Cadillac STS
Cadillacking nothing, except modesty |
  |
By Richard J. Newman
|
NITS: Option packages are pricey, especially considering that it takes 40 grand just to get started.
G-FORCES: Among other things, the STS is a muscle car. The baseline 255-horsepower V-6 has more juice than the standard engine on the BMW 525i, the Mercedes-Benz E320, or the Lexus ES330. The optional 320-horsepower V-8 is a smoker that's breathlessly fast and as quiet as a mongoose. Handling is adroit, with tight turns and firm, steady steering, though not as nimble as the class-leading BMW.
GIZMOLOGY: Caddies have always been clustered with gadgets, and the STS is no exception. Cutting-edge features include remote-start and an electronic ignition that only requires the key fob to be inside the car to turn it on. Both are standard, along with steering-wheel audio controls, a warning system that alerts you if you're about to back into something, and lots of other beepers and sensors. Tech hounds can opt for adaptive cruise control that varies speed automatically based on the closeness of the car in front, or "intellibeam" bright lights that turn themselves on and off based on how dark it is up ahead. In the overkill basket, I'd lump the 3-D and split-screen features on the optional navigation system, unnecessary complications. One gripe: With the navigation system up, you have to go through a couple of extra steps to find the radio presets, which share the centralized display screen.
KIDMARKS: Plenty of space, center-armrest cup holders, handy map pockets, and overhead reading lights within the reach of booster seaters makes the back a complete kiddie zone. The only difficulty: My 6-year-old occasionally had trouble closing the heavy doors by himself.
HOT OR NOT: Hot. The STS is bold and provocative in a world of country-club propriety.
ENVIROMETER: The EPA ranks the STS average for global warming, and average to below average for air pollution. Mileage ranges from 17 mpg/city to 26 mpg/highway. For more info, go to www.fueleconomy.gov.
CRASH COURSE: Not yet crash tested by the government or by private testing organizations.
PRICE POINTS: Base prices range from $41,220 to $50,740. Price as tested: $58,560. (All prices include delivery fees.)
MORE INFO: www.cadillac.com
|
Model year tested: 2005
The first of the "new" Cadillacs, the CTS, was cool and catchy. The hulking, overwrought Escalade, Cadillac's first SUV, redefined street cachet. Now, the luxury nameplate's new full-size sedan, the STS, proves that Cadillac is one thing more: consistent.
Like the entry-level CTS, the STS is edgy and bold, with the same angular styling that mocks the silken lines of Japanese luxury mobiles like Lexus. Instead of paying homage to the engineering prowess of European chariots like the BMW 5 series or the Audi A6, the STS thumbs its nose at them. The interior is not as polished, but the car's masculine panache bespeaks American power and individuality. And that's not just a fashion statement. The STS's base engine is a 255-horsepower V-6, one of the most potent in its class. There's also an optional 320-horsepower V-8 that's a devilish blend of explosive power and ambassadorial subtlety. These are characteristics shared by other models in the lineup, including the SRX sport-utility, which makes Cadillac something more than a mere collection of intriguing vehicles. It is a brand with a strong emerging identity, a rare find in an industry that is ever-more clogged with Madison Avenue confections that don't measure up to their advertised virtues.
One basic requirement for a sedan competing with BMW and Lexus is exciting, top-notch performance, which comes standard on the STS. There's also a healthy dose of cutting-edge technology, such as a "keyless" electronic ignition and a standard remote-start feature that lets you stick your arm out the front door of your house in the winter and turn the car on out in the driveway. Skin-tight bucket seats and a cozy cockpit create a sports-car impression, even though the STS is as heavy as the Cad that your grandfather drove 20 years ago. There's an all-wheel-drive version and just about every other option you'd care to pay for. The STS doesn't have quite the refined, organic seamlessness of competitors that have been around for a while, but it is more fun and arguably more individualistic. At least until it starts showing up in all your neighbors' driveways.
 In the market for a new car? Use our auto search for more information.
Is there a car you would like us to review? Send your suggestion to test-track@usnews.com.
Return to the auto page to view more reviews.
|
