2009 Cadillac STS-V

Review

If you want a handsome, sporty, and luxurious large sedan at a bargain, get the 2009 Cadillac STS-V. The STS-V is priced well below most of its rivals in the super luxury large sedan class, but it offers comparable levels of power and luxury. In addition to a dazzling exterior design, the 2009 STS-V offers uncanny braking and handling for a large car. On the other hand, luxury enthusiasts may find the cabin of the Cadillac STS-V lacking in fit and finish compared to its German competitors. Read on for the results of our 2009 STS-V road test.

Improvements from the 2008 Cadillac STS-V

Cadillac has made no changes to the STS-V for the 2009 model year.

Performance

Although the performance of the Cadillac STS-V is far from class-leading, the sedan is indisputably thrilling to drive. Car reviews love the well-tuned suspension and capable 4.4-liter, 469-horsepower V8 engine of the STS-V. The handling of the 2009 STS-V is sharp and allows it to complete tight corners with ease. Braking is similarly superb, thanks to the Caddy’s potent Brembo brakes. The one complaint critics often have about the STS-V’s performance is the slight lag in the response of its six-speed automatic transmission, which is the only transmission available.

Exterior Features

Auto reviews point out that the 2009 Cadillac STS-V borrows heavily from the smaller CTS-V in its design. Fortunately, the resulting bold, aggressive look suits the STS-V well. As you can see in our photos of the sedan, the prominent bumper and imposing chrome grille of the Cadillac STS-V set it apart from the pack. Standard exterior equipment includes HID xenon headlights, 18-inch front wheels and 19-inch back wheels, a sunroof, keyless ignition/entry, rain-sensing wipers, and rear parking assist.

Interior Features

The number of luxury and high-tech features in the Cadillac STS-V will make your head spin. Overall, the STS-V’s cabin feels high-class, but Cadillac sells the sedan short by throwing in a few cheap-looking hard plastics. Although the STS-V can seat four adults in theory, the backseat is cramped for such a large sedan. Trunk space is also a tad on the small size for a full-size car. Standard interior equipment includes leather and faux suede upholstery, a heated steering wheel, eight-way power front seats, driver memory settings, satellite radio, a navigation system, dual-zone automatic climate control, heated rear seats, Bluetooth, and a 15-speaker Bose surround-sound stereo.

Safety and Specifications

In car insurance industry safety tests, the 2009 Cadillac STS sedan earned the top score of “Good” in front-impact crashes and the second-best rating of “Acceptable” in side-impact collisions. Standard car safety equipment on the 2009 STS-V includes traction control, full-length head-curtain airbags, front-seat side airbags, stability control, antilock brakes, a rearview camera, OnStar communications, and a lane-departure and blind-spot warning system. Keep in mind that although this vehicle scored well in the safety tests, this is still a very high-performance vehicle; it may be tough to find cheap car insurance. Nevertheless, we’ve summarized the specs of the 2009 STS-V below.

• Car pricing: $81,795 MSRP; $76,069 invoice
• Engine: supercharged 4.4-liter, 469-hp V8
• Transmission: six-speed automatic transmission with manual shift control
• Acceleration: 0-60 mph in 5.1 seconds

Upgrade Options

Because the standard STS-V comes with just about every feature imaginable, the only option available to buyers is to delete the sunroof.

How the New STS-V Compares to Other Large Super Luxury Sedans

The 2009 Cadillac STS-V is one of the lowest-priced vehicles in its class, but it is not one of the fastest or the most powerful. The 2009 STS-V achieves a city/highway fuel economy rating of 13/19 mpg. A list of the STS-V’s main competitors follows.

• Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG
• BMW M5
• Audi S6
• Jaguar XJR

New car guide information estimates the 2009 Cadillac STS-V’s Intellichoice 5 year cost of ownership at $100,027, which is a below-average value for the large luxury sedan segment. The 2009 STS received an excellent score of 9.0 out of 10 on the J.D. Power and Associates Quality Ratings for predicted reliability. No specific reliability information is available for the high-performance “V” model. The Cadillac STS-V comes with four-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, a five-year/100,000-mile transferable powertrain warranty, and courtesy transportation and roadside assistance for the duration of the warranty period.

Conclusion: Is the STS-V a Smart Buy?

The 2009 Cadillac STS-V is sporty, well-equipped, and thousands of dollars cheaper than its German rivals. Although the STS-V is not the quickest car in the large super luxury sedan market, it does offer one of the best values. The powerful supercharged V8 and incredibly crisp handling make the 2009 STS-V a pleasure to drive. Of course, Caddy only offers an automatic transmission on the STS-V, which true driving enthusiasts might find disappointing. But if you are considering any of Audi, Benz, or Bimmer’s mega sedans, you’d still be doing yourself a favor by putting the STS-V on your short list as well.