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Cars we almost forget: The 2010 Cadillac STS

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The current STS came out after the first CTS.
GM made basically made their new Seville replacement look like a big CTS. A good thing. But somehow the car never caught on.
It is amazing, but yes, there is a 2010 model.
With the same interior than when it came out. It was pretty bad then, it is worse now…

MSRP for the 2009 model was almost $48 000 to start. Pretty much the same as what Mercedes charges for the all new 2010 E class. (although you can actually get the STS for about $40 000)

So it is outdated, has one of the worse interior in the luxury class, and is way over priced…

The DTS and STS models will be soon replaced by an all new model.
Let’s hope this time, Cadillac takes the luxury car market mrore seriously.

Conversation 26 comments

  1. Okay.

    Vince, you may have almost forgot, but I had completely forgotten all about this car! I never see them on the road.

  2. You think that interior is worse than the E-Class or 5-Series? Seriously?!? The only faux pas I see is the corporate GM steering wheel.

  4. Are you serious? DRIVE a 470 HP Cadillac STS-V with 5.1 Bose Surround sound and THEN say it's not quite up to a whimpy amorphous Mercedes E-class, with it's cheesy big-grain lowbuck leather (or genuine vinyl leatherette on the std. Mercedes). Look at Cadillac's REAL wood and chiffon-soft fine grain leather interior. Then ask yourself this: Why can't the ALL-NEW MB E-class accelerate as cleanly, quietly, comfortbly and QUICKLY as this 10-year-old Cadillac (which is about 1-year from leaping lightyears ahead of anything MB has ever dreamed of. Seriously though; DRIVE AN STS-V BEFORE you show your ignorance.

  5. I agree that the car needs to be replaced, but "one of the worst interiors in the luxury class"?? You're kidding, right, Vince? At least Cadillac uses genuine leather instead of Mercedes MB Tex, which, by the way, is just a fancy misleading name for cheap old VINYL! –In a $50K-plus car whose styling looks like it was ripped right out of the Hyundai styling studio! Now that, to me, is just pathetic.

  6. I agree that some of the dash layout and the steering wheel are behind the current style. Whats most unfortunate here is the color choice. It probably wouldnt look so bad in gray or black. The tan does nothing for this, but its probably bought mostly by retirees who dont mind.

    Let me just say, I'm not a huge fan of what currently goes for a modern luxury interior. They seem a little too gadgety and overstuffed….Yes, Acura and Lexus…. I'm talking to YOU! Space is also a luxury – dont cram me in with a ton of metallic look plastic and mile-wide armrest multiplexes.

    I give GM credit – you cant completely overhaul a lineup that large in 2 years.

  7. Gm basically has no V8 to put in the new STS. With the cancellation of the Ultra, the Northstar is the newest engine GM's got. They've stopped investing in it (e.g no DI) and it is no longer being introduced in new models. Further, unless it's supercharged and aimed to be corvette-like a'la the V-Series car, a pushrod V8 is unlikely to show up in a premium sedan. I'm curious to see what GM does. It's humiliating that Hyundai has a 4.8 and 5.0 liter DOHC DI V8 and GM doesn't!!!! Unless GM wants to position the STS as an RS or MKS competitor (which I doubt, then a turbo V6 strikes me as likely in the top-trim (not including V series) version

  9. I find it hilarious that Caddy wants to take the CTS upmarket and use the DTS/STS replacement "XTS" which is just going to be a Caddy LaCrosse as a flagship placeholder until CTS gen 3 comes out. It will be larger and become the brand's flagship. What I find disturbing is how are they going to sell a big CTS in the future when they can't sell it right now? I think marketing comes into play becaues this middle child has just been ignored. The CTS takes all the fame and the DTS is kept in line by the elderly. It seems as if people forgot that this thing is RWD. Im surprised G8 enthusiasts didn't see this as a reputable substitute.

  10. Does the person commenting on how wonderful the interior of this car work for GM? I would imagine that Lutz himself would say that this is a very weak interior.

    Hard plastics, virtually no fine detailing. What the people who think this interior is nice because it has soft leather and real wood miss is that that's the easiest thing to do…by okay materials. The hard part is design. That door could easily be from a truck about 10 years ago. This interior is flat out bad and anyone how likes it is just very easily pleased.

  11. I don't like the design very much, but the build quality is not bad at all. It's certainly no Audi, but it's just as good as a Lexus ES. Better than terrible looking BMW interiors lately.

  12. "Anonymous said…
    You think that interior is worse than the E-Class or 5-Series? Seriously?!? The only faux pas I see is the corporate GM steering wheel.

    October 10, 2009 7:43 PM"

    Yes, it is far worse than both. Even the old 5 series has nicer plastics and a more modern design.

    "Anonymous said…
    Are you serious? DRIVE a 470 HP Cadillac STS-V with 5.1 Bose Surround sound and THEN say it's not quite up to a whimpy amorphous Mercedes E-class, with it's cheesy big-grain lowbuck leather (or genuine vinyl leatherette on the std. Mercedes). Look at Cadillac's REAL wood and chiffon-soft fine grain leather interior. Then ask yourself this: Why can't the ALL-NEW MB E-class accelerate as cleanly, quietly, comfortbly and QUICKLY as this 10-year-old Cadillac (which is about 1-year from leaping lightyears ahead of anything MB has ever dreamed of. Seriously though; DRIVE AN STS-V BEFORE you show your ignorance.

    October 10, 2009 9:06 PM"

    An MB E63 is "light years" ahead of this Cadillac in every single aspect or measurable category. Even the base E350 is quicker than the outdated and outrageously outclassed STS. It was a flop when it came out, and it is only worse now. How many STS-Vs were sold? Maybe 500?

    Mercedes beat the STS-V in its last comparison test by the OLD E55 YEARS ago? It did.

    By the way, Bose factory stereos are crap. I hate to break it to you….

    Anyone in their right mind would take a E55/63 or M5 over this Barcalounger of a "sports sedan".

    Get real GM fanboy.

  13. This is by far the worst vehicle in its segement.

    Crap chassis, crap interior, crap plastics. There is a very good reason why these aren't selling at all.

    I, too, would rather have a E Class or a 5-er.

    "Anonymous said…
    I don't like the design very much, but the build quality is not bad at all. It's certainly no Audi, but it's just as good as a Lexus ES. Better than terrible looking BMW interiors lately.

    October 11, 2009 7:11 PM"

    I HATE the ES but I can say that it has a much better interior than this Caddy. At least it uses high quality materials and the fit and finish is peerless.

  14. Vince; to be fair, you should also put up an STS-V interior in BLACK. Us younger guys are buying these with the BLACK/BLACK interior (although the darker 2-tone isn't bad either).

  15. The interior may not be as well designed as the A8; but it's DEFINITELY better than the mid-priced euros (BMW 5, A6, and MUCH better then the always funky & frumpy E-class) Not to mention the cluttered & cheap-looking cars from Acura & the milktoast models from Lexus. It's amazing they sell any STS's since I NEVER see them ADVERTISED!

  16. "Anonymous said…
    Vince; to be fair, you should also put up an STS-V interior in BLACK. Us younger guys are buying these with the BLACK/BLACK interior (although the darker 2-tone isn't bad either).

    October 12, 2009 2:29 PM"

    It is the SAME interior with a different color combination, what is the difference exactly? Sportier seats and different trim. It doesn't change the entire interior though….

  17. "Anonymous said…
    The interior may not be as well designed as the A8; but it's DEFINITELY better than the mid-priced euros (BMW 5, A6, and MUCH better then the always funky & frumpy E-class) Not to mention the cluttered & cheap-looking cars from Acura & the milktoast models from Lexus. It's amazing they sell any STS's since I NEVER see them ADVERTISED!

    October 13, 2009 5:21 AM"

    You are on drugs.

    The interior of the STS is TRASH for a luxury vehicle. Hard cheap plastics are abound in the STS, as is a boring, cheap, and dated center stack.

    Any vehicle in this segment, and even below is better. Even the M35/45 has a better interior, and the plastics and quality is much higher in the Acura TL which you criticize.

    You sound like a GM sales person.

  18. "Anonymous said…
    The interior may not be as well designed as the A8; but it's DEFINITELY better than the mid-priced euros (BMW 5, A6, and MUCH better then the always funky & frumpy E-class) Not to mention the cluttered & cheap-looking cars from Acura & the milktoast models from Lexus. It's amazing they sell any STS's since I NEVER see them ADVERTISED!

    October 13, 2009 5:21 AM"

    You = Cadillac sales guy. Cadillac = Fail.

    Tell me, which vehicle has sold better? The STS or the E Class or 5 Series.

    Both Europeans sold FAR more than the STS. In fact, Mercedes sold more E Classes in the past two months than Cadillac sold STSs in the past YEAR!

  20. Tell me, which vehicle has sold better? The STS or the E Class or 5 Series.
    AND McDONALD'S OUTSELLS the finest Restaurants in the world; And WallMart sells more pictures than Picasso & Rembrandt combined. I think I'll stay with Cadillacs & Caviar, thank-you. Have fun at the McDonald's drive-thru in your Generic Eurotrash Commidoty Crusers. If you ever develop a taste for style; you'll realize that you can't judge a car by the price tag alone.

  21. Tell me, which vehicle has sold better? The STS or the E Class or 5 Series. And Corolla outsold them all — so I guess it the most stunning performance luxury sedan of all!!

  22. "Anonymous said…
    Tell me, which vehicle has sold better? The STS or the E Class or 5 Series.
    AND McDONALD'S OUTSELLS the finest Restaurants in the world; And WallMart sells more pictures than Picasso & Rembrandt combined. I think I'll stay with Cadillacs & Caviar, thank-you. Have fun at the McDonald's drive-thru in your Generic Eurotrash Commidoty Crusers. If you ever develop a taste for style; you'll realize that you can't judge a car by the price tag alone.

    October 14, 2009 8:28 PM"

    Moronic comment.

    Cadillac is the most generic luxury brand out there that is manufactured by a company that filed for bankruptcy because of their incompetence.

    Don't be an idiot, if you think that the outclassed STS is better than ANY mid size European competition you need to have your head examined.

    Cadillac = Caviar? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

    CTS = Overpriced and undersold
    STS = Joke all around
    DTS = Fleet vehicle for taxi and driver services
    XLR = Joke.
    Escalade = For posers who don't know any better
    SRX = Exquinox based with a joke of a base powerplant.

    Let's not forget, Cadillac is the brand that brought us the WONDERFUL Cimmaron and Catera. AHAHAHAH

  24. I have a friend who has offices in Spain, England, & France. He likes to IMPRESS people. Money is no object. He had a Ferrari & a Cadillac. Says the crowd he hangs with considers MB & BMW to be "generic commodities for Taxi's & commoners".

  25. "Anonymous said…

    I have a friend who has offices in Spain, England, & France. He likes to IMPRESS people. Money is no object. He had a Ferrari & a Cadillac. Says the crowd he hangs with considers MB & BMW to be "generic commodities for Taxi's & commoners".

    October 17, 2009 6:52 AM"

    From someone who studied in Spain for a year, and graduated from LSU I can tell you that is complete horseshit.

    England still loves their very own vehicles. Spain loves everything Italian and German.

  26. This interior is sooo bad that GM cooked up a properly redesigned upscale interior for Asian and Middle Eastern market cars!

    Too bad GM kept the second rate interior for the U.S.A

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