Cadillac is winning converts left and right among members of the Edmund's staff who have been driving our new long-term Seville. Nearly everybody is impressed by the Seville's 300-horsepower Northstar engine. Lev Stark, vice-president of Edmund Publications, summed it up best when he said, "For a car with this much mass, it (Seville) sure does nicely in the getup-and-go department."
Many of our staff members have also been won over by the Seville's handling, which is very impressive for a vehicle this large. Edmund's editor-in-chief, Christian Wardlaw, punished our Seville with a grueling run through the Santa Monica Mountains shortly after we took delivery of the car. He tested the StabiliTrak system in one set of tight S-turns, likening the engagement of the stability control system to tossing an anchor from the stern of a drifting Chris Craft.
The Performance Algorithm Shifting program of the automatic transmission, however, did not perform flawlessly during the drive. Wardlaw said that the system worked optimally only half the time, but that when it worked correctly, the Seville's engine was revved perfectly for exiting a turn. He had no complaints about the steering (unlike some other drivers, who've found the MagnaSteer III speed-sensitive system light and vague), but noticed that the brakes made a chuff-chuff-chuff sound after a hard downhill run into Westlake Village. They stopped imitating a freight train after they had a chance to cool off.
Two things dismayed our staffers during our second month with this sporty Caddy. The first is the shoddy build quality exhibited by our test car. Loose weather seals, an A-pillar molding that was not properly anchored on its moorings, and paint peeling off the On Star activation buttons mounted on the steering wheel, sent our Cadillac to Bewley Allen Cadillac for warranty work. The second thing we've been unhappy with is the length of time it has taken us to get acquainted with the Cadillac's myriad controls and features. Robert Weiss, Edmunds.com's director of technology, complained that the Seville's user-interface was not well planned and that it would probably take a full week for a techno-wizard like himself to truly get the car figured out. This contrasts the simple and intuitive controls found in the likes of the Lexus LS400 and Acura 3.5RL.
Despite these gripes, everyone enjoys this new Cadillac. It cradles occupants in comfort, offers invigorating performance, and commands respect on Los Angeles's crowded freeways. Even jaded Beverly Hills valet attendants take notice of this car. We just hope that additional build quality problems don't pile up. If things run smoothly, this may end up being the most popular car in our fleet.
Best Fuel Economy: 14.8 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 9.5 mpg
Maintenance Costs: $0
Problems: Loose weather seals, loose A-pillar molding, and paint peeling from the On Star buttons.
