First Drive: 2013 Cadillac CTS

The Cadillac CTS has been around since 2002, serving as the brand's mid-size luxury car. The CTS is a front-engine, rear-wheel drive car. All-wheel drive is available as an option. The CTS comes with either a six-speed manual, a five-speed automatic (first generation only), or a six-speed automatic transmission. The first generation, which was produced from 2002 to 2007, was only available as a four-door sedan. The second generation CTS, which went into production in 2007, is in its final year. The second generation CTS is available as a two-door coupe, a four-door sedan, or a five-dour wagon. There is also a tuned version of the CTS, the CTS-V, which is powered by a supercharged 6.2L V8 engine that produces 556 hp and 551 lb-ft of torque. On March 26, 2013, General Motors announced the all new third generation Cadillac CTS which will be available starting with the 2014 model year. With the new CTS comes an all new CTS-V. I have seen various versions  of the Cadillac CTS at the various car events in the greater Houston area. I got behind the wheel of the CTS at the 2013 Houston Auto Show. The vesion I drove was a CTS Sedan with the six-speed automatic transmission.

On the outside, the CTS has a nice sporty luxurious exterior. It has some sleek sporty lines on it. The CTS has a luxurious interior. You know a car is luxurious when it has an analog clock on the dashboard. The CTS also features a pop-up screen. Behind the wheel, I had a decent amount of headroom and a good amount of leg room, but the seat is very firm.

The CTS is powered by a 3.6L V6 that produces 318 hp and 275 lb-ft of torque. It goes from 0 to 60 in 6.2 seconds and reaches a top speed of 150 mph. This car feels quick. It is not super quick, but it is till quick enough for highway passing and highway entry. The ride is rough. The suspension is stiff, meaning that you will feel every bump in the road. But due to the stiff suspension, the CTS is very responsive. The CTS also has good throttle response. This would make a good track car if it had a V8 engine. Prices for the CTS with the 3.6L V6 and an automatic transmission start at $43,340. The base CTS with a 3.0L V6 engine starts at $39,095. For a luxury mid-size sports sedan, that is not too expensive compared to its European rivals.

Overall, the CTS is a good car. It has good performace, a nice sporty styling, a luxurious interior, good leg room, decent leg room, and is not too expensive for what you get. The car is very responsive due to its stiff suspension. But the responsiveness comes at a price. The CTS has a rough ride. The seat is very firm to the point that it is uncomfortable. The CTS is a sports sedan and it has a sporty feel. If you do not mind a stiff ride, then I can recommend giving the CTS a test drive. But for those who want to be comfortable behind the wheel and do not like a stiff ride, look elsewhere. When the 2014 CTS hits showroom floors, expect a price drop in the 2013 CTS. Now, I also test drove three CTS-Vs and there is significant difference between the CTS and CTS-V.

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First Drive: 2013 Nissan Versa Sedan

The Nissan Versa has been sold in the United States since 2007. The Versa has been on sale in Japan since 2004. In Japan, the Versa is known as the Tida. At the 2011 New York Auto Show, the second-generation Versa was revealed and went on sale in late 2011. The hatchback version of the Versa will be based on the Nissan Note while the sedan version of the Versa will be based on the Nissan Sunny. The Versa is a front-engine, front-wheel drive compact car and it serves as the entry level car for Nissan in the American market. At the 2013 Houston Auto Show, I was able to take the Nissan Versa Sedan for a test drive. The Nissan Versa is the least expensive new car available in the United States.

The Versa Sedan has a boring exterior styling. I prefer cars with sporty aggressive or luxurious exteriors. The Versa Sedan does not have luxurious styling or a sporty aggressive styling. The headlights are big and not streamlined. There are no sleek lines or curves going along the sides of the Versa Sedan. The interior feels cheap. A 5" touchscreen, bluetooth connectivity, an interface system for the iPod, radio data system, and 60/40 split fold-down rear seats are all options for higher-end Versa Sedans. But the standard Versa interior is boring. There is nothing luxurious about it. The radio looks cheap. The S and S plus trim levels do not come with power windows and power door locks. I drove the SV trim level that had power windows and power locks. The seats come with cloth upholstery. The driver seat is uncomfortable. I had decent leg room, but my head nearly touched the roof of the car.

The second generation Nissan Versa Sedan has been featured on Motorweek and Vrum.

The Versa Sedan is powered by a 1.6L I4 engine, paired with a CVT automatic transmission, that produces 109 hp and 107 lb-ft of torque. A five-speed manual transmission also available for the Versa Sedan. It goes from 0 to 60 mph in 9.1 seconds and reaches a top speed of 107 mph. The Versa did not feel quick. The Versa Sedan has a rough ride. It was also noisy inside the Versa, which makes it hard to hear the Nissan product specialist explain the car. The Versa Sedan has a cheap drive quality to it. Prices for the Versa Sedan start at $11,990. Prices for the Versa Sedan SV starts at $15,240.

Overall, the Nissan Versa Sedan feels cheap, The exterior is bland and cheap. The interior is cheap. The drive quality is cheap. The Versa Sedan has the lowest base price of any new vehicle. The engine feels underpowered. The car does not feel fast. The Versa Sedan has subpar performance. This is a horrendous car. But the base prices of $11,990 can attract first time car buyers. But you get what you paid for. I have had fun behind the wheel of cars with base prices of under $17,000. I enjoyed driving the Chevrolet Sparkand that has a base price of $12,995. The Versa Sedan is just too cheap of a car for me to recommend to experienced drivers. But it is a good car for teenagers who just got their driver's license because the Versa Sedan has the lowest base price. They do not need a fancy car starting out. But for everyone else looking for a new vehicle, look elsewhere.

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