Fixing A Hole: The 2020 Cadillac XT6 Sport AWD

The 2020 Cadillac XT6 Sport AWD.

Cadillac buyers who wanted a three-row SUV but didn't want the super-sized Escalade have had to look elsewhere. There was a big gap in size and perceived prestige between the Escalade and the XT5. That's over now. For 2020, Cadillac has the XT6, a right-size, very handsome three-seat SUV that fits right in between those two.

This Is Cadillac: The 2020 Cadillac XT5 Sport AWD

The 2020 Cadillac XT5 Sport AWD.

The car you see above is Cadillac's best-selling vehicle. That's right. A mid-size crossover SUV is the current king of the hill for Cadillac. It's a sign of how things have changed---not only for the automaker that was regarded as the "Standard of the World" in the 20th century---but for the way we use cars.

For all its pursuit of European-style performance the past 20 years, what the XT5 says is that, ultimately, Americans with the means to consider Cadillac want room to carry people and things, and to do so in quiet and comfort.

A Different Standard: The 2019 Cadillac XT4 AWD Sport

The 2019 Cadillac XT4 AWD Sport.

Those of us of a certain age remember when Cadillac's slogan was "Standard of the World".  It was a time when Cadillacs were what everything else was judged by.  It meant the best.

Like most advertising, it was true sometimes,  not true other times.  Cadillac made some cars that could be considered, with a straight face, to be the best you could buy during that time.  And they made some that weren't.

For the better part of the last 40 years, Cadillac's been trying to regain its prestige. Its current slogan is "Rise Above".  Its one clear winner has been the Escalade.  So now, there's an emphasis on SUVs and crossovers. 

New Car Review: 2013 Cadillac ATS AWD 3.6L



The 2013 Cadillac ATS.

Journalism (automotive and otherwise) is not a great profession if you expect to be told the truth. Oh, sure, it's your job to find and report the truth, but being told it...that's another thing altogether.

Not that the un-truths come in bald-faced lies. Not always. There's a spectrum. For example:

With the Cimarron, Cadillac told us it "behaves like a civilized car should" and "beats the imports at their own game". A bald-faced lie, as those who parted with $12,131 in 1981 dollars for a tarted-up Chevy Cavalier learned the hard way.

A decade and a half later, they told us once we experienced the Catera's European luxury and performance, we wouldn't want to let go. That wasn't true, either, but really wasn't a bald-faced lie. The Catera was European (an Opel with Cadillac badges stuck on it), and the rest can be excused as opinion.

Then came the original CTS. By this point, advertising had matured to the point where it dispensed with hyperbole and just showed us quick cuts of a CTS driving quickly while Led Zeppelin's "Rock And Roll" played for 30 seconds. And then a font that said "Cadillac. Breakthrough."  The implication was that Cadillac had finally found the formula that would let them stand toe-to-toe with BMW.

Not true. But that one we can chalk up to optimism and wishful thinking.

Don't get me wrong. The CTS was then a good car and has gotten better every year since its introduction. But the driving dynamics just weren't there...as good as they have become.

That's why, as I walked to the Cadillac ATS for the first time, key fob in hand, I was prepared to be mildly disappointed. This was the car that, no excuses, was to be Cadillac's answer to the BMW 3-Series. And there was just no way...it was bound to fall short somehow. Most likely in the steering.

New Car Review: 2013 Cadillac XTS AWD Premium

The 2013 Cadillac XTS.

Cadillac made its name with big cars. Coupes and Sedan DeVilles...but to read the majority of motoring press this year, you'd think the only thing they had to talk about was the new, small ATS.

Don't get me wrong, the ATS is a remarkable car (we've just driven it and a review is coming very soon), but there are two stories to be told...and the XTS is the other.

2011 Cadillac SRX AWD Premium Review

The 2011 Cadillac SRX in its natural habitat. A winding road.

The picture above is a good illustration of the kind of use a Cadillac driver might have for the all-wheel, rather than the front-wheel-drive version of the Cadillac SRX. Not rock climbing or stream fording, but road holding...in wet, cold weather on twisty roads.

Crossovers of this size generally don't inspire enthusiastic driving (with the exception of the Mazda CX-9), but the Cadillac SRX definitely does.

Our most recent week in one was courtesy Lund Cadillac in Phoenix, Arizona. And it reminded us just what a strong contender the SRX is. It's a CTS with more space. A sport sedan you can fold the back seats down in and carry stuff home from the big box store. And it's simply a ball to drive.

The 2011 Cadillac SRX has a 3-position power hatch.

Start with the SRX AWD Premium. Immediately you're at $49,370. But look at what that gets you: a 3.0-liter V6 making 265 horsepower and a six-speed automatic transmission, an electronic limited-slip differential, sport suspension, continuously variable real-time chassis damping (which includes the FE3 sport suspension),  speed-sensitive, variable effort rack and pinion power steering, and a dual stainless-steel exhaust with chrome tips. Plus 20 inch aluminum wheels, a tire inflation kit, a double-sized glass sunroof, chrome roof rails, Xenon HID headlamps with adaptive forward lighting, washers and leveling, fog lamps, heated, power-adjustable, power-folding outside mirrors (the driver's side dims automatically when headlamps approach) rain-sensing wipers and a liftgate that you can set to open to different degrees.

Like the CTS, the 2011 Cadillac SRX has one of the best interiors in the automotive biz.

And then, you've got one of the nicest interiors in the biz in which to do your biz. And the standard features keep piling up: Memory seats and outside mirrors, real wood trim on the door, center stack, steering wheel and shift knob, a 10-speaker 5.1 Bose surround audio system with navigation, AM/FM/CD/DVD/mp3/SiriusXM, a 40gb hard drive for music storage, iPod connectivity, Bluetooth, and a rear-view camera.

Not done. There's also rear seat audio controls, 8-way adjustable power front seats (with ventilation as well as heat), heated rear seats, a three-zone climate control and more. You could stop right there and have a killer ride for $49.370 plus destination.

And we nearly did. In fact, the one we had on loan from Lund had only three options: The color (Platinum Ice Tricoat) for $995, the rear-seat entertainment system (a dual-screen DVD setup with wireless headphones and remote control) for $1,295 and 20" chrome tech aluminum wheels for $450.

So the total tab is $52,935. And worth it. The SRX may be a crossover, a term that implies compromise and part-this/part-that, but it's all Cadillac.

2011 Cadillac STS Review

Cadillac's upcoming XTS sedan will not only replace the DTS, but the STS as well. What's an STS? Can't blame you...this is another strong sedan that's been neglected in the marketing department and overshadowed by its smaller (and brilliant) sibling, the CTS.

And that's a shame, too....because while the STS never really got to be the BMW 5-Series killer many had hoped it would be, it's a terrific sedan.

Consider the specs:  Available in rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive...a 3.6-liter V6 engine making 302 horsepower and 272 pounds per foot of torque with a six-speed automatic transmission standard...and an EPA mileage rating of 18 city/27 highway.

But, unlike its big brother DTS, you have to dig a bit to find a big discount over the 5-Series. The entry level 5 (the 528i) starts at $45,050...the lowest-rung STS is $47,280. But the STS has 60 more horsepower. Move to erase that deficit, and you're looking at the 300-horsepower (2 less than the Cad) 535i,  and the price tag for that Bimmer is $50,100.

The other weak point for the STS is that Cadillac's been planning its demise for a while...meaning not much has gone into upgrades the past few years...especially in the interior. Nothing's seriously wrong, mind you...it's just that it looks and feels a full generation behind what a 2011 luxury car should look and feel like.  And that's at the $47,280 price point. Start clicking the option boxes and you can get an STS past $60,000 without a lot of strain.

The XTS promises to be quite a car, and, frankly, more of a replacement for the STS than the DTS. The time has come for change. But GM's neglect of upgrades and marketing for the STS deprived a lot of people from discovering this car in its prime...and its dealers of thousands of sales to what would have been satisfied customers.

(review vehicle courtesy Lund Cadillac)

2011 Cadillac DTS Review

Eras end. Driven by changing tastes and the aging of customers, Cadillac will stop making and selling the big DTS sedan (the modern-day version of the Sedan DeVille) at the end of the 2011 model year.  It will be replaced by the XTS, a car that will almost certainly be targeted to the tastes of Baby Boom luxury car buyers...and thus, at Lexus, Audi and BMW.

It's easy for Boomers to ignore and even ridicule the DTS, a car you're most likely to find in retirement communities, parking lots of restaurants serving the Early Bird special dinners and the occasional rental fleet.

But it's also wrong.

At a base price of $46,680, Cadillac's biggest sedan is $3500 less than the BMW 335is coupe. Apples and oranges, you say? You're right. Let's put the DTS against the least-expensive big Bimmer, the 740i sedan.

The Cadillac is $24,000 less. It has more room, costs less to insure, maintain and license and the highway fuel economy difference (23 mpg for the Cadillac, 25 for the BMW) is negligible.

So what's it like to drive? I hadn't had the opportunity in 7 years (even GM's press fleet folks have been treating the DTS like a stepchild), so I rounded one up for a week.  No, it's not meant for blasting through winding mountain roads (newsflash: neither is any Lexus save the IS-F).

What it is is quiet, smooth, responsive, and, given its size and lack of cutting-edge handling hardware, remarkably agile.  The people who've eagerly shelled out $65K for Escalades but wouldn't give a DTS the time of day would think they're driving a sport sedan by comparison. They'd also find they and their passengers are as or more comfortable and they could make a nice dent in the power bill with the money they save on gasoline.

Something I learned programming popular music radio back in the day: There is such a thing as out-hipping yourself, walking away from things of value to a mass audience in the pursuit of image. A week in the DTS has me strongly suspecting that we'll miss it once it's gone.

(review vehicle courtesy Lund Cadillac)

WWBWD(What Would Betty White Drive)?

This is either the year of Betty White's victory lap or the beginning of another phase of her career (never, ever count Betty out).

At age 88, and a big name in showbiz for nearly 70 years, the Golden Girls star is about to host Saturday Night Live....and now, the car she used to own (nicknamed "Parakeet") is on display on the AACA Museum in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

Betty owned "Parakeet", a gift from her husband Allen Ludden (who died in 1991) for 25 years. The 1977 Cadillac Seville has been in other hands for eight years, but still has only 18,000 miles.

More about the car, including an interview with Betty, at the New York Times Wheels blog.

2011 Cadillac CTS-V Sport Wagon Unveiled At New York Auto Show

An oxymoron died today.

The one that pairs "station wagon" with "lust".

Behold the 2011 Cadillac CTS-V Sport Wagon.

556 horsepower from a 6.2-liter V8.

Six speed transmission. Manual or automatic, you pick.

Magnetic ride control, Brembo brakes, dual 3-inch exhausts.

                          

And that's where you get to sit. Perforated sueded 14-way adjustable microfiber seats, a Bose 5.1 surround system with a 40 gig hard drive....

Full details in the official GM Media release here.

GM To Re-Calibrate Cadillac SRX Turbo Engine After Press Fleet Vehicle Dies On Regular Gas

We've all been there...the owner's manual says 91 octane minimum, but accidentally or to save a few bucks, we pump in some regular gas.

What's the worst that could happen?

Gunnar Heinrich of Automobiles De Luxe found out first-hand, shares it with us and prompts Cadillac to fix all its 2010 SRX Turbos.

Why GM Killed The Cadillac Converj

Despite the unveiling of the EN-V, there are people inside General Motors who envision a world where utter desirability and envirnomental responsibility aren't polar opposites. Case in point: The Cadillac Converj, the sensation of the 2009 North American International Auto Show.

But the Converj is a no-go now, and Motor Trend's Todd Lassa's got the reasons why.

Cadillac Recalling 2003-2007 CTS In 20 States And D.C.

The problem? Front brake hose assemblies that can corrode and rupture.

The recall notice? Here.

Cadillac to GM: Should I Know You?

As parents of the 1970s will attest, once the Led Zeppelin albums start playing, it's only a matter of time before the kids are embarrassed to be seen with you.

Business Week reports that Cadillac is afraid General Motors' bankruptcy brands it with a stigma that will hold it back from connecting with the high-end customers it seeks, so the GM logo, Red Tag sales and all other GM reminders are vanishing from Cadillac offices and dealerships...right down to a switch of e-mail addresses from @gm.com to @cadillac.com.

And somehow, GM's going along with this...which means exactly what, I don't know.

Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon Review

For a country that invented the station wagon and pretty much couldn't live without it for 30 years after World War II, America has shunned the concept...while Europe has bought in big, producing some wonderfully useful, sporty wagons.

Now, Cadillac, never a station wagon builder in the glory days (unless you count ambulances and hearses),  has decided to get in the game by taking its most European vehicle, the CTS sedan, and making a wagon version.

Competition? BMW sells wagons in their 3 and 5 series in the U.S. and.....well, that's about it.

                         

There's no denying it's a slick looking piece. And it drives almost as well as the CTS sedan, with the usual 304 horsepower V6 mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.

                       

Prices start just south of $40,000, but the one I drove for a week was the "Premium Collection" model. It takes almost everything on the option list, converts it to standard and jacks the price of admission up to $51,720.

Even then, Cadillac found one way to add to the bottom line: The 19" Summer Tire Performance Package. You get 19 inch wheels instead of the standard 18s, summer-only tires instead of the all-season radials, a sport suspension system, steering wheel mounted shift controls, a performance cooling system and performance disc brakes. $2,000. Bringing the total, with destination charges, to $54,635.

You couldn't quite get to that price by loading a 3-series wagon with everything available, and 5-series wagons start at $55,950...so it's possible that Cadillac has found the sweet spot here...at least in the target market.

But just how big a market is that? Not very. To be a success, Cadillac will have to win converts...get people to step out of SUVs and crossovers into a smaller package...always a tough sell in America, even in tough times.  But grading purely on the product, Cadillac has scored yet again.

Cadillac CTS Review

Welcome to exhibit A in the argument that Americans can still (or maybe "again") build world-class, exciting, involving cars.

Two true stories: The first from about six or seven years ago, when my boyhood race driver hero, Bob Bondurant, swapped his fleet of Mustangs at the Bondurant School of High Performance Driving near Phoenix, Arizona for the first-gen Cadillac CTS. Was he kidding, I asked?

Bob himself tossed me the keys to a leftover Mustang and told me to take the slalom course (my favorite) for as long as I wanted and get my best time...and then take a CTS.

It took about four tries to get it with the Mustang.

In the CTS, I blew the best Mustang time away on the first shot...and it got better from there. The thing handled like it was on rails.

Yeah, it was a bit underpowered and the interior was kinda plasticky, but the car was a ball to drive...and it has gotten better not with every generational change, but with every model year.

Second, I have a friend who has owned a string of Mercedes-Benzes. He's now on his third CTS. Everytime the lease comes up, he orders another...and calls me, marveling at how they've made a great car better.

The '09 CTS simply rocks. $36,265 gets you a 263 horsepower V6 that's smooth as silk, mated to a six-speed manual, anti-lock brakes, 17-inch wheels, dual-zone climate control, terrifically comfortable seats, an 8-speaker Bose audio system with AM/FM/CD/mp3 and XM and more. Stop there and you've got a great car and an amazing bargain.

But toss $9,300 or so in options on it, like GM did with our test car and you'll be blown away. This one had the luxury level one package, a hugely upgraded audio system including a 40 gig hard drive music device and a very, very good navigation system that hides inside the dash when not in use, a six-speed automatic and...wonder of wonders, real wood on the center console, instrument panel and door trim.

There's only one cooler Cad on earth...and it's spoken for until at least 2012.

UPDATE: Another week in another CTS...this one with only $5,000 worth of options (kissing the upgraded audio and nav systems goodbye) just reinforces my earlier opinions. Though I'd probably pop for the audio.

Cadillac Escalade Hybrid Review

The temptation was huge to simply let the picture above be the review: A Cadillac Escalade, the ultimate Sumo-class luxury SUV, with the word "H Y B R I D" emblazoned on it.

That would be the easy way out, though. The Cadillac Escalade Hybrid deserves...heck, demands...some serious discussion. After all, the mass perception of hybrids revolves around cars like the Toyota Prius...small fuel-sipping machines that, while luxurious by the standards of even a decade ago, make a show of shunning wretched excess.

Sure, the movement has been to larger hybrid vehicles of late...from the Ford Escape Hybrid to the Nissan Altima Hybrid, but those haven't fully penetrated the public consciousness yet.

And yes, the Lexus LH600 L hybrid sedan, at $105,000 plus, is somewhat more of an apparent contradiction than the Escalade Hybrid, but it's largely invisible...looking like its gasoline-powered variant, the LS460, it slips through traffic unnoticed.

Not the Cadillac Escalade Hybrid. There are NINE...count them...NINE exterior badges proclaiming the word "H Y B R I D", prompting the inevitable questions from fellow motorists, who then have to deal with the answers:

A base price of $72,865.

A curb weight of 5,717 pounds.

403 horsepower from a 6.2 liter V8 gasoline engine.

0 to 60 in 6.8 seconds.

So what could the payoff possibly be? Where's the hybrid come in here? With an EPA estimated 20 miles per gallon city, 21 highway.

Now those aren't earth-shaking numbers, certainly not compared to misers like the Prius (which gets 48 city/45 highway). It misses the TireKicker Top Ten Fuel Saver list. But it is a 50% improvement in mileage compared to the gasoline-powered Escalade, which beats the 38% improvement GM's engineers got with the Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid (although the Chevy's raw mpg numbers are higher).

So, if you have to have a Cadillac Escalade, the Hybrid has its upside in gas savings. Which leaves the question: Do you? Have to have one, I mean?

Well, "have to" is a loaded phrase. As I walked around the Escalade Hybrid when it arrived, looking over the GM PR materials, I was thinking about what a tough sell this particular vehicle was likely to be.

Then I spent a week driving it.

Lord help me, I want one. If GM wants a "yes" vote on bailout money, they just need to send 100 of these to the Senate wing of the United States Capitol with notes saying "Return whenever...or not." The Escalade is luxury and refinement taken to a degree where I'd argue that it's the best car to wear a Cadillac badge in at least 40 years. It imparts a sense that you're not just driving any old thing...you're driving a Cadillac. And covering 150 miles while barely seeing the fuel gague needle move off "F" is a bonus.

Getting 20 miles per gallon in the city out of a three-ton, 400-plus horsepower SUV is something that I would have classified as "the dog riding the bicycle". It doesn't matter how well he does it, it's just that it can be done at all. But the Escalade blows that away by being a really great car that makes you want it. And if that's not proof that American car-building ingenuity is alive and well, then I don't know what is.