Seville STS Vs. STS

[95SevilleSLS]

I've got an 02 Seville STS and since cadillac doesn't make them anymore I will probably upgrade to an 05 STS later on. My question is: Do they ride pretty close to the same or is the 05 sts a little sportier? If it isn't as smooth a ride, I'm probably going to go for a DTS.

[GreenMachine]

DTS is on the same platform as your 02 Seville so the ride and performance will be close.

The 05 STS will certainly be more sporty, its also RWD, the V8 version will give you 0-60 times a full 1-2 seconds quicker than your FWD seville.

DTS would be as near a direct replacement as you can get, while the STS would be a new animal. I'd get a test drive under your belt, it will offer a smooth ride, just a bit more response and feedback from the road.

[JasonA]

The 05 STS will certainly be more sporty, its also RWD, the V8 version will give you 0-60 times a full 1-2 seconds quicker than your FWD seville.

I agree that the 05+ V8 STS might be a little quicker than a FWD STS, but over a second would be pushing it. The 98-04 STS did 0-60 in about 6.5 seconds, give or take. The 05+ V8 STS might be as quick as 5.5 seconds, but I've seen times closer to 5.8 or 6.0. Probably enough to notice, but not "walking away" quicker.

[GreenMachine]

True but you could also argue that the FWD sevilles sometimes were closer to seven seconds than 6

Test drive is the key here, thats why they have so many on the lot, try em out and see what fits you.

[95SevilleSLS]

thanks for replying! I'll give them a whirl. Just the other day with a temp of -10 F, I went 0-60 in 7.5 seconds. I have never done it before so I didn't really know how to do it. The STS-V goes 0-60 in 5.1 seconds with 469 hp so the regular sts with 320 hp would probably be a little over 6 I would say, but I don't know because I have never tried it before!

[JasonA]

I would try to get a measurement with a G-tech or other "semi accurate" device. I clocked my '97 SLS at 6.7 seconds with the G-tech. I have gathered acceleration data for most Northstar Cadillacs, and the '98+ STS cars do it anywhere from 6.4 seconds to 6.8 seconds. I would say your 7.5 seconds is due to stopwatch error -- I bet it's really faster than that.

This site:

http://www.exoticcarsite.com/0-60-quarter-mile-times.htm

Lists the 0-60 and 1/4 mile time for a 2001 STS as 6.5 and 14.8 respectively.

They also list the 0-60 and 1/4 mile time for a 2005 STS as 6.0 and 14.6 seconds (from Car & Driver). Both times for both cars (the '01 and the '05) is pretty consistent with what I've seen before. I think that in general, a 2005 will be "faster" than a 2001, but not by much, and depending a lot on local variables (state of tune, tires, launch, etc).

I think the biggest difference you'd see is the "feel" of the car. My parents drove a 2005 STS when they were looking for cars a while ago and said it rode so hard, they couldn't stand it. They said my brother's '99 Corvette rides better. Not having driven one myself, I can't say, but agree that as the trend is becoming more "European" in feel, the ride will continue to stiffen.

[Terminus]

I just picked up an 05 STS4 Saturday, and drove it ~1400 miles home, and yes, it's a different car than an 02 STS(my inlaws have one).

It does feel alot more "euro" than previous Caddys, but I dont find the ride to be harsh at all. Mine has the mag ride control (and it may be standard equipment, I dunno), so the suspension is adjustable between the "Touring" and "Sport" settings, which I absolutely love!!

As far as being faster, it's tough to tell....dont get me wrong, I'm sure the 05 IS faster, but my butt dyno doesnt measure much of a difference from a stop light. On the highway, however, all you have to do is think about passing another car, and the job is done.

So like the others have already said, it's going to depend on your preferences. Drive it, see if you like it.

[JohnnyG]

What is an STS4 ?

[Bruce Nunnally]

STS4=an all-wheel drive model

[JohnnyG]

I think that explains a lot of the handling differences right there.

[95SevilleSLS]

I just picked up an 05 STS4 Saturday, and drove it ~1400 miles home, and yes, it's a different car than an 02 STS(my inlaws have one).

It does feel alot more "euro" than previous Caddys, but I dont find the ride to be harsh at all. Mine has the mag ride control (and it may be standard equipment, I dunno), so the suspension is adjustable between the "Touring" and "Sport" settings, which I absolutely love!!

As far as being faster, it's tough to tell....dont get me wrong, I'm sure the 05 IS faster, but my butt dyno doesnt measure much of a difference from a stop light. On the highway, however, all you have to do is think about passing another car, and the job is done.

So like the others have already said, it's going to depend on your preferences. Drive it, see if you like it.

You can change the suspension?? How do you do that?

[Terminus]

I haven't got it totally figured out yet, because there's a prompt in the setup/personalization feature that I cant get to work, BUT, if you move the shift lever to the right (to the +/- gate), it goes to sport mode, indicated by an "S"on the DIC readout.

Again, I'm not entirely sure all STSs have the feature standard, as mine has the Sport package option. Sorry, I dont know the option code for it either.......I've got more research to do!!

But the wife agrees, in the default Touring mode, it still drives like a Cadillac should.

[tjtjwdad]

thanks for replying! I'll give them a whirl. Just the other day with a temp of -10 F, I went 0-60 in 7.5 seconds. I have never done it before so I didn't really know how to do it. The STS-V goes 0-60 in 5.1 seconds with 469 hp so the regular sts with 320 hp would probably be a little over 6 I would say, but I don't know because I have never tried it before!

I'd be really surprised if your STS wasn't a tad faster than that. They're OK on take off but when they're wound up ....

[Texas Jim]

It does feel alot more "euro" than previous Caddys, but I dont find the ride to be harsh at all. Mine has the mag ride control (and it may be standard equipment, I dunno), so the suspension is adjustable between the "Touring" and "Sport" settings, which I absolutely love!!

On the highway, however, all you have to do is think about passing another car, and the job is done.

So like the others have already said, it's going to depend on your preferences. Drive it, see if you like it.

My '06 DTS has the Magnetic Ride also. It handles good, but not as well as the first one I had. I can find no way to change it from TOURING to SPORT mode. Probably not available on the DTS.

I agree about passing on the highway. Totally effortless. Ease into the other lane ... think "I want to be in front" and it's done. You do have to be careful if you get on it while passing.. you will be going WAY over the legal limit by the time you get around. At about 60 when starting the pass, if you floor it and hold it, it will drop all the way back to 2nd gear and accelerate briskly. You will be pushing 90 /100 as you clear him and start pulling back into the right lane.

I love my Cadillac. It does what you want so easy and never seems to be straining. Like the old NIKE commercials ........ It just "DOES IT."

[Peter1972]

I've got an 02 Seville STS and since cadillac doesn't make them anymore I will probably upgrade to an 05 STS later on. My question is: Do they ride pretty close to the same or is the 05 sts a little sportier? If it isn't as smooth a ride, I'm probably going to go for a DTS.

I also bought an 01 STS and I love the car and I started thinking about the future and buying a late model STS I looked at one and I think ours are a much nicer car the new ones are too small and cramped I think. I don't think I would purchase that new platform.

[abad95]

I don't know about 98+ STS's being faster than the '05 but I know my '95 will put it to shame.

The only upgrade I have is the exhaust and K&N filter.

Florin

[Bruce Nunnally]

Not much difference in size between the 01 FWD STS and the 05+ RWD STS:

2001 STS:

Exterior Length 201.0 " exterior length

Exterior Width 75.0 " exterior body width

Wheelbase 112 " wheelbase

Front Tread 63 " front tread

Rear Tread 62 " rear tread

Turning Radius 21.3 ' turning radius

Drag Coefficient .31 drag coefficient

Front Legroom 42.5 " front legroom

Rear Legroom 38.2 " rear legroom

Front Headroom 38.2 " front headroom

Rear Headroom 38.0 " rear headroom

Front Hiproom 55.6 " front hiproom

Rear Hiproom 57.5 " rear hiproom

Front Shoulder Room 59.1 " front shoulder room

Rear Shoulder Room 58.0 " rear shoulder room

Passenger Volume 104 cu.ft. passenger volume

Interior Cargo Volume 15.7 cu.ft. interior cargo volume

2005+ STS:

Exterior length 196.3"

Exterior body width 72.6"

Exterior height 57.6"

Wheelbase 116.4"

Front tread 61.8"

Rear tread 62.3"

Turning radius 18.8'

Front legroom 42.6"

Rear legroom 38.3"

Front headroom 38.7"

Rear headroom 37.9"

Front hiproom 54.6"

Rear hiproom 55.6"

Front shoulder room 58.6"

Rear shoulder room 57.4"

Passenger volume 102.9 cu.ft.

Interior cargo volume 13.8 cu.ft.

Maximum interior cargo volume 13.8 cu.ft.

The Sigma platform that the 05+ uses is a more capable, better handling platform than the older model, but smoothness is something you will want to test drive and decide for yourself.

[Peter1972]

Not much difference in size between the 01 FWD STS and the 05+ RWD STS:

2001 STS:

Exterior Length 201.0 " exterior length

Exterior Width 75.0 " exterior body width

Wheelbase 112 " wheelbase

Front Tread 63 " front tread

Rear Tread 62 " rear tread

Turning Radius 21.3 ' turning radius

Drag Coefficient .31 drag coefficient

Front Legroom 42.5 " front legroom

Rear Legroom 38.2 " rear legroom

Front Headroom 38.2 " front headroom

Rear Headroom 38.0 " rear headroom

Front Hiproom 55.6 " front hiproom

Rear Hiproom 57.5 " rear hiproom

Front Shoulder Room 59.1 " front shoulder room

Rear Shoulder Room 58.0 " rear shoulder room

Passenger Volume 104 cu.ft. passenger volume

Interior Cargo Volume 15.7 cu.ft. interior cargo volume

2005+ STS:

Exterior length 196.3"

Exterior body width 72.6"

Exterior height 57.6"

Wheelbase 116.4"

Front tread 61.8"

Rear tread 62.3"

Turning radius 18.8'

Front legroom 42.6"

Rear legroom 38.3"

Front headroom 38.7"

Rear headroom 37.9"

Front hiproom 54.6"

Rear hiproom 55.6"

Front shoulder room 58.6"

Rear shoulder room 57.4"

Passenger volume 102.9 cu.ft.

Interior cargo volume 13.8 cu.ft.

Maximum interior cargo volume 13.8 cu.ft.

The Sigma platform that the 05+ uses is a more capable, better handling platform than the older model, but smoothness is something you will want to test drive and decide for yourself.

Yes you might be right I made my comment about being a little cramped from just quick sit in at a local used car dealer the car was a 06 STS it did seem a little cramped but I will take one for a test drive when the time comes. I'm just a big fan of the our STS's body style thats all. I love the big money STS model. 490 horses thats what I'm talking about I think when I can find one that gets down around 35-40k from the 80k sticker I'm IN.