Test drive Cadillac STS 2004 - 2007 Sedan
Overseas values
For the time being, American cars were associated with hamburgers. Large, fleshy, soft but time and time came - there was an actually new era of automotive industry, with new values, which is not accepted to skill in the mass segment of the automotive industry.
It became fashionable to look fit, bold, angular. The Americans have seriously changed in appearance. Take the model range of Cadillac - what metamorphoses! The chopped SRX crossover, futuristic CTS (not without reason in the matrix starred), the fashionable coupe XLR. Well, the hero of our test is STS giant. All these are the fruits of the inspiration of designer Kip Vasenko, responsible for the style of modern models of the Great American brand. By the way, the renegade, the European BLS, is made in the same spirit. Despite the fact that STS debuted in early 2004, its appearance is quite relevant now. It is gratifying, however, that in the appearance of the new wave machine, the elements of the good old Caddy are preserved - a large, generously trimmed under the chrome of a false radiator grille, vertical stripes of the rear lights of Cadillac!
The brand managed to leave a heavy appearance in the past, but were there any typical American problems with controllability and mediocrity quality of the interior? Actually, to find out, we took the sedan for the test.
The keychain is made of fairly cheap hard plastic, there is a key, but with it it will not be possible to start the motor. He just helps to open the castle if suddenly the battery in the key fob will die. That is, the car is equipped with a non -clock access system. It works properly, it is convenient to use. The salon is monumental, this applies to size and design. By European standards, STS is not enough until the representative class. The length is almost 5 meters! The reserve overhead is exhaustive, in width too. I set up the front chair, pretty shifting it back, but I found more than enough space behind me. Well, what is not a top segment? However, according to the American table of ranks, this car is found in a business class. And in the Russian representative office of General Motors, they told that STS is an extra -class car. Say, not business, but not yet representative. I note between the fact that the STS does not reach European representative heights in terms of equipment.
If you run a hand over the panels, evaluating the quality of materials, it becomes clear how you were, and remained like that. America in all its glory! Widely used hard shiny plastic, the finish by an eucalyptus tree does not seem natural, monochrome displayers evoke longing.
True, the assembly quality is almost order. On the go, the salon does not groan, does not creak and does not tap. Yes, and noise insulation at a height. But here is a dangling handle of the automatic transmission selector and a cigarette lighter, pressing on which for some reason it automatically closes the ashtray, it is difficult to forgive an expensive car. It is stupid to drive a five -meter Cadillac with a sports attitude. It is stupid to expect from large, chubby comfortable seats of active lateral support. Planting in such a car should be imposingly, slowly. With feeling, really, arrangement. Ergonomics is intricate. It’s easy to get a job, but understanding the cunning menu using a small screen in the upper part of the central console and four small buttons - the task is not simple. And why did the Americans decide to push the function of changing the rigidity of shock absorbers there? Why, through this non-intuitive interface, I have to deal with the settings of the driver's seat (with electrical controls and memory) and tolerate the fact that every time I get out of the car, she helpfully leaves somewhere back, and when I sit back, he immediately offers me Once preserved other people's settings? There are familiar, time -tested solutions!
However, other large ergonomic miscalculations were not noticed, moreover, the machine allows you to remember the emission phrase and will each time bring it to a small display on the dashboard. For example, a certain medved rode here. STS wrote so every time: Rreved, medved! Another curious chip is the information projecting on the windshield. Without taking your eyes off the road, you can find out about the speed and speed of the engine, which radio is now playing or with which CD the chainer works. Cruise control settings are also displayed on the glass.
The 4.6-liter V8 Northstar comes to life after the system recognizes the owner. Pressing on an unusual plastic key to the right of the steering wheel on the central panel, a moment motor made from cast iron and aluminum wakes up. He has an American roar - especially when the car actively accelerates. Passers -by are turning around.
Northstar works in tandem with a five-stage automatic machine in European business class by European standards. However, the results shown by this tandem are very, very modern. The automatic transmission switches fast enough and smoothly. When using Kick-Down cheerfully and without jerking, jumps down. One thing is a little confused - stretched gear. However, this car is not for an aggressive driving style, and the moment of an almost five -liter engine is enough for the eyes to quickly accelerate from low revolutions. A manual switching mode is also provided. But it is unlikely that anyone will use it. It is much more interesting to experiment with active cruise control. Using the left steering wheel switch, you can set the speed of movement (operates at speeds up to 200 km/h) and the distance to the running car in front. Then it remains to keep the right course, and STS will stop and accelerate itself. True, if the car burns in some slow-gun, you will have to overtake it yourself. One thing is bad in this system - it relaxes. After 15-minute use, when I took the control again, all the time it seemed that now STS should slow down itself The suspension is equipped with the Magnetic Ride Control system. Each shock absorber is filled with magnetic-reiological fluid (with iron particles), which, under the influence of an electromagnetic field generated by magnetic coils, is capable of changing viscosity by signaling. This provides an almost instant change in the damping characteristics of shock absorbers. In other words, we have a type of active suspension.
STS has excellent smoothness. However, if you enter a pit into a hole with sharp edges, the suspension shows unexpected rigidity, and a rather sensitive blow is transmitted to the body. However, the pit should be serious. By the way, on most other cars, such a hitting would have even more tangible consequences. STS also bothers the driver, you can not particularly bother yourself by the detour of road flaws. If you convert the suspension into a sports regime, some composure appears, the reactions to the actions of the steering wheel will exacerbate. However, STS remains itself - a imposing American car. When you lead one, you immediately feel large size, mass and inertia. With sharp braking, the STS does not squat strongly the front wheels and loses the trajectory, which is upset, but not much. It does not work on a sense of unity with a car and an empty, non -resistant steering wheel. Information about the position of the front wheels has to be literally felt. In general, if you attribute yourself to drivers who sometimes like to squeeze out the most possible from the car, it is better to choose something of the much more driver and Japanese analogues.
Well, Cadillac STS will probably be highly appreciated by those who primarily prefer comfort and space. You drown in a soft chair, in front of a massive panel - you feel like behind a stone wall. By the way, in the dynamics of STS will not be lost to many European classmates, and some will easily surpass. And he also has an optional all -wheel drive (as on a test machine) with the distribution of the moment along the axes of 40/60 in favor of the rear.
In general, Cadillac STS is addressed to those who want more car for less money and for whom sports is so fashionable today is only an empty phrase.
Cadillac STS4 prices and configurations
The basic equipment with an engine of 3.6 liters (255 hp) will cost $ 66,590. It includes pillows of the driver and passenger, alloyable 16-inch wheels, cruise control, climate control, an audiorer with a CD player, 7 speakers, leather steering wheel, interior decoration of Black Piano inserts. The car is in the basic version, but with a 4.6 liter engine is sold for $ 75 360. A test car with a 4.6 liter engine and all -wheel drive ($ 82,410) was provided in the LUX configuration, which offers leather upholstery with wooden inserts Red Walnut , 2-zone climate control, driver and passenger seat with electro-regulations, Bose audio system with a CD changer, ESP, rain sensor, headlight washers, parking spaces, xenon headlights with washer, R17 discs.
Source: Motor magazine [November 2006]
