Certified Benz & Beemer Compares 2014 Dodge Charger VS 2014 Cadillac CTS Near Scottsdale, AZ

The Charger has standard Reactive Head Restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Reactive Head Restraints system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The CTS Sedan doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Both the Charger and the CTS Sedan have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, height-adjustable front shoulder belts, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding and available all wheel drive.

Dodge’s powertrain warranty covers the Charger 30,000 miles longer than Cadillac covers the CTS Sedan. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the CTS Sedan ends after only 70,000 miles.

There are almost 2 times as many Dodge dealers as there are Cadillac dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Charger’s warranty.

As tested in Motor Trend the Charger R/T is faster than the Cadillac CTS Sedan V6:

On the EPA test cycle the Charger gets better fuel mileage than the CTS Sedan:

An engine control system that can shut down half of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Charger R/T’s fuel efficiency. The CTS Sedan doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Dodge Charger uses regular unleaded gasoline (mid-grade octane recommended on Charger R/T for maximum performance). The CTS Sedan Vsport requires premium, which can cost 5 to 40 cents more per gallon.

The Charger has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The CTS Sedan doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

The Charger stops shorter than the CTS Sedan:

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Charger R/T offers optional 20-inch wheels. The CTS Sedan’s largest wheels are only 19-inches.

The Charger has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the CTS Sedan, it requires you to depend on its run-flat tires, which limits mileage and speed before they are repaired. If a run-flat is damaged beyond repair by a road hazard your vehicle will have to be towed.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Charger’s wheelbase is 5.6 inches longer than on the CTS Sedan (120.2 inches vs. 114.6 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Charger is 1.9 inches wider in the front and 1.7 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the CTS Sedan.

The Charger R/T handles at .86 G’s, while the CTS Sedan Luxury AWD pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Charger R/T executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1 seconds quicker than the CTS Sedan Luxury AWD (25.8 seconds vs. 26.8 seconds).

As tested by Car and Driver while under full throttle, the interior of the Charger SXT is quieter than the CTS Sedan Vsport (76 vs. 81 dB).

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the Charger is rated a Large car by the EPA, while the CTS Sedan is rated a Mid-size.

The Charger has 7.7 cubic feet more passenger volume than the CTS Sedan (104.7 vs. 97).

The Charger has 2.4 inches more front hip room, 2.6 inches more front shoulder room, 4.7 inches more rear legroom, 2.8 inches more rear hip room and 3.1 inches more rear shoulder room than the CTS Sedan.

The Charger has a much larger trunk than the CTS Sedan (16.5 vs. 13.7 cubic feet).

On a hot day the Charger’s driver can lower the front windows using the key in the outside lock cylinder or the keyless remote. The driver of the CTS Sedan can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Charger’s standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The CTS Sedan’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Consumer Reports rated the Charger’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the CTS Sedan’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

Intellichoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Dodge Charger will be $12850 to $20748 less than for the Cadillac CTS Sedan.

 The Charger is ranked first in its class and received the 2012 “Total Quality Award.” The CTS Sedan is not ranked.

The Dodge Charger outsold the Cadillac CTS by over three to one during 2013.