car in the U.S., according to sources in Tokyo.

The 2.5-liter hybrid drivetrain is partnered with a new CVT transmission that we had a chance to sample in a current Altima. The new CVT is said to provide about a 10 percent improvement in fuel economy, thanks to a 40 percent reduction in friction that comes largely from lower-viscosity fluid, a more efficient pump, and chain drive.

The new transmission has a wider gear spread as well, for quicker off-the-line bursts and lower cruising rpm. At 50 mph, an Altima’s engine with the current CVT revs at about 1500 rpm. The new transmission will drop that number by about 400 rpm at the same speed. This new transmission is lighter than the old one, too.

The Drive

On Nissan’s test track, the lowered rpms are certainly noticeable. At freeway speeds, the current Altima with the new CVT was quieter and more relaxed. But floor the throttle and it seemed more sprite and much less like a traditional CVT. The transmission’s simulated gear changes were much more like those of a conventional automatic—more direct and less like the elastic feel that tends to define CVT transmissions. In our brief test drive, the new CVT was an impressive move forward.

The Electronics

The new system uses a one-electric-motor, two-clutch design that’s fed by a lithium-ion battery. It’s similar in concept to the one used in the Infiniti M Hybrid. But here, the layout has been modified to work in a front-wheel-drive layout.

The battery pack will be only about half as large as the 1.3-kwh pack in the Infiniti. However, a Nissan engineer says, combined with the new supercharged four-cylinder, it would deliver about the same power output as the current 3.5-liter V-6: around 270 hp. And we’d be surprised if the new Altima hybrid didn’t return at least 40 mpg combined when it arrives in two years.

2014 Nissan Altima Offered at Community Auto Group of Mason City, serving Mason City, Ames, Urbandale, Des Moines, Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids, Dubuque, Iowa City, Iowa, and Southern Minnesota