[Texas Jim]

Howdy all,

First, let it be known, I am not a writer (and don't even play one on tv) so don't kill me on my writing style, but I will do the best I can.

I just drove a 2007 DTS for 3 days while my '06 Performance Sedan was at the dealer. Put about 1300 miles on it. Had to make 2 little trips while I had it. One from Ft. Worth to S. Texas and one up north of here. Mostly on Interstate highways.

It was a Luxury 1 Gold Mist upgraded with a light Beige full Carriage Roof with Moon Roof. Very dark tinted windows. Gold Trim Package. 17 inch chrome wheels with Michelin tires. Ebony interior. Nav System with 8 speaker stereo. (NOT Bose) It had heated AND cooled seats, (cooled seats are nice in Texas in the summer) but did not have the massaging seats like the '06. The tilt wheel was manual and no telescope, unlike the power tilt / telescoping wheel of the '06. Steering wheel was covered in nice leather. On the '06, the steering wheel sides are leather and top and bottom are wood.

All in all a very nice car and in my opinion, a very nice looking car. (except that I don't like real dark interiors.)

First day I had it, I had to make a 600 mile trip. Darling wife went with me. She remarked that it had a smoother ride then our '06 Performance Sedan. (it did) The '07 had 31 psi in all tires. I keep 34 front and 32 rear in my '06 Performance model.

What "I" noticed was a lot softer / smoother ride and a little bit of float out on the highway with the '07. It was comfortable to drive and seemed to like about 80/85 MPH. It didn't feel to good at speeds much above that. It did not handle or hold the road NEAR as well as the Performance Sedans do but did have a nicer smoother ride. The '07 had less noise over the tar strips in the highway and less jar was transmitted to the interior. I attribute this to the different tires and softer suspension in the '07.

The radio was good (but not great.) It wasn't even close to the clear and clean sound the Bose has. To my old ears, (63) especially at higher volumne levels, it had kind of a muffled / muddy sound to it. The Bose unit has a lot clearer / cleaner sound to me. But in defense of the standard 8 speaker system, I used to be kinda an audiophile in my younger days so I am critical of sound quality. High powered amps, low THD, multiple BIG speakers with 20hz to 20,000+ hz, etc etc. Hmmm .... maybe thats why I can't hear too good now. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

The handling was competant enough, but not up to the standard of the Performance Models. You could push it a little hard in a corner and it would DO it and not complain, but you could tell it didn't really like it. On the Performance model, if you push IT, is seems like it is asking you, "Is that all you are going to do?" "Come on ... let's PLAY." (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Considering that probably 95 percent of buyers of the Luxury model of the 2007 DTS have no desire to go fast or corner hard, it is a VERY VERY good automobile. Very smooth, quite and comfortable, just as a Cadillac should be. But for the other 5 percent, that want a nice luxury automobile but with a tad more capability, there is the Performance Model.

One advantage the Luxury models have over the Performance models, is FUEL MILEAGE. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) On the '07, on the highway it averaged 24 to 25 over several tanks of fuel, driving about like I usually do. I reset the DIC at each fillup. On the '06 I get around 20/21. (if I am not in a big hurry) Percentage wise, that is a pretty big difference. Better than 20%. (I think) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Don't know much about math but if I figured right, for every 100 bucks you would spend on gas in the regular model, you would spend 120 in the Performance model. Or something like that. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

In summary, I am glad I have the Performance model. I will take better handling over a little better ride any day. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) My '06 seems to be a lot more PLANTED and SOLID on the road than the '07. With the '06 Performance Sedan, you can DRIVE it down the road. With the standard '07, it seems like you are just along for the ride. Which I will say, by the way, is a very very GOOD ride. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Bruce from Caddy...]

Nice, thoughtful review, and well written. I am interested in this type of comparison between two largely similar models of the Cadillac DTS, but sensitive to the suspension and powertrain differences between the two option sets. Thanks for posting.

[Texas Jim]

Nice, thoughtful review, and well written. I am interested in this type of comparison between two largely similar models of the Cadillac DTS, but sensitive to the suspension and powertrain differences between the two option sets. Thanks for posting.

Just another quick note of the powertrain differences. The '06 Performance Sedan pulls stronger at any RPM level than the '07 Luxury Model.

I am not saying the '07 didn't run well, it did. Just that the '06 runs a good bit better. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) The 06' Performance Sedan has a lot more SNAP and RESPONSE to it when you gas it. From a dead stop, at 30, at 60 .... at any speed. The trade off, and it is a fairly small one, is in the ride comfort and fuel mileage.

[Va Maddog]

The biggest factor in fuel mileage between the two is most likely caused by the taller axle ratio in the 07. That really impacts engine revs at hwy speed and is worth at least 2-4 mpg in these cars. Same difference between the older STS and SLS. Nearly identical engine and weight, different axle ratio. An SLS will routinely get 2-4 mpg better than an STS driven in the same manner.

This post has been edited by Va Maddog: Jul 30 2007, 08:10 PM