Background: Cadillac, General Motors' luxury division, has a few new ideas up its sleeves for its world renowned Seville. Completely redesigned during the 1998 model year, Seville is the first Cadillac since 1941 to be built in both left and right-hand-drive versions, allowing the luxury four-door sports sedan to compete in such markets as Japan and Great Britain. Seville ranks as one of the most pricy of the opulent Cadillac offerings. A midsize Seville with all the trimmings tops the $50,000 mark. Other four-door models gracing the 1999 roster include Catera, DeVille, Eldorado and the all-new 1999 Escalade sport utility; Cadillac's first ever truck-based vehicle. General Motors, the world's largest automaker, assembles all four-door Sevilles in Detroit Mich.
Trim levels: Two four-door Seville trim levels grace Cadillac showrooms: Seville Luxury Sedan (SLS) and the uplevel Seville Touring Sedan (STS). Each version boasts its own V-8 powertrain.
Safety features: Both dual front and side protection air bags come standard. Daytime running lights, unit body construction, remote keyless entry, four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes and traction control are staples as well. Another nice feature; headlights automatically illuminate when windshield wipers activate. Optional is OnStar, General Motors' mobile communication system, links drivers with a 24-hour manned OnStar center in Troy Mich. via a cellular phone and satellite technology. Not only can OnStar representatives keep in person-to-person contact with drivers during emergency situations, but they can open unlocked Seville doors through satellite technology from the Detroit area. If front or side air bags deploy, the center is automatically informed so emergency personnel can be informed. Another useful feature our STS version offers is a right sideview mirror that tilts downward when the transmission shifts into reverse. This allows the driver to better determine if small obstructions are in the way when backing. The mirror retreats back to its original angle when shifted into another gear.
Engine: Cadillac's Northstar system, combining five suspension and powertrain attributes together, includes two different V-8 powered 4.6-liter Northstar engines. The Northstar system works in concert with variable road-sensing, suspension, braking, and steering functions. Our STS edition included the more potent 300 horsepower engine. All SLS versions include 275 horsepower engines. All Cadillacs, with the exception of the German built, diminutive six-cylinder Catera, boast V-8 engines.
Standard equipment: Since Seville represents one of Cadillac's most prestigious vehicles, many quality features come standard. Air conditioning with dual climate controls; variable-asset power steering; cruise control; eight-way power front seats; power windows, doors and locks; heated power outside mirrors; rear window defogger; intermittent wipers; AM/FM/cassette and compact disc sound system and tinted glass come with the price of admission in both trim levels. Up level STS versions also include a power tilt and telescoping steering wheel; up level Bose sound system and rainsense wipers, which activate when moisture is sensed on the windshield. These items come optional in SLS versions.
Optional equipment: Power sunroofs, six-unit compact disc changer, massaging lumbar front seats, chrome alloy wheels digital compass integrated into the rearview mirror, heated front and rear seats and additional interior wood trim are options in both Seville trim levels.
Price: Our sable black, test-drive Seville STS included a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $48,050. With opulent options including massaging lumbar front seats ($200), interior wood-trim package ($595), chrome wheels ($795), six-unit compact disc changer ($500) and heated front seats ($632), the bottom line reached $51,692, including a $670 destination charge. Seville SLS models start at $43,355. Comparatively speaking, a well-equipped Lexus GS 400 sedan falls in the low $50,000 range while a BMW 5-Series tops the low $60,000 arena.
Interior: Polished wood trim surrounds the entire interior; starting from the rear passenger doors and continuing in a straight line through the dashboard center. The rearview mirror included the optional green digital compass lettering in the upper right corner informing the driver about the direction traveled. Both fuel and trunk release levers are conveniently located near the dashboard's underside left of the steering column, within easy reach of drivers. The multi-tiered instrument panel intermingles analog and digital functions. Both the left side circular analog speedometer and right side odometer features a black background with white dials. Green, digital speedometer and gearshift indicator readouts are also displayed between the two large analog readouts. Both large analog circles are flanked by two smaller ones; a fuel gauge on the right and temperature gauge stage left. A digital information center with outside temperature readings, range-to-empty data and other useful tidbits situates at the bottom of the instrument panel. If drives so desire, they can switch off all the white analog gauges so only the green digital readouts remain visible in the instrument panel. Dual cupholders retract forward from a storage bin located between front bucket seats. The flip-top bin, hinged in the back, houses a multi-unit compact disc magazine. Between the bin and lower dashboard sits the floor-mounted automatic transmission. Headlights operate via a dial found on the dashboard's far left reaches . Multi-speed windshield wipers monitor from a right-hand side steering column stalk. A second stalk operates the cruise control. The steering wheel also includes secondary temperature and radio controls enabling drivers to work these functions without hands ever leaving the steering wheel. The long narrow and long glove box includes a tissue dispenser on its inside flip-down door.
Seating comfort: Comfortable, luxurious leather seating adorns both Seville editions for an opulent feel. Optional adaptive front bucket seating, helpful for individuals who spend long stretches behind the wheel, automatically contorts to the driver's or passenger's shape through a network of 10 air cells found between the leather upholstery and foam in the seat and back rest cushions. Our Seville STS included the massaging lumbar drivers seat; an interesting concept that provides drivers with a rolling massage via the back rest while cruising at any speed. This feature turns on and off from the left side of the bucket seats near other power controls. It's a comforting option drivers can get comfortable with very quickly. It's not an option in SLS versions. Cadillac promotes Seville as a five-seater and three adults can ride in relative comfort in back. Generous head and legroom is found no matter where one sits. The rear back rest includes a pass-through window area for toting skis or other long items. Drivers enjoy good command of the road ahead and goings on in all directions thanks to minimal blind spots.
Exterior: Familiar exterior styling cues are unmistakingly Cadillac. The checkered front grille with centered, circular crest logo create a noted look. Front headlights wrap around to the sides. Chrome molding surround both driver and passenger side windows. Flush-mounted door handles combine with body-colored outside mirrors for a uniform appeal. Other nuances include thin roof pillars and large, squared off trunk. The square, locking fuel tank, positioned on the driver's side rear fender, includes a tethered cap. Sixteen-inch tires with cast aluminum, seven-spoke wheels add an imperial feel. Dimension wise, Midsize Seville measure smaller in size then Cadillac's largest sedan, the DeVille.
Dimensions: Wheelbase: 112.2 inches Overall length: 201 inches Overall height: 55.4 inches Overall width: 75 inches Weight: 4,001 pounds
Trunk: Seville's long, wide flat-floored trunk holds 14.4 cubic feet of space. This ranks ahead of the BMW 5 Series at 11,1 cubic feet, on par with the Lexus GS' 14.8 cubic feet, but behind Mercedes-Benz' redesigned S-Class' 17.7 cubic feet. A temporary spare tire stows in a well under the trunk floor.
Fuel economy: Seville's powerful V-8 engines register decent miles-per-gallon ratings. Fuel estimates of 17 miles per gallon in city traveling, and 26 m.p.g. highway. These figures rank better than the BMW 5 Series and the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Cadillac recommends unleaded premium fuel for Seville, although regular 87-octane can be utilized, but expect diminished performance and fuel economy.
Final thoughts: Seville's smooth ride, one of its finer points, is silky smooth thanks to automatically level control suspension and Cadillac's stabilitrak a system, integrated into the antilock brake and traction control system. Stabilitrak sensors, introduced in 1997, compares steering angles of where the driver wants the car to go with feedback from directional sensors of where the vehicle is actually traveling. The sensors merge the two together. While most luxury sports sedans, especially European and Asian imports, include rear-wheel drivetrains. Seville's front-wheel drive, however, is better suited for snow and ice during inclement weather months. Currently, all General Motors coupes and sedans feature front-wheel drive. Our STS test-drive edition is more tuned to higher-speed driving than the SLS' softer suspension. |