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2009 Cadillac XLR Quality Review

March 13, 2009

COMFORT AND QUALITY | 7 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

wind, tire noise well within reason
ConsumerGuide

limited interior stowage
Car and Driver

interior is somewhat reserved
Kelley Blue Book

The 2009 Cadillac XLR is tight on storage space. Fortunately, experts at TheCarConnection.com note that the passenger cabin is as comfortable as one might reasonably (or even unreasonably) expect.

Kelley Blue Book says that in the 2009 Cadillac XLR, "seats are supportive, with a multitude of possible positions. Mounting the transmission in the rear provides abundant room in the footwell areas, an uncommon feature in a rear-wheel-drive roadster of this size." ConsumerGuide tempers its praise of this 2009 Cadillac somewhat: "not expansive, but as roomy as any rival," noting that the "comfortable, supportive seats set low, so entry/exit requires minor effort." Cars.com counters this opinion: "high sills demand some twisting to get inside." This source also notes that "two occupants fit inside the XLR's luxurious interior."

Storage space is sparse in the 2009 Cadillac XLR. Kelley Blue Book notes that in the XLR, "storage space is reserved to a small storage console between the seats, the glovebox and two flip-out map pockets in the doors." MyRide.com, however, blithely asks, "who buys a $100,000 performance convertible for weekly runs to the local megastore in search of provisions for a family of eight?" Still, many drivers will crave a bit more space. There is "limited interior stowage" and "[little] trunk space with top down," according to Car and Driver, due mainly to the retractable hardtop.

The interior of the 2009 Cadillac XLR (slightly refreshed for 2009) looks good, but fails the quality test. Damning with faint praise, Kelley Blue Book says "the XLR's interior is somewhat reserved, lacking the polish found in Jaguar and Mercedes-Benz cars." Car and Driver reports "shoddy materials inside," while Edmunds comments that "compared to similarly priced offerings from European luxury brands, the XLR doesn't come close to matching materials quality and overall design."

For a convertible, however, the 2009 Cadillac XLR is amazingly quiet; ConsumerGuide reports a "tightly sealed hardtop, plenty of insulation keep wind, tire noise well within reason," noting that "normal conversation [is] possible with top down, even at highway speeds," although "rapid acceleration brings spirited V8 growl."

Conclusion

Seating comfort is OK, but the 2009 Cadillac XLR loses out in terms of cargo space and materials quality.

COMFORT AND QUALITY | 7 out of 10Expert Quotes:wind, tire noise well within reasonConsumerGuidelimited interior stowageCar and Driverinterior is somewhat reservedKelley Blue Book The 2009 Cadillac XLR is tight on storage space. Fortunately, experts at TheCarConnection.com note that the passenger cabin is as comfortable as one might reasonably (or even unreasonably) expect. Kelley Blue Book says that in the 2009 Cadillac XLR, "seats are supportive, with a multitude of possible positions. Mounting the transmission in the rear provides abundant room in the footwell areas, an uncommon feature in a rear-wheel-drive roadster of this size." ConsumerGuide tempers its praise of this 2009 Cadillac somewhat: "not expansive, but as roomy as any rival," noting that the "comfortable, supportive seats set low, so entry/exit requires minor effort." Cars.com counters this opinion: "high sills demand some twisting to get inside." This source also notes that "two occupants fit inside the XLR's luxurious interior." Storage space is sparse in the 2009 Cadillac XLR. Kelley Blue Book notes that in the XLR, "storage space is reserved to a small storage console between the seats, the glovebox and two flip-out map pockets in the doors." MyRide.com, however, blithely asks, "who buys a $100,000 performance convertible for weekly runs to the local megastore in search of provisions for a family of eight?" Still, many drivers will crave a bit more space. There is "limited interior stowage" and "[little] trunk space with top down," according to Car and Driver, due mainly to the retractable hardtop. The interior of the 2009 Cadillac XLR (slightly refreshed for 2009) looks good, but fails the quality test. Damning with faint praise, Kelley Blue Book says "the XLR's interior is somewhat reserved, lacking the polish found in Jaguar and Mercedes-Benz cars." Car and Driver reports "shoddy materials inside," while Edmunds comments that "compared to similarly priced offerings from European luxury brands, the XLR doesn't come close to matching materials quality and overall design." For a convertible, however, the 2009 Cadillac XLR is amazingly quiet; ConsumerGuide reports a "tightly sealed hardtop, plenty of insulation keep wind, tire noise well within reason," noting that "normal conversation [is] possible with top down, even at highway speeds," although "rapid acceleration brings spirited V8 growl." ConclusionSeating comfort is OK, but the 2009 Cadillac XLR loses out in terms of cargo space and materials quality. 2009 CADILLAC XLR STYLING [8 out of 10] Car and Driver: "an edgy package" Cars.com: "luxurious interior" Edmunds: "an upscale cabin" If you didn't know, Cadillac's sporty two-seat retractable hardtop roadster is based on the Chevrolet Corvette . Editors at TheCarConnection.com, ...

Read More of this Review:

  1. styling
  2. performance
  3. quality
  4. safety
  5. features

Other Choices:

The Jaguar XK, BMW 6-Series, and Porsche 911 all offer 2+2 seating, as well as canvas convertible tops. The Mercedes-Benz SL-Class remains the benchmark for this class of vehicle. It may not be the fastest or most engaging to drive, but it does lots of things well, including offering numerous technology options and an opulent interior feel, along with a great retractable hardtop design that somehow doesn’t steal as much of the trunk space. Plus, Mercedes-Benz earns its stripes along the way, and the current SL-Class cars prove it. The Lexus SC430 is another alternative for wind-in-hair fans who still want to be cosseted, but its design is nearly a decade old and will soon be replaced.

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See the Cadillac XLR in Other Years:

2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004

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