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2009 Cadillac STS-V Review

February 22, 2009

STYLING | 7 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

the Cadillac STS-V makes a tremendous impression
Edmunds

bright and angular, with a mouthy stainless-steel grille
CNNMoney

some of the switches and buttons lack the precision feel of the competition
Car and Driver

For 2009 the Cadillac STS-V carries over the face-lifted, CTS-like front end and substantially upgraded interior that it received last year.

"In a luxury sport sedan market that's traditionally dominated by German carmakers, the Cadillac STS-V makes a tremendous impression," says Edmunds. CNNMoney calls its look “bright and angular, with a mouthy stainless-steel grille, vertical headlights, vertiginous flanks, and an engorged hood that cocoons a supercharged Northstar V-8.” Cars.com observes that Cadillac’s lineup is one of the more consistent in the automotive world. “Unified styling gets a lot of lip service these days, but few carmakers have managed to craft an entire lineup as cohesive as Cadillac has,” they write.

Car and Driver finds the look somewhat inauthentic: "the exterior is all jeweled up with chrome door handles and trunklid trim plus fender 'air extractors' that don't function since air can't pass through solid plastic. They look nice, anyway." Cars.com points out the differences from the stock STS sedan: “Its special sculpted hood allows space for the engine's supercharger, and its 10-spoke, painted aluminum-alloy wheels are exclusive….Distinguishing touches include a polished stainless-steel wire-mesh grille, brake-cooling ducts and a splitter to counteract aerodynamic lift.” However, Automobile sums up the shape as many reviewers do: “Aesthetically, the maximum Caddy sedan suffers from its genesis as the anodyne STS, a car whose exterior and interior both leave us cold.”

The 2009 Cadillac STS-V's interior is well liked, with reviewers generally approving of the stylish steering wheel, trim, and seats. Car and Driver notes the "new, more sophisticated instrument cluster looks much richer than those in past cars." Edmunds reports, “Cadillac snazzed up the STS's interior significantly for 2009 with higher-quality wood and the addition of tasteful aluminum trim. Also, a sporty new steering wheel looks and feels better than the previous one.” According to Cars.com, "the STS has gotten some interior improvements—and it didn't need as many to begin with."

Conclusion

The 2009 Cadillac STS-V now has styling that’s more in line with its expensive imported competitors while remaining uniquely American.

STYLING | 7 out of 10Expert Quotes:the Cadillac STS-V makes a tremendous impressionEdmundsbright and angular, with a mouthy stainless-steel grilleCNNMoneysome of the switches and buttons lack the precision feel of the competitionCar and Driver For 2009 the Cadillac STS-V carries over the face-lifted, CTS-like front end and substantially upgraded interior that it received last year. "In a luxury sport sedan market that's traditionally dominated by German carmakers, the Cadillac STS-V makes a tremendous impression," says Edmunds. CNNMoney calls its look “bright and angular, with a mouthy stainless-steel grille, vertical headlights, vertiginous flanks, and an engorged hood that cocoons a supercharged Northstar V-8.” Cars.com observes that Cadillac’s lineup is one of the more consistent in the automotive world. “Unified styling gets a lot of lip service these days, but few carmakers have managed to craft an entire lineup as cohesive as Cadillac has,” they write. Car and Driver finds the look somewhat inauthentic: "the exterior is all jeweled up with chrome door handles and trunklid trim plus fender 'air extractors' that don't function since air can't pass through solid plastic. They look nice, anyway." Cars.com points out the differences from the stock STS sedan: “Its special sculpted hood allows space for the engine's supercharger, and its 10-spoke, painted aluminum-alloy wheels are exclusive….Distinguishing touches include a polished stainless-steel wire-mesh grille, brake-cooling ducts and a splitter to counteract aerodynamic lift.” However, Automobile sums up the shape as many reviewers do: “Aesthetically, the maximum Caddy sedan suffers from its genesis as the anodyne STS, a car whose exterior and interior both leave us cold.” The 2009 Cadillac STS-V's interior is well liked, with reviewers generally approving of the stylish steering wheel, trim, and seats. Car and Driver notes the "new, more sophisticated instrument cluster looks much richer than those in past cars." Edmunds reports, “Cadillac snazzed up the STS's interior significantly for 2009 with higher-quality wood and the addition of tasteful aluminum trim. Also, a sporty new steering wheel looks and feels better than the previous one.” According to Cars.com, "the STS has gotten some interior improvements—and it didn't need as many to begin with." ConclusionThe 2009 Cadillac STS-V now has styling that’s more in line with its expensive imported competitors while remaining uniquely American. 2009 CADILLAC STS-V STYLING | [7 out of 10] Edmunds: "the Cadillac STS-V makes a tremendous impression" CNNMoney: “bright and angular, with a mouthy stainless-steel grille” Car and Driver: "some of the switches and buttons lack the precision feel of the competition" For 2009 the ...

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  2. performance
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  4. safety
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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.

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See the Cadillac STS-V in Other Years:

2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006

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