Safety

The CTS sedan performed well in crash tests conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. It received the IIHS' 2012 Top Safety Pick designation, which is awarded to cars that receive Good scores in each of its four tests, as well NHTSA's five-star rating, the highest possible.

Standard safety features include antilock brakes and an electronic stability system, which are required on cars beginning with 2012 models. Also standard are side-impact airbags for the front seats, side curtain airbags for both rows and active front head restraints. GM's emergency communications system, OnStar, includes one year of complimentary service that has features like automatic crash notification, stolen car assistance and the ability to remotely unlock the doors.

A backup camera and rear parking sensors are optional. For a list of safety features, check out the Features & Specs page, or see how well child-safety seats fit in the CTS Car Seat Check.

    See also:

    Driving on Hills
    Driving safely on hills requires good judgment and an understanding of what the vehicle can and cannot do. WARNING Many hills are simply too steep for any vehicle. Driving up hills can cause ...

    Sedan and Coupe Model
    (Washer Fluid): Press the button with this symbol, on the end of the windshield washer lever to wash the windshield. The washer fluid sprays onto the windshield and the wipers run for a few ...

    Parade Dimming
    This feature does not let the instrument panel display screens dim during daylight hours while the ignition is in the ACC/ACCESSORY or ON/RUN position and the parking lamps or headlamps are ...