Road Tests: Long-Term Test

We've completed this test. Click here to see the final results.

Just like Elvis Presley, we done gone and bought ourselves a Cadillac car. And not just any Cadillac car. This Seville STS is the flagship of GM's wreath-and-crest division, representing the best luxury sedan General Motors can assemble. Why'd we select one for a long-term test? This redesigned fifth-generation Seville is the car Cadillac will use as a foundation to return the tarnished marque to its vaunted "Standard of the World" status - or at least that's the intent.

You see, the 1998 Seville is going to lead Cadillac's charge worldwide, and will be sold overseas with right-hand drive and shorter bumpers to meet the specific requirements of other nations. In the U.S., Cadillac hopes consumers will see real value in the Seville and in particular the STS. Platform sharing, brand engineering and questionable reliability debilitated this once proud automaker during the 1970s and 1980s. However, recent models are ranking high in J.D. Power & Associates surveys regarding long-term satisfaction, and a host of improvements for 1998 should continue this trend. Cadillac, unlike Elvis Presley, is making a strong comeback.

According to our dealer, our car is one of the the first produced in Dark Adriatic Blue and is loaded with features. Our car is equipped with an improved world-class Northstar V8 engine, Performance Algorithm Shifting automatic transmission, StabiliTrak integrated yaw control system, Continuously Variable Road Sensing Suspension, Integrated Chassis Control System, Bose 4.0 audio system, adaptive seating, full-range traction control, On-Star communications system and Rainsense wiper system … the list of goodies is not a short one. With all the electronic gobbledygook onboard, the reliability of the electrical system should be well proven by our test.

We also want to see if Cadillac is approaching Lexus levels of quality and refinement with the Seville redesign. Our publisher drives a 1997 LS400, and has been favorably impressed by the Cadillac in terms of performance, comfort, and features. However, certain build quality issues have disappointed him. For example, the interior A-pillar trim can be pulled off the car with a slight tug, thanks to very weak clips. The trunk storage system is constructed of Cavalier-caliber plastic and is nearly impossible to use. Even our dealer struggled with the contraption during the delivery walk-around. Slam the trunk, and instead of hearing a solid thunk the plastic panel between the taillights emits a reedy twang. And the cover hiding the spare tire is battened down sloppily.

Gadget guru Lev Stark, vice president and magician extraordinaire here at Edmund Publications, claims Cadillac should offer a two-day instruction course for new Seville owners so they can learn all the neat functions of the integrated telephone, Bose audio system, electronic climate control system, trip computer, and other doodads. He's right. Want to answer an incoming telephone call using the hands-free feature? Press the button marked "Send" on the steering wheel spoke. Not exactly intuitive.

The Seville will remain with our Los Angeles staff members for a few months, and then will spend the winter in Denver, where the traction control and StabiliTrak systems can get a full workout. Hopefully our California lead-foots will quit dipping into the 4.6-liter V8's tempting 300 horsepower long enough to extract some better fuel economy numbers.

Best Fuel Economy: 17.8 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 9.5 mpg
Maintenance Costs: $0
Problems: Loose A-pillar trim.