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:

    Interior
    The ESV's extended dimensions don't yield significant gains for first- or second-row occupants, but third-row passengers gain nearly 10 inches of legroom. Cargo volume behind the third row increas ...

    Additional Factors Affecting System Operation
    Safety belts help keep the passenger in position on the seat during vehicle maneuvers and braking, which helps the passenger sensing system maintain the passenger airbag status. See “Safety Belts ...

    Voice Recognition
    The Bluetooth system uses voice recognition to interpret voice commands to dial phone numbers and name tags. For additional information say “Help” while you are in a voice recognition menu. ...