Wardogs

What did you cross shop against at the Audi A8?

I've been looking at the 2014 Cadillac CTS V-Sport (Stock 420hp, 430 torque) verses the 2013-2014 Audi A8. Did anyone else cross shop these two cars when they purchased their Audi A8?

I much prefer the look of the Audi A8. The APR tune are impressive. I’m thinking of pulling the trigger as soon as I find an A8 in black exterior, black interior, standard wheel base, Sport package, Driver assist package, Premium Package, Climate Package.

Any suggestions? How has your maintenance costs been?

Sawdusty Dan

2014 CTS V-Sport is a truly sweet car! (test drove a couple around Omaha) Especially in AWD. I owned a 2011 CTS-4, Premium/Sport Packages and with just the "standard" V6, I blew away almost every other 'sporty' car that went up against me (Mustangs, Cameros, Chargers, Challengers, etc.). It could also be quite elegant, when you wanted it to be. Maintenance was on par with most vehicles, cost and frequency of repairs needed, and it was (and they are!) very reliable vehicles. Test-drive a few at different places; I don't think you'd be disappointed with one!

I just bought a 2011 A8L, with Premium, rear seat entertainment, B&O stereo (sweet!!) and 'a few' other accessories. The seats are what sold the car to me, as I have some spine & joint issues, and they make a HUGE difference for me. Just did a 1,300-mile, 3-stop round-trip last week and the car made me happy I didn't take my 2008 Cadillac DTS Platinum. I got 27.7 MPG for the whole trip, low highway was 28.2 and high was 30.7 MPG (that was ~80 miles at ~86MPH, by the way...) and we did a bunch of urban miles, as well. Not too shabby for a V8-powered, 4,400-pound land-yacht! There is a LOT to love about an A8, but be prepared to pay a premium for parts and (if you don't DIY) labor, for the pleasure of owning one. But, it IS a pleasure to own and drive!

Bottom line is - you can't go "wrong" with either of those cars. But, one will be "more right" for you in the end, than the other. Enjoy it and drive the daylights out of it, either way!!

heymatey

FYI: CTS V-Sport is only available in RWD.

2016 brought several worthwhile changes to the CTS, including revamped CUE system with CarPlay/Android Auto compatibility.

I've thought about the V-Sport, hard, but am having trouble with the diminished space/fit/finish vs. the A8, and the fact that I'd definitely need snow tires here in New England. V-Sports seem to not depreciate as much as I'd like, though they *gotta* be cheaper to service...

09S5

I have a CTS V non sport. And the car is amazing and 720 horsepower car . If the budget is good a V8 is the better choice @ least in my situation.
Wife drives the A8 she wont drive nothing else.

09S5

I have a CTS V non sport. And the car is amazing and 720 horsepower car . If the budget is good a V8 is the better choice @ least in my situation.<br />Wife drives the A8 she wont drive nothing else.<br /><img src="https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.audiworld.com-vbulletin/2000x1504/20170407_091841_2658db8c5d432a219df9a1ec72524fc1aa b29f2c.jpg"/><br /><img src="https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.audiworld.com-vbulletin/2000x1504/20160311_124628_copy_2__030adc481d2f5641a7d8142d00 9dc7149698e2e9.jpg"/><br />

Nick1020

I actually traded in my cts-v for the A8 and I couldn't be happier. Unfortunatly I live in MA so it snows out all the time and even with winter tires it was not good in light snow and the tires melt off the cts-v, even driving it like an old lady most of the time. Don't get me wrong its a fun car but if I could do it over again I would have bought an s8 instead of sinking money into my cts-v, or just get the A8 with the APR tune. I think the A8 is so much nicer in every way, except for speed but to each is his own.

OhNoMrBill

I crossed shopped the CTS and ATS when I was hunting for a new car. I ended up with a CPO 2013 A8 non-L V6 with the sport packages, thus wheels and cross hatch leather. I drove the V8 and V6 back to back. The V8 A8 is very fast. The V6 has been plenty fast in all situations for me, except when I crave that deep push into a seat. At the time, the V8s were $10k more in resale. I went the V6 to save the $10k. Depending on the year you get, this still may be the case. If you want speed, I would suggest a older S8 rather than a new A8 or even a A8 V8. They are basically the same car for the interior without the updated outward appearance. The A8 is also built as a fleet car for car service, thus the materials are going to last very well. My interior with nearly 70k miles looks brand new still.

I really wanted to like the CTS or ATS. The ATS back seat is about as useful as a Porsche 911 backseat. It is for storage, not people or even kids. The CTS was my next target. I really like the Caddie outward styling. However, the CTS sport seats sort of fit me and the regular seats were designed to support a shorter woman. Thus, if you are under 5' 8" then you will be ok in the car. The back seat of the A8 also has a lot more room and is easier to get in and out. I also think the materials in the interior are sub par for a top end lux brand that Caddie is trying to be. The leather has a dry and dusty feel to it, it feels cheep to me. It seems to be the finish is more matte than gloss, so this may be why. The German makes and even Hyundai Genesis seem to have a better feel. In the end, there were many short comings to overcome and a used sport or V was still too pricey. Also, I will add that I have rented the latest XTS several times. This the Caddie version of the Impala. These have been comfortable to drive and the 3.6 version is peppy, but still programmed like a Caddie. I got one with the 4 banger and was surprised it was not a total dog. The updated CUE system has some novelty to it and overall works well. I think the CUE is not as bad as it is panned by many reviewers. For instance Maseratti and Dodge are by far the worst, but it is not often stated. I did find that you need to be careful where you touch or tap near the CUE system as it is easy to change stuff accidentally. If you fit in the seats, do not want massaging seats and find what you like there is no reason to buy it. If you flip cars every 2 years, then go for it. If you hold cars for a long time, I think the A8 of any version would be a better daily.

L0U

landjb4u

? There's a housing community just for Cadillacs?

TinyElviss

Be forewarned! I traded in my 2014 CTS4 V6 Performance for a 2015 A8 4.0T mostly because at 40,000 the Caddy had already had the entire front suspension replaced, rear bushings and shocks, and the tranny was starting to hiccup and sputter. Too bad, as it is an excellent chassis with razor sharp steering. It will NOT swallow poor road conditions well, and the interior is fairly loud at speed. I never had a problem with CUE but you'll either love it or hate it. Excellent brakes, too.

Intellibeam is superior to Audi's. It never failed to operate properly, and can be turned on automatically so you do not have to manually engage it every time you turn on the car.

Good luck!