As the Seville winds down its three-month stay in south Florida, it has occurred to us that observation and commentary of the passengers' perspective has been lacking. This is, of course, a five-passenger vehicle, so we thought you might want to know how passengers two through five feel about the car.

The front-seat passenger gets the same multi-adjustable seats as the driver. However, the front-passenger seat does not receive the memory and adaptive seat controls that the driver's seat possesses, meaning that passengers have to determine their own comfort. Facing the front passenger is a roomy glove box and one of the best-integrated front-passenger airbag housings we have ever seen. Only its deployment in an accident will reveal its exact location, thanks to invisible seams on the dashboard. Front passengers also receive their own climate controls, allowing them to maintain a comfortable environment no matter how hot or cold the driver likes the interior temperature.

Rear-seat passengers are also blessed with comfortable seats, but not as much room as one might expect from a large Cadillac. The Seville's legroom is adequate, but not overly abundant. Seating is quite comfortable for two, but if three are carried in back tempers are certain to flair as boundary wars ignite with a vengeance. The two outward passengers receive three-point seatbelts and adjustable headrests. The center passenger is stuck with only a lap belt and no place to put their feet because of the dreaded center "hump."

Comfort and convenience items for the rear passengers include their own climate controls for fan speed, a 12-volt power point, map pocket behind each front seat, map lights, and small storage bins in each door. If a middle-seat passenger is not present, an armrest with a large storage area can be folded down from the center seatback. Behind the rear-passenger center armrest is a ski pass-through that leads to the trunk.

One very annoying item is the rear windows that do not roll all the way down. While this is not unique to the Seville, we wonder: If they can put a man on the moon, why can't they make the rear windows on sedans go all the way down?

Other impressions, not specific to passenger comfort, have also surprised and delighted. June is one of the rainiest months in south Florida. As such, the windshield wipers have gotten plenty of use. We had initially considered the RainSense automatic windshield wipers a curious gimmick; a month of tropical downpours has convinced us of their utility. From light drizzle to full-on monsoon, the RainSense wipers never failed to keep up. It was nice not having to perform the constant speed adjustments required on other variable intermittent wipers. While we know we can live without RainSense wipers, they, like power windows and door locks, are a convenience item we would prefer to have.

Unfortunately, some bad news accompanied this month's flood of good news for the Seville. First, the driver's door is making a squeaking noise when it opened or closed. It either needs to be lubricated or adjusted.

Second, and far more disappointing, is the paint flaking off of the steering-wheel radio controls. Specifically, the station pre-set button. Constant use has revealed that instead of the switch being molded in the beige interior color, it is painted on. Now that it is flaking off, its true color (black) is all too apparent. This is not only ugly, but clearly unacceptable. While it will certainly be replaced under warranty, it means that the Seville will require another unscheduled visit to the dealer, and the general inconvenience that this entails.

The third problem is with the normally accurate trip computer. It has started displaying wildly optimistic average mileage calculations. At one point it was reading over 40 mpg. The only way the Seville could get 40 miles per gallon would be on the back of a flatbed tow truck! Curiously, the range estimates are not affected. This malfunction seems to be intermittent. The true mileage has stayed fairly constant, at around 17.3 mpg. The range on this car is still inadequate. An entire day spent running around doing errands can use up half a tank of gas.

While perhaps a bit rough around the edges, the Seville remains comfortable and luxurious. At home cruising around the classier spots of south Florida, the Seville STS delivers, more or less, on its promise of luxury with a hint of sport. Unfortunately, others in the class do a better job. Improved build quality, a shift to RWD, another cog in the tranny, and a tighter suspension on the STS model would do wonders.

Total Odometer Reading: 17,904
Best Fuel Economy: 19.8 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 14.1 mpg
Body Repair Costs: None
Maintenance Costs: None
Problems: Squeaking driver's door, paint flaking off steering wheel-mounted radio controls, malfunctioning trip computer.