Cadillac's Old School DTS

(page 2 of 2)

The inside of Cadillac's Escalade struck me as much nicer than recent Lexus vehicles I've driven. The DTS, while not quite as impressive inside as the newer SUV, at least matches the interior of Japanese competitors.

There are nice details throughout. The key-fob remote start is smart enough to tell if it's cold or hot outside and regulate the air-conditioning accordingly. The interior is lit with a sexy cold blue hue at night. The door panels, composed of multiple leathers and surfaces, look elegant and well-crafted. The analog clock is legible and—with one button—easy to set.

There are some rough edges, though. There are gaps between components here and there. And, thanks in part to the car's large size, the front seats, though comfy, seem a bit disjointed for the rest of the cabin. Rear-seat air-conditioning controls, meanwhile, are subpar, even compared to other GM vehicles like the excellent Saturn Outlook (see BusinessWeek.com, 11/30/06, "Saturn's Great New Outlook").

The parking-assist package is a must, given the high trunk and slow-slung front hood. But I found the system of lights on the dash and visible in the rear-view mirror a little crude. The lights progress from yellow to red, depending how close you are to another object. But it seems like overkill compared to systems that do the same with an escalating warning chime. If you're hard of hearing though, this visual system will likely work better for you.

Buy It or Bag It?

Mustangs, Camaros, and Challengers notwithstanding, nostalgia alone is no reason to plunk down 50 grand. Luckily, the DTS runs on merit as much as it does fond memories of Cadillacs long past.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gives the DTS its highest crash-test rating of "good" overall, and in the government's own test the car performed well, earning 4 and 5 stars on front and side impacts. I averaged about 22 miles per gallon in my tests. In other words, the DTS provides adequate safety for the fuel economy.

All that might really give a prospective DTS buyer pause is Buick's Lucerne, a model closely related. A top-of-the-line Lucerne CXS runs about $10,000 less than the Cadillac equivalent. Admittedly, that model doesn't feature some the luxury features offered by the DTS and certainly has meeker styling. But it's still hard not to compare vehicles that are so similar inside.

Still, the DTS, despite some rough edges here and there, exudes big American luxury with class unlike any other vehicle.

Click here to see more of the 2007 Cadillac DTS.

Matt Vella is a reporter for BusinessWeek.com in New York.