2008 Cadillac STS - Styling Review

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Shopping for a 2008 Cadillac STS? MSRP: $43,775 - $53,275

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The 2008 Cadillac STS bears a strong family resemblance to the smaller CTS sport sedan, and it has a similar mix of aggressive, assertive exterior styling, but its interior feels softer and more luxurious.

According to Automotive.com, this year’s update contains the most "substantial facelift" the STS Cadillac has had in at least three years--which apparently isn't dramatic, according to other sources noted by TheCarConnection.com. According to Kelley Blue Book, if you like the "edgy styling of the CTS and XLR cars...you'll like the 2008 Cadillac STS." However, this source also points out that this model's styling has been seen before on the CTS, and that buyers of cars at this level tend to prefer "a more distinctive vehicle." Road & Track counters "the STS isn't quite ready for a complete revamp yet." Cars.com comments that Cadillac STS "elements are in proportion," but that the side vents are becoming an automotive cliché. Edmunds finds the grille "particularly striking." ForbesAutos describes the car as "spiffy" and a "viable domestic alternative to import luxury sport sedans."

Inside, as Edmunds observes, "luxury buyers should be pleased with this Cadillac's generally high-class ambience." The STS sports a simplified dash over years past, with a wide center stack of controls, and a nice balance of leather, plastic, and wood. Kelley Blue Book notes that "the usual color choices of black, tan or gray are offset by the occasional use of nice wood trim...a sprayed-on urethane 'skin' gives the dash and door panels a rich look mimicking real leather." However, their reviewer does "worry how well this material will hold up over time."