2008 Cadillac STS Luxury Sedan
March 21st, 2008
Though it has evolved into an entirely different species, the luxury performance DNA of the Cadillac STS can be traced all the way back to the special range-topping Seville hardtop coupe of the 1950s. At that time one of the fastest, flashiest and most luxurious cars on the road, it evolved and re-emerged several decades later as the buttoned-down Seville luxury sedan, capable of sharing company with Europe’s finest.
Handsome, contemporary styling, tighter build quality and a new high-performance STS sport model set the stage in the early 1990s. The addition of a sophisticated and powerful new DOHC Northstar V8 engine and detail refinements throughout the decade made the most of — and tended to somewhat mask — its limiting front-drive architecture, the STS’s one performance Achilles heel. As it entered the new millennium, however, Caddy’s flagship had aged and lost some of its appeal as trimmer, more sophisticated, and in most cases, rear-wheel-drive European and Japanese competitors overtook it in terms of refinement and performance.
Evolution gave way to revolution in 2005 as Cadillac dropped the Seville moniker in favor of its alphabetic naming strategy, coinciding with a quantum leap forward in technology, build quality and overall refinement. Based on GM’s global Sigma rear- and all-wheel-drive platform and utilizing powerful new V6 and Northstar V8 engines, the Cadillac STS is once again capable of taking on all comers.
If you’re in the market for a finely tailored luxury sedan with the power, roominess, comfort and value to outpace many of its smaller German and Japanese rivals, we recommend that you take a look at the Cadillac STS. However, its smaller CTS sibling offers better performance and handling, a much nicer interior and class-competitive interior space.
Current Cadillac STS
The current Cadillac STS underwent a significant update for the 2008 model year. Beyond revised styling (including ubiquitous chrome fender vents) and a more luxuriously trimmed interior, several high-tech safety and performance options were added to keep this all-American sedan competitive in the luxury sport sedan segment.
Also new for the base STS was a direct-injected 3.6-liter V6 rated at 302 horsepower and 272 pound-feet of torque. This impressive power plant and its accompanying new six-speed automatic are literally big improvements over the old base engine and five-speed auto. Furthermore, this V6 nearly makes the 320-hp 4.6-liter Northstar V8 a passable option, as it provides similar performance and better fuel economy.
A full-size luxury sedan in its physical dimensions, the Cadillac STS is priced in line with other premium midsize sedans that offer V6 and V8 engines. Common features on all models include leather seating, 17-inch wheels, dual-zone climate control, a Bose sound system and OnStar. Popular options include a navigation system, a head-up display and heated/ventilated front seats grouped into packages. Lane departure and blind spot warning systems were new safety options introduced for 2008.
In reviews and road tests, our editors have found the strengths of the Cadillac STS to be its nimble road manners, powerful engine options and high-quality audio system. The midlife changes greatly increased the STS’s appeal and competitiveness — especially with the new direct-injected V6 — but it’s hard to fully endorse this full-size luxury sedan when Cadillac’s own CTS is an excellent car that only gives up a bit of interior space to its big brother.
Past Cadillac STS Models
The Cadillac STS officially debuted for the 2005 model year and underwent a midlife refresh for 2008. Prior to that, the base engine was a 3.6-liter V6 rated at 255 hp and 252 lb-ft of torque. A five-speed automatic was the lone transmission. In addition to featuring slightly subdued styling compared to the current STS, this version also featured a slightly less premium-feel interior and fewer electronic goodies.
Those interested in a used model previous to this date will want to check out the front-wheel-drive, fifth-generation Seville produced from 1998-2003. The performance-oriented version of that car was known as the STS and featured a more powerful V8 engine and more luxury features. The 1992-’97 Seville also featured a similar STS edition.
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