I need to start this review by saying that I absolutely loved the all-new 2008 Cadillac CTS. Loved it. From the fit and finish to the ride and handling, I thought the new CTS was close to perfect. In fact, the only negative I cited (Sept. 18, 2008 Cadillac CTS) is that the CTS needs "a groove or hole that will allow an MP3 player to emerge from the center console for easy adjustment." This is minor, and in all other respects, I loved the CTS.
So, it is almost with regret that I write the 2008 Cadillac STS review. Even though it got some tweaks for 2008, the STS gets upstaged by its cheaper little brother.
2008 Cadillac STS
Favorite features:
- Optional Bose 5.1 Studio Surround Sound System
- Optional Side Blind Zone Alert
- Optional heated steering wheel
- Nice smooth power with 3.6-liter V-6 engine
- Keyless access
- Remote start
Needs improvement:
- Too many of the good features are options
- Small trunk space at 13.8 cubic-feet
- Squishy ride
- Standard iPod integration
- Unintuitive controls
The test vehicle had the base 302 horsepower, 3.6-liter V-6 engine and came with a starting price of $43,135. It added more than $13K in options, and had a final price of $56,530.
I've always thought the base engine in the STS is nice and smooth, and it gets a little better for 2008 with the added direct injection. The V-6 offers clean and even power that is pleasant but not eye-popping. Mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, the gear shifts are practically imperceptible. Fuel economy is rated at 17 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway, and I averaged 21.6 mpg in combined driving.
Even though the STS is called a "sports sedan," don't fool yourself into thinking the ride will be sporty. You'll need the STS-V for that. The regular STS is all luxury with a length of 196.7 inches and a very soft and squishy ride.
The STS at its base level comes with all the luxury trappings you'd expect: leather seats, dual climate control, one-touch up/down windows, power adjustable front seats, keyless access with push-button start and side curtain airbags. The one additional thing I'd expect to be standard, but wasn't, is heated front seats.
The seats themselves were comfortable, but they are much better suited to a 6-foot-tall man than a 5-foot-tall female. I did not get a good driving position and often found myself ducking around the left A-pillar to check for traffic while making a left-hand turn. I sat too low for my comfort -- even with the power seat adjustments -- and had to hike myself upwards when parking to see over the front end. While this amused my passengers and gave me a good quad workout, that's not something I personally look for in a car.
One of my favorite features on General Motors vehicles is the optional Head-Up Display (part of the $4,250 V-6 Premium Luxury Collection), because it allows me to see my speed, navigation directions and radio station changes all without moving my eyes from the road. However, in the STS I found the HUD distracting because of my low sitting position. When I adjusted the display on the windshield so that I could see it properly, it was smack-dab in the middle of my windshield. During the day this wasn't too much of an issue, at night it practically covered the car directly in front of me.
Controls in the STS were easy to reach, but I found them to be slightly unintuitive. I felt like I was constantly hitting buttons to figure out what they did, and in the week I had the car, I did not learn which button went with which control. The optional navigation system (also part of the V-6 Premium Luxury Collection) was part of the problem. I had a hard time setting a destination or finding a previous destination, and hooking up my Bluetooth phone was a chore that I had to deal with pretty much every time I got in the car. Sometimes it would automatically locate the phone, most of the time, for whatever reason, I had to manually reconnect it.
While there was a lot I did not like about the STS, there are some redeeming qualities. A couple of them are even standard. As the weather turns nasty, a tried-and-true favorite is the standard remote start. If it was parked out front, I could activate it from the window of my third-floor apartment.
Another fav: keyless access. My purse really isn't that large, but I perpetually lose my keys at the bottom. With the smart key completely hidden from view, I could walk up to the STS, open the doors and start the car. No searching or fumbling necessary. The only problem here was remembering to give it to the valet when a friend and I had dinner at Cuatro in the South Loop.
There were options included in the 1SC Luxury Performance Package ($5,845) that also made my time in the STS more tolerable, including the heated steering wheel and heated-and-cooled front seats.
There were two stand-out optional favorites, however: The Side Blind Zone Alert and the Bose 5.1 Studio Surround Sound System -- both a part of the V-6 Premium Luxury Collection.
The Side Blind Zone Alert is just an extra aide to ensure you've got your blind spots covered, and it shows up in the form of a lighted graphic on the side mirrors. If there is a car in your blind spot, the light blinks on. There were several times when I was on the highway, getting ready to pass or move into another lane when the light winked at me -- even after I physically turned and checked my blind spots. Sure enough, a couple seconds later, an unseen car would emerge.
My hands-down, gotta-have-it favorite is the optional Bose 5.1 Studio Surround Sound System ... and this is coming from someone who's relatively tone deaf. I was heading to a friend's house when I came across Mozart's Requiem on one of the classical stations. I cranked the volume and was duly impressed with the quality of the sound. With the speakers situated on the seats, it was almost as if the orchestra was in the car with me.
I just wish all these favorite things weren't options. That's the painful part. The STS on its own is a very bland luxury vehicle. The options ad some sparkle, but it's still nothing to write home about.
After driving the new CTS, the 2008 STS just lacks luster. It's bigger and costs more, but it's still half the vehicle the CTS is. The CTS starts at $32,990, and if you really don't need the extra legroom in the rear, it is worth far more that its $43K brother.
