The most advanced Caddy ever? The Cadillac XTS retains iconic ride and comfort

adillac is a luxury brand in transition,
The Cadillac XTS advances the brand’s
now familiar “art and science” design
language, a look that offers sharp and
distinctive styling and sweeping bodylines.
The XTS is 5 inches shorter than the DTS
and comes in at just under 4,000 pounds or
about the same weight as its predecessor.

Under the hood, Cadillac’s proven 3.6- liter direct injection V- 6 engine makes 300 horsepower and is paired with an all-new 6-speed automatic transmission. This is the lone power plant offering for the XTS, a robust yet fuel-efficient engine that enables this sedan to get 28 mpg on the highway.

Inside, the cabin reflects Cadillac’s signature luxury including supportive leather bucket seats in the front and three-place bench leather seating in the rear. Six different color-wood trim combinations are available with brightwork accents offering an elegant contrast.

Behind the leather-wrapped steering wheel is a brightly lit and customizable

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instrument panel that offers four themes. For example, the digital screen can be changed from a standard three-analog display to a digitized layout with large, colorful icons.

Look to the center stack and Cadillac enthusiasts will see an unfamiliar but welcome new look, one that is greatly enhanced in the XTS Platinum, the top of the two trim levels this sedan offers. That stack offers CUE – Cadillac User Experience – a highly customizable user interface that brings this model’s many technological features to an 8-inch touchscreen. Cadillac calls CUE its next level of infotainment, a natural voice recognition system that features an intuitive interface with touch sensitive technology, offering similar ease of use as found with today’s tablet devices.

CUE enables the driver to access a host of standard and customizable features including Pandora radio, traffic directions, weather reports and map out routes to your most traveled destinations, including your place of employment or a friend’s house. Up to 10 electronic devices can be connected to CUE; a hidden storage compartment with a USB port is found underneath the screen.

Cadillac says that the XTS is its most
spacious sedan, providing interior room
that compares favorably to full-size
sedans, most notably in the rear seating
section. The XTS offers 4 more inches of
legroom than the Mercedes-Benz E-Class
and BMW 5 Series and 2 inches more than
the Audi A6. Its 18-cubic-foot trunk is
designed to hold at least five large suitcases
and offers more room than any of its
German competitors.