Poised to take over Big Kahuna duties when the Fleetwood departs at the end of the 1996 model year, the De Ville certainly looks the part. With its eggcrate grille, slab-sided flanks and long, thin, horizontal tail lamps, the De Ville is unmistakably a Cadillac.

The big news for 1996 is the addition of the Northstar 4.6-liter V8 to the De Ville. The new engine puts out 275-horsepower; a whopping 38 percent increase over the old 4.9-liter V8 under the hood of the 1995 model. With the new engine comes a new transmission, and long-life engine coolant designed to last for 100,000 miles. Also standard for 1996 is Cadillac's Integrated Chassis Control System and Road-Sensing Suspension.

Concours models get a power boost to differentiate them from basic De Ville models. The 300-horse unit from the Cadillac STS sits under the hood of the Concours, and a higher final drive ratio ensures that this sporty Cadillac feels faster than its whitewall trimmed sibling. Unique to the Concours is Rainsense, a system that can sense when raindrops are falling and turn the wipers on automatically, at the right speed to keep up with the rate of rainfall. Magnasteer variable effort steering replaces the De Ville's Speed-Sensitive gear on the uplevel Concours, and a Continuously Variable Road Sensing Suspension is standard as well.

Both De Villes change interior trim color to "Harmony Gray." New radios debut for 1996, and an integrated voice activated cell phone is available in portable or non-portable format. Customers can personalize door locks and seat positions for up to two drivers, and climate controls get an air recirculation function. Located in the glove box are new switches for valet lockout and turning the traction control system off. Daytime running lights make these behemoths more visible on the road.

In this class of American luxury automobiles, buyers have three choices: the De Ville, the Lincoln Town Car, and the Chrysler New Yorker/LHS. We'd take the De Ville Concours. It is quick, silent, somewhat agile, and offers scads of luxury in a tastefully restrained package.

1997 Highlights

DeVille undergoes a substantial revamp for 1997, including revised styling, the addition of standard side-impact airbags and a fresh interior that is actually functional. Concours receives stability enhancement and road texture detection as part of its Integrated Chassis Control System (ICCS), while a new d'Elegance model picks up where the defunct Fleetwood left off. Finally, the OnStar Services package provides DeVille owners with security and convenience features that will pinpoint the car's location at any given time or allow you to book a flight to Paris from the comfort of your driver seat.

Consumer reviews

Read what other owners think about the 1997 Cadillac DeVille.

Overall Consumer Rating

4.337 reviews

Write a review See all 37 reviews

5(49%)

4(38%)

3(8%)

2(5%)

1(0%)

Most helpful consumer reviews

'97 deville

cp,06/02/2007

I loved this car. Luxury, good mileage 19-21 mpg. Excellent ride. I'm not a kid, and I'm not in a hurry, I'm into comfort. We live 20 miles in a rural setting in California. We drive a lot. I also have a Prius for my sales job, 45 plus mpg, 40,000 a year, but when we go out, we always take the DeVille.

Awesome

youngcaddy,07/23/2011

Im 17 and my grandfather gave me my 97 cadillac deville d'elegance. defenitly an awesome car especially for my age. i use it for speed really. very fast. very comfortable. and the backseat is like a bed ;)

Pretty good, but why any problems?

Storm22,06/27/2002

This Deville makes one quart of oil disappear every 1400-1800 miles ...considered within normal tolerance by Cadillac ...have seen this over and over again on internet sites. A truly free economy would produce an immediate corrective response by the manufacturer to their hoped-for future customers. However, car is very comfortable and still gets a reasonable 17-27 mpg

Great Car

trevman,12/26/2004

The 1997 Cadillac DeVille is a great car. I have had four Cadillac DeVilles to date and I have loved them all. They are extremely comfortable and look very elegant. The pearl red with the tan top has always been my favorite color combo!

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Features & Specs

MPG

15 city / 24 hwy

Seats 0

4-speed automatic

Gas

275 hp @ 5600 rpm

MPG

15 city / 24 hwy

Seats 0

4-speed automatic

Gas

275 hp @ 5600 rpm

MPG

15 city / 24 hwy

Seats 0

4-speed automatic

Gas

275 hp @ 5600 rpm

See all Used 1997 Cadillac DeVille Sedan features & specs

Safety

NHTSA Overall Rating

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.

Frontal Barrier Crash Rating
OverallNot Rated
Driver4 / 5
Passenger4 / 5
Side Crash Rating
OverallNot Rated
Side Barrier Rating
OverallNot Rated
Driver4 / 5
Passenger4 / 5
Combined Side Barrier & Pole Ratings
Front SeatNot Rated
Back SeatNot Rated
Rollover
RolloverNot Rated
Dynamic Test ResultNo Tip
Risk Of RolloverNot Rated

IIHS Rating

The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.

Side Impact Test
Not Tested
Roof Strength Test
Not Tested
Rear Crash Protection / Head Restraint
Not Tested
IIHS Small Overlap Front Test
Not Tested
Moderate Overlap Front Test
0

More about the 1997 Cadillac DeVille

Used 1997 Cadillac DeVille Sedan Overview

The Used 1997 Cadillac DeVille Sedan is offered in the following styles: D'elegance 4dr Sedan, 4dr Sedan, and Concours 4dr Sedan.

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Should I lease or buy a 1997 Cadillac DeVille?

Is it better to lease or buy a car? Ask most people and they'll probably tell you that car buying is the way to go. And from a financial perspective, it's true, provided you're willing to make higher monthly payments, pay off the loan in full and keep the car for a few years. Leasing, on the other hand, can be a less expensive option on a month-to-month basis. It's also good if you're someone who likes to drive a new car every three years or so.

Used 1997 Cadillac DeVille Sedan

Used