The DTS was a big cruiser of a car, the kind that gobbles up highway miles. However, its dated platform really didn’t like handling the curves. Its big back seat and trunk made it a good livery car for the few operators who didn’t buy Lincoln Town Cars. At first look, the spacious XTS seems to be just as accommodating. The well-shaped front seats are a far cry from those less-supportive perches that made the DTS a rolling couch.
Meanwhile, the STS was a smaller rear-wheel-drive sedan with a cramped cabin but enjoyable road manners. Like the smaller CTS, the STS had responsive handling and a taut ride. Cadillac is stressing that the XTS emphasizes both handling and ride. Since the XTS is based on the same front-wheel-drive platform as the Buick LaCrosse, a big sedan that handles well in its top-trim form, we expect a decent driving experience.
But the XTS brings other improvements. Visibility is better than the LaCrosse—not a major accomplishment. Interior detailing goes several steps beyond what the STS and DTS offered. We’ll see if the CUE dashboard design, which eliminates most buttons and knobs for touch-sensitive screens that you can drag and swipe, makes us yearn for the comparatively simple controls of the older cars.
The XTS occupies a fairly unique space in the market. Almost all of the large sedan competitors from the Germans and Japanese are rear-wheel-drive cars on distinct platforms. With the demise of the Town Car, Lincoln is left with the relatively cramped MKS as their large sedan. Less-pricey and mostly less-prestigious large sedans like the Hyundai Azera and Toyota Avalon could be logical alternatives.
Read More: http://news.consumerreports.org/cars/2012/01/2012-detroit-auto-show-video-2013-cadillac-xts.html
Chicago Cadillac Dealers
