2006 Cadillac DTS Performace

Intro:
I walked into my local Cadillac dealer looking to purchase my next Caddy. My eyes and heart were set on either the V8 SRX or the V8 STS due to their rave reviews and excellent engine choices. Previously, I owned a 1997 Cadillac Deville which was over due for its retirement. Excessive nose dive, squatting, body-roll, weak brakes, poor build quality, vibration, lousy suspension, and sluggish acceleration were all attributes of this aging auto. From the moment I stepped foot into the dealer, the salesmen encouraged me to take a look at the new 2006 DTS. With its knife edged shaping, new grille and rear it looked much more youthful and for someone my age. I was very reluctant at first yet didn't want to refuse to the salesmen so I took him up and began to examine the DTS. From the moment I stepped into the car, I was cocooned in luxury and amenities. Ventilated heated and cooled seats with a massaging function, sun roof, wood trim and a Bose sound system were just a few of the new features on the DTS. However, a couple of nice features inside the car wasn't going to win me over. It was time to see how the baby drove.
First Impression:
As I walked out side I approached a beautiful, silver DTS with 19in rims, xenon headlamps, and LEDs in the rear. (This car was better looking than the showroom car) I then got inside and ignited the North Star V8 and out the other end came a magnificent sound I hadn’t heard on any Deville. My test car was also equipped with Magnetic Ride Control with is a great suspension set up that allows well controlled body motions. The second I stepped on the gas out came music to my ears, that tasteful yet daring exhaust note and no squatting.
Driving Impressions:
Really wanting to see what this car was capable of, we took it out to stretch its legs. Putting it through my first turn, I was expecting tons of body roll, yet the body stayed perfectly flat while encouraging more spirited driving. One thing about the car I found somewhat annoying is the aggressive gear shifts. This is something one would expect on a sports car which the DTS is not, however it adds to the entire performance idea (also Cadillac needs to up the aged 4 speed automatic). The steering in the car is typical Cadillac, light and lifeless. I wish they would put a bit of feel into it and some heft but light and lifeless is what typical Deville buyers are used to. Aside from the steering I really liked this car, it had sports car brake feel with little travel and a peppy 291 hp engine. However, the downside to the brakes came under serious clamping action. Don't get me wrong this car will stop if you need it to with no dive, but when stopping quickly from high speeds, this car didn't feel to sure of itself, and I didn’t feel to sure of the car (brakes). Yet one must remember the DTS is tipping the scales and just over two tons and 60% of its weight rests on its front tires, so its stopping abilities were adequate.
Under full throttle I found the engine to be a bit intrusive and somewhat over burdened so staying at or below the 5000 rpm range should keep it happy. There was no torque steer and extremely minimal vibrations. The Magnetic Ride Control does a decent job of covering small road blemishes, but hit a nice sized pot hole and there is a muted “thunk” along with quivering pedals and a suddenly firmed suspension. Aside from this, the car never provides a choppy or unstable ride, instead it is very smooth and I always remained confident.
One thing that every buyer of this car will face is parking. Remember, this is a large car, larger than a Mercedes Benz S- Class, BMW 7 Series, and Lexus LS460L and it is a front wheel drive sedan which means a larger turning circle. Trying to squeeze into small spaces is unadvisable unless one has the time and patients to do so. Thankfully this car is equipped with front and rear parking sensors to drastically help in any parking situation.
Verdict:
The 2006 Cadillac DTS possesses the “Bling Factor”. During my test drive, I received many stares of admiration and some of despise. Once we returned to the dealer, I had no need or desire to drive the SRX or STS for I knew this was the car for me. It allowed me to stand out in a crowd, provides me with plenty of space (18 cubic feet in the trunk) along with plenty of back seat room for friends. The ride quality was 100 times better than that of my previous Deville and there were a ton of features in this car in addition to the ones previously mention such as active cruise control, heated steering wheel and washer fluid, tire pressure monitoring system and much more. Also if I ever got into trouble while driving because I was having to much fun, I’d have a few systems to back me up and help avoid a collision such as StabiliTrak, ABS, Brake Assist, EBD, and Traction Control. In the unlikely event any of these systems fail to keep me out of trouble there are a sea of air bags, a 5 star crash test rating, and On Star to make sure I make it out alive and unharmed.
In my honest opinion, never more will the Cadillac DTS or the Cadillac brand for that matter be seen as a car for older Americans. It now appeals to a younger audience with its dramatic styling, selection of engine choices and suspension set ups. In the end I purchased the Cadillac DTS Performance and to this day (6 months later) I am extremely happy with my decision and have received rave reviews from all my friends, family and random drivers on the road. If you are one that is looking for a moderately quick car with great suspension tuning, lots of space, great styling and excellent build quality all priced just under 60 grand, look no further.