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2009 Cadillac STS-V Bottom Line

February 22, 2009

By Bengt Halvorson's avatar Bengt Halvorson, EditorBengt Halvorson

TheCarConnection.com's editors drove the new Cadillac STS-V in order to give you an expert opinion. TheCarConnection.com's car enthusiasts researched available road tests on the 2009 Cadillac STS-V to produce this conclusive review and to help you find the truth where other car reviews might differ.

Likes:

  • Advanced technological features
  • World-class performance
  • Responsive automatic transmission

Dislikes:

  • Cluttered instrument panel
  • Quality of interior materials
  • Disappointing back seat space

Buying Tips:


The 2009 Cadillac STS-V isn't as powerful as its competition but its retail price is a few thousand dollars less than its two German competitors.

The 2009 Cadillac STS-V has more aggressive exterior styling, interior upgrades, and a host of additional performance equipment compared to the standard STS sport sedan. With a hand-built, supercharged 4.4-liter V-8 under the hood, the STS-V is a limited-edition, high-performance variant of the mid-size STS.

The 469 horsepower engine accelerates the 2009 Cadillac STS-V to 60 mph in less than five seconds, delivering power to the rear wheels through an excellent six-speed automatic transmission with tap-shift controls.

Compared to the standard STS, the STS-V gets stiffer springs and larger anti-roll bars, plus powerful Brembo brakes and a quicker steering ratio. The 2009 Cadillac STS-V has a firm ride but it almost miraculously soaks up the bumps while staying tight in the most abrupt maneuvers and keeping the tires firmly planted.

The look and feel of the interior still leaves something to be desired for a vehicle that prices over $80k. The instrument panel of the STS-V feels rather dull and plasticky compared to its German rivals—and the design hasn't been updated to the extent of the new CTS (and CTS-V)—but the rest of the interior, such as upholstery, is impressive in quality.

Otherwise, the cabin is quite comfortable. Seating in the 2009 Cadillac STS-V rivals that offered by its German competitors, with front seats that are amply proportioned and very supportive, with plenty of space. The back seat is surprisingly tight in legroom though; it’s barely roomy enough for average adults.

The 2009 Cadillac STS-V comes with an extensive list of high-tech features including: a heads-up display and Intellibeam headlamps that sense approaching headlights and dim themselves accordingly. Other standard technologies are heated rear seats and steering wheel, a lane-departure warning system, Adaptive Remote Start, and a blind-spot warning system.

Standard safety equipment on the STS-V includes front side airbags, head-protecting side-curtain bags, and a performance-calibrated electronic stability control system. The 2009 Cadillac STS-V earned four-star results from the federal government in all but side protection for rear-seat passengers (five stars), and the STS earned "good" results in frontal-offset protection, "acceptable" results in side impact, and "poor" in rear impact insurance industry (IIHS) tests.

Other Choices:

If you like the 2009 Cadillac STS-V, also consider:

Reason Why:

Both the Mercedes E63 AMG and BMW M5—sedans have better-known reputations than the STS-V—have interiors that feel more opulent and exclusive. But performance-wise in real-world driving, the 2009 Cadillac STS-V competes solidly against both. However, both of those vehicles have what matters more to many buyers—a faster acceleration time. The upcoming Jaguar XFR is another highly expected rival, with a 510-horsepower supercharged V-8 and a host of additional performance equipment.

The Bottom Line:

The 2009 Cadillac STS-V is a more affordable rival to BMW's M5 and the Mercedes E63 AMG, with an overall look and feel that isn’t quite up to the standards of those German rivals.

TheCarConnection.com's editors drove the new Cadillac STS-V in order to give you an expert opinion. TheCarConnection.com's car enthusiasts researched available road tests on the 2009 Cadillac STS-V to produce this conclusive review and to help you find the truth where other car reviews might differ. Likes:Advanced technological featuresWorld-class performanceResponsive automatic transmissionDislikes:Cluttered instrument panelQuality of interior materialsDisappointing back seat spaceBuying Tips: The 2009 Cadillac STS-V isn't as powerful as its competition but its retail price is a few thousand dollars less than its two German competitors. The 2009 Cadillac STS-V has more aggressive exterior styling, interior upgrades, and a host of additional performance equipment compared to the standard STS sport sedan. With a hand-built, supercharged 4.4-liter V-8 under the hood, the STS-V is a limited-edition, high-performance variant of the mid-size STS. The 469 horsepower engine accelerates the 2009 Cadillac STS-V to 60 mph in less than five seconds, delivering power to the rear wheels through an excellent six-speed automatic transmission with tap-shift controls. Compared to the standard STS, the STS-V gets stiffer springs and larger anti-roll bars, plus powerful Brembo brakes and a quicker steering ratio. The 2009 Cadillac STS-V has a firm ride but it almost miraculously soaks up the bumps while staying tight in the most abrupt maneuvers and keeping the tires firmly planted. The look and feel of the interior still leaves something to be desired for a vehicle that prices over $80k. The instrument panel of the STS-V feels rather dull and plasticky compared to its German rivals—and the design hasn't been updated to the extent of the new CTS (and CTS-V)—but the rest of the interior, such as upholstery, is impressive in quality. Otherwise, the cabin is quite comfortable. Seating in the 2009 Cadillac STS-V rivals that offered by its German competitors, with front seats that are amply proportioned and very supportive, with plenty of space. The back seat is surprisingly tight in legroom though; it’s barely roomy enough for average adults. The 2009 Cadillac STS-V comes with an extensive list of high-tech features including: a heads-up display and Intellibeam headlamps that sense approaching headlights and dim themselves accordingly. Other standard technologies are heated rear seats and steering wheel, a lane-departure warning system, Adaptive Remote Start, and a blind-spot warning system. Standard safety equipment on the STS-V includes front side airbags, head-protecting side-curtain bags, and a performance-calibrated electronic stability control system. The 2009 Cadillac STS-V earned four-star results from the federal government in all but side protection for rear-seat passengers (five stars), and the STS earned "good" results in frontal-offset protection, "acceptable" results in side impact, and "poor" in rear impact insurance industry (IIHS) tests. Other Choices:If you like the 2009 Cadillac STS-V, also consider:Mercedes-Benz E63 AMGBMW M5Jaguar XFRReason Why:Both the Mercedes E63 AMG and BMW M5—sedans have better-known reputations than the STS-V—have interiors that feel more opulent and exclusive. But performance-wise in real-world driving, the 2009 Cadillac STS-V competes solidly against both. However, both of those vehicles have what matters more to many buyers—a faster acceleration time. The upcoming Jaguar XFR is another highly expected rival, with a 510-horsepower supercharged V-8 and a host of additional performance equipment. The Bottom Line:The 2009 Cadillac STS-V is a more affordable rival to BMW's M5 and the Mercedes E63 AMG, with an overall look and feel that isn’t quite up to the standards of those German rivals. TheCarConnection.com's editors drove the new Cadillac STS-V in order to give you an expert opinion. TheCarConnection.com's car enthusiasts researched available road tests on the 2009 Cadillac STS-V to produce this conclusive review and to help you find the truth where other car reviews ...

Other Choices:

Both the Mercedes E63 AMG and BMW M5—sedans have better-known reputations than the STS-V—have interiors that feel more opulent and exclusive. But performance-wise in real-world driving, the 2009 Cadillac STS-V competes solidly against both. However, both of those vehicles have what matters more to many buyers—a faster acceleration time. The upcoming Jaguar XFR is another highly expected rival, with a 510-horsepower supercharged V-8 and a host of additional performance equipment.

Next Steps:

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See the Cadillac STS-V in Other Years:

2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006

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