Cadillac STS Review
The STS’ interior also reflects the company’s sudden risk aversion. Props to Caddy for ditching the Deville’s interior excess: velour couches, nasty switches, excessive wood. But the attempt to crib Audi/Mercedes/BMW’s sumptuous minimalism has left the STS with a soul-ectomy. (It even smells like a doctor's waiting room.) You would have thought the brand’s success amongst the spinners and dubs set would’ve inspired them to try something wild: two-tone leather, Playstation display, built-in lead crystal decanter, signature scent, something wikkid. But no, the STS’ cabin feels like a pricey Pontiac.
On the positive side, the STS sits on a rear or [optional] all-wheel-drive platform. Caddy’s twenty year-plus digression into front drivers left the brand without a shred of credibility in an increasingly performance-oriented segment. While an STS helmsman would be ill-advised to attempt any tail-out action (think cabin cruiser in a big beam sea), the car is commendably responsive to driver input and command. By the same token, the steering and brakes are predictably numb, but perfectly effective for the job at hand (and foot).
The V8 version provides plenty of silky smooth shove. The STS’ 4.6-liter 320hp Northstar powerplant can propel Detroit’s latest luxury leviathan from zero to sixty miles-per-hour in a staggering six seconds. The V8 STS is also a determined passer, able to leap long trucks in a single bound. Unfortunately, the car’s drive-by-wire throttle was programmed by a non-coffee drinker; the moment you even breathe on the gas pedal, the STS takes off like a scalded cat (threatening many a scalded lap). And the autobox shows a disturbing reluctance to kick down at cruising speed.
Curb Weight: 4148
Engine: 4.5-liter V8
Engine Type: aluminum block and heads, VVT
Horsepower: 320 bhp @ 6400 rpm
Torque: 315 lb-ft @ 4400 rpm
Drive type: RWD (AWD available)
0 to 60: 6 secs.
60 to 0: NA
1/4 Mile: 14.6 sec @ 97 mph
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