2005 Cadillac STS Review

Name: 2005 Cadillac STS Review
Brand: Cadillac
Price: 778 USD
Rating: 4.7 (142 reviews)

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Edmunds' Expert Review

by the Edmunds Experts

Pros

Full-size car at a midsize price, nimble road feel, powerful engine options, available all-wheel drive, optional Bose stereo is one of the best in its class.

Cons

Sporty bucket seats might be a bit firm for some, plastic interior panels not quite up to German standards, only one transmission available.

What’s new

Cadillac's full size sedan is all new for 2005, rounding out the luxury marque's self-proclaimed renaissance with a bevy of performance-oriented credentials, including rear-wheel drive and two powerful engine options. Cutting-edge styling, lavish interior appointments and available all-wheel drive have brought GM's flagship up to par with the best Europe and Japan have to offer.

Edmunds says

After struggling for years to keep up with the imports, Cadillac has finally hit its stride and the STS proves it. Balanced driving dynamics and edgy-but-attractive styling should make this car a hit with buyers of all ages, especially those looking for a complete package of luxury and performance at a competitive price.

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2005 Cadillac STS Rwd 4dr Sedan (3.6L 6cyl 5A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.64 per gallon for regular unleaded in Ohio.}

Monthly estimates based on costs in Ohio

$238/mo

$224/mo

Avg. Large Car

Calculate my fuel costs

Consumer reviews

Read what other owners think about the Used 2005 Cadillac STS.

5 (74%)

4 (20%)

3 (5%)

2 (1%)

1 (0%)

4.7

142 reviews

Write a vehicle review See all 142 reviews

Most helpful consumer reviews

Comfortable ride, good performance, clean styling

SLG, 09/24/2015

2005 Cadillac STS Rwd 4dr Sedan (4.6L 8cyl 5A)

My 2005 STS Norstar V-8 since it was new. Currently, it has almost 80,000 miles. There were a few minor mechanical problems when new, all covered under warranty, but over the last several years the repairs have been minimal, or just routine maintenance. The car has very good handling, braking and acceleration for a luxury car, and plenty of room to ride very comfortably, which makes …

Gorgeous car with a decent price tag.

Alex, 07/25/2016

2005 Cadillac STS Rwd 4dr Sedan (3.6L 6cyl 5A)

Bought this car from the dealership with 106,000 miles. It came in the "white diamond" color and the looks on this thing are head turning to say the least! This paint scheme practically could sell the car on its own! I've only owned the vehicle for a few months now but aside from a few flaws, which i'll point out, this is a relatively fun and comfy car to drive in. Firstly, for a car … thats over 10 years old, the technology is surprisingly ahead of its game. Air conditioned seats, heated seats, driver recall settings, bluetooth which works great, nav system, dvd player, rear proximity sensors, tire pressure sensors, heated mirrors, and the list goes on and on! Too many electronics to name, which could be a blessing, or a curse, if any of these fancy bells and whistles malfunction. Thankfully its been smooth sailing so far, and everything has worked great. This car feels fast...i'm not one to boast about it, since I normally don't spend my time racing it, but it really does pick up and I find it almost hard not to give it some throttle on occasion. I find myself looking down at the speedometer from time to time and asking..."am I really doing 50 right now?!". The only complaints I have so far are the suspension. This thing is certainly not the smoothest ride out there! It feels awfully stiff and you can feel each and every bump on the road. I dread things like potholes because in this car, you'll practically knock yourself out if you drive over one!! My girlfriend has complained multiple times about the bumpy ride, and though the interior is loaded with luxury, it isn't doing its job correctly if you aren't comfortable during the ride! Other than the stiff as a board suspension, this car is a blast to drive around! In my old beat up Cavalier...I regretted driving on the highway...mostly just merging onto the highway because the thing was so sluggish and unsafe. Now i'm eager to merge just to hear the engine roar for a few brief moments! Not to mention the car feels much safer as well. Lastly, I keep hearing bad things about the gas mileage. I deliver pizza as a side job, and after a 6 hour shift, i've gone through a little under 1/4 of a tank. Not too bad for my standards. Not expensive to fill up, and it isn't as bad of a gas hog as people say it is. Overall, i'll say that this car has been a dream come true for me in my mid 20's. I feel much more confident driving this car than I did with my previous one. I have more fun on the road, and I feel safer while driving it. Did I mention the sound system is awesome?!

2005 STS v8 in 2016; So Much Car for so Little

Christopher Newton, 07/25/2016

2005 Cadillac STS Rwd 4dr Sedan (4.6L 8cyl 5A)

Ok, so I bought this car a few months ago for a little over $5k. Brand new, eleven years ago mind you, it was somewhere around $68k at the dealership. It is pearl white (my name for it because that's what everyone says it looks like), Northstar V8, with every imaginable option. All of them, each and every one of them, work - despite the age, despite the 130k plus miles. It has a quirk or … two here and there, but nothing that hasn't been easily sorted out. Also, apparently the previous owner decided to delete the mufflers and go with straight pipes (cats are still there obviously), and that alone sold me on it when I took the test drive. The SOUND, holy cow! OMGoodness, that noise. At around 3k RPM the V8 comes to life and rolls from a growl to a roar as you accelerate all the way to 6500. It's intoxicating if I'm honest. But mostly, inside and out, the car oozes class and elegance. Nevermind the snobs that say a plastic dash is cheap - frankly it doesn't LOOK cheap and who the heck goes around feeling the dash of a car every day anyway? No one, that's who. Everything is first rate, high-end and maybe ten or eleven years ago, at $67,000 one has a reason to complain about minute things. But today, at $5 grand or so - or even two or three times that if mileage is low enough to justify - it's simply to die for. I couldn't tell you the number of compliments I get on the car - it's several each week - even being more than a decade old, it's still an eye catcher. It's also a joy to drive, although it took some getting accustomed to for sure. I read one review where the owner laughably equated it to driving a truck. This clearly is due to the handling, probably magnetic ride, and the turn-in the car gives as it enters curves and counters G's. At first it feels like rear-end body roll but it's the shocks adjusting to the road and conditions and stopping roll before it starts. It's a unique sensation to the uninitiated. Mine handles terrifically, eating up curvy roads with ease and provides a steady confidence. So, it looks amazing, drives amazing, and the features? Yes, it has a ton of them. The 8 inch LCD screen with navigation is great, I have the 2016 update DVD so it's not old or stale. Turn-by-turn, maps, searches that are a bit cumbersome at times, but once you learn the system it's fine. Also integrated is voice commands which are head-shakingly amazing. Just have to know the command and it works - most of the time lol. There are ones I use regularly that greatly simplify use of the car. Like "windows down", "windows up", or "navigation home". The head-up display is a feature I never knew I'd love so much. At first it was annoying, but as I grew accustomed to it, I will no longer drive a car without it if I don't have to. It's not just that it shows speed, but that it flashes up integrated data as well, most notably navigation turns. The adaptive cruise control is great, but sometimes traffic is just too heavy for it - although that's true of regular speed control also. Forward collision warning is nice for sure - in the event you're glancing away and you come close to another car or object. Automatic high-beam headlamps is nice too, but sometimes it doesn't turn off for an on-coming car. Remote start is really nice but I don't use it often as I'm not that pampered frankly. The automatic lights work well, but mostly I just turn it off and choose to set lights manually. OnStar and XM Radio are nice features I'm enjoying also, in addition to being able to use my phone's streaming media to pipe to the car's system via Bluetooth and the onboard RCA jacks. It's a 2005-era workaround for audio/video but it works. If you're looking to buy one of these cars, do a few things; 1) insist on the navigation center stack, it was part of a big option package and at a glance you'll know the car has other nice options 2) Adaptive cruise has issues here and there, but the head-up display system is first-rate and it's an option I'd insist upon, 3) Insist on the automatic wipers - seriously, it's one of the best features on the car, they rock, 4) If you're looking at an '05 to '09, insist on the Northstar V8, 5) Bottom line, get it with as many options as you can. You'll love the technology! I can't say enough good things about the Cadillac STS. In one word, it's ridiculous.

Amazing car! Good job Cadillac!!

CStradling24, 09/28/2009

2005 Cadillac STS Rwd 4dr Sedan (4.6L 8cyl 5A)

I am one of the biggest critics about everything. This car is nearly perfect. I am in my early 20's and usually people my age dont have cars like this. It was my dream car and met every expectation. I own the V8, fully loaded with absolute every feature besides AWD. It never gets old driving this car. When I bought it, the car was still under warranty and I had some small issues fixed …

See all 142 reviews of the Cadillac STS

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2005 STS Highlights

Trim:

Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee	$40,525
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	18 MPG
Cost to Drive	$238/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	13.8 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	rear wheel drive
Warranty	4 years / 50,000 miles

See all features & specs

Safety

Key safety features on the STS include:

Alarm
Stability Control
Post-collision safety system

IIHS Rating

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

Small Overlap Front Driver-Side Test
Not Tested
Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side Test
Not Tested
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Original
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Updated
Not Tested
Side Impact Test – Original
Not Tested
Side Impact Test – Updated
Not Tested
Roof Strength Test
Not Tested
Rear Crash Protection / Head Restraint
Not Tested

2005 Cadillac STS Review

Edmunds' Expert Review

Pros

Cons

What’s new

Edmunds says

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2005 Cadillac STS Rwd 4dr Sedan (3.6L 6cyl 5A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.64 per gallon for regular unleaded in Ohio.}

Consumer reviews

Read what other owners think about the Used 2005 Cadillac STS.

Trending topics in reviews

Most helpful consumer reviews

Comfortable ride, good performance, clean styling

Gorgeous car with a decent price tag.

2005 STS v8 in 2016; So Much Car for so Little

Amazing car! Good job Cadillac!!

2005 STS Highlights

Safety

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2005 Cadillac STS Review

Edmunds' Expert Review

Pros

Cons

What’s new

Edmunds says

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2005 Cadillac STS Rwd 4dr Sedan (3.6L 6cyl 5A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.64 per gallon for regular unleaded in Ohio.

Most helpful consumer reviews

Comfortable ride, good performance, clean styling

Gorgeous car with a decent price tag.

2005 STS v8 in 2016; So Much Car for so Little

Amazing car! Good job Cadillac!!

2005 STS Highlights

Safety

Related Used 2005 Cadillac STS info

Vehicle reviews of used models

Popular new car reviews and ratings

Research other models of Cadillac

Research similar vehicles

Other models

Join Edmunds

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2005 Cadillac STS Rwd 4dr Sedan (3.6L 6cyl 5A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.64 per gallon for regular unleaded in Ohio.}