1996 Cadillac Seville Luxury Car Review & Performance

It is only from behind the wheel, with the miles flowing quickly by, that the

Seville reminds one of a European sedan. The exterior styling is wholly

all-American--powerful, handsome lines that still look distinctive, if not exactly new.

One indication of the strength of the design is how compact and cohesive it is. The

Seville is a big sedan, but its true size isn't apparent until it's parked next to a

smaller car.

Changes for 1996 are minimal. Like so many GM products, the Seville and Eldorado

add Daytime Running Lamps to their list of standard safety features. Another upgrade,

perhaps more universally welcome, involves the ignition. When the key is in the

ignition, it's impossible to lock the driver's door. No more lockouts.

Keeping pace with competitors, the remote entry system also allows pre-programming

of seat position and door locks. The Seville politlely acknowledges keyfob commands by

blinking its lights, a plus in vast, anonymous parking lots.

The Seville and Eldorado both come in two models, Seville SLS and STS, Eldorado

and Eldorado TC. Aside from minor differences in exterior trim, the principal

distinction between standard and uplevel editions lies under the hood. In basic

versions, the Northstar V8 produces 275 hp, while the STS and ETC have 300 hp.

Although the Eldorado rides a shorter wheelbase--108.0 in. versus 111..0 in. for

the Seville, the chassis and suspension components are otherwise essentially the same.

Rather than mimic the stark grays and blacks that dominate the interiors of

European luxury sedans, Cadillac elected to go its own route with the Seville and

Eldorado, using warm, muted color schemes and lots of zebrano wood trim, a striking

trademark touch.

Though the front seats don't offer as much side support as competing European

makes, they're well shaped and spacious. The leather upholstery that goes with the STS

is perforated, allowing it to breathe, and the range of adjustability--power-operated,

of course--should make any driver comfortable.

Entry and exit are exceptionally easy here--no more difficult than plunking

yourself into your favorite living room. Room behind the front seats is plentiful, and

the sound systems--an AM/FM/cassette Delco unit (standard) or one of three optional

Bose systems, two of which include CD players.

Our test car had the top-of-the-line Bose system with a 12-disc trunk-mounted CD

player, a $1513 option.

As you'd expect of a car with a price range that starts at almost $42,995, the

Seville standard equipment list is long and comprehensive. The STS adds dual front

controls for the automatic climate control system, power lumbar support for the front

seats, a floor-mounted shifter (vs. a column shifter in the SLS), a fold-down rear

center armrest with cupholders, analog instruments, heated outside mirrors and, of

course, leather upholstery.

Aside from sound system choices, about the only major addition one might make is

the power moonroof, a $1700 option that was also part of our test car's equipment

list.

One interesting new touch is Cadillac's new Rainsense Wiper System. Set the system

in the automatic delay mode, and it adjusts the wiper speed based on the amount of

moisture falling on the windshield.

Comprehensive also applies to the Seville's standard safety features. In addition

to daytime running lights, they include ABS, traction control, dual airbags and side

impact protection. About the only thing that's beginning to be conspicuous by its

absence in this inventory is side airbags, which are beginning to show up in European

sedans from Volvo, Mercedes-Benz and BMW.

Although we wish the Seville included door panel map pockets, the interior is

otherwise hard to criticize. It's beautifully assembled and elegantly posh.

SLS or STS, the Seville's throttle response is exceptional. In fact, for all its

other strong points, it's sheer power that sets these cars apart. Although this is a

large car, weighing in at almost 3900 lbs. in STS trim, it can sprint to 60 mph in

less than seven seconds, and its response in tight passing situations is nothing short

of spectacular. In this sense, power can be viewed as a safety feature. In another

sense, power is the key element that distinguishes memorable luxury cars from the rest

of the here.

Either way, the Seville and Eldorado have lots of it, double in spades.

The only soft point in the power picture is torque steer--the tendency of the

powertrain to pull the car to one side or the other at full throttle. These are the

most powerful front-drive passenger cars on earth, and managing this kind of power in

a front-drive system is tricky. Cadillac has all but cured the problem, but there's

still a hint of torque steer when the driver punches the throttle wide open at low

speeds.

The balance between ride and handling, augmented by Cadillac's Road Sensing

Suspension system, leans toward firm in the STS, softer in the SLS, a distinction that

also applies to the basic Eldorado and the Eldo TC. The suspension adapts to various

road surfaces as well as more extreme handling maneuvers with infinitely variable

damping.

Like the original STS, our test car was surprisngly responsive in abrupt

maneuvers, particularly for a large front-drive automobile. However, Cadillac has

softened the ride a bit from the original, a change that most drivers will welcome on

rough roads.

Another positive change from the original is reduced interior noise, largely the

result of exhaust system revisions. Cadillac wants its owners to hear the powerful

sound of the Northstar V8 in action, but early owners have told Cadillac that there

was a little too much of this. Now there's less.

Another interesting technical feature is the Northstar's limp-home capacity. For

example, even if the engine loses all its coolant, the car can keep going by firing

only four of the eight cylinders in an alternating pattern--for up to 50 miles.