In the first new iteration of our new sub-series "One Take," Matt does a full car review of the chock-full-o-technology Cadillac XTS in exactly one take.
My father recently bought one of these. He is 84 Years old. After 20 minutes with a salesperson, he was able to use the CUE system quite well. I have driven this car and it is a great car. Your assumption that if an American manufacturer made a car of equal quality and price, they could sell it on an even footing with a European manufacturer is flawed. People will always place a certain value on the prestige of European nameplate. Thta will draw more money for an equal car. My wife and I have owned two Mercedes, three BMWs and one Lexus. When it come to reliability they were all sold as superior car but ended up being disappointing. They had more down time than my father's Cadillacs and there cost of service and repair have been astronomical. My next car will be a Cadillac.
sorry, I have to disagree. the BMW screen system was much harder to figure out. I had the XTS cue system figured out in a day. the XTS drives like no other. its not a BMW , but then again, its not supposed to be. The BMW is a car drivers car. if you like handling and driving fast, the BMW is the only way to go. but for comfort , and just enough handling to make it a nice balance , you cant beat this car. it blows away the Mercedes ride by a long shot. the XTS interior leather is much softer, whereas the BMW leather feels like hard plastic. very uncomfortable. and you have to pay a premium price to get a good sound system with the BMW, where the XTS has a standard Bose system that is awesome. If the biggest complaint is learning the cue system, then its just nit picking. every car has touch screen features , so one has to learn it in every car regardless. the cue system is what actually brought me back to buy another one.
After reading many of the comments below, I'm glad to know I wasn't the only one who thought this was a horrible and biased review. The "reviewer" bitches about features he either couldn't comprehend or couldn't be bothered to understand like the dash display. He never mentioned that (a) the instrument display shown in his test car ONLY comes on Premium and Platinum models (standard and luxury models have a more traditional analog display) and (b), the beauty of the electronic display he ragged about is that it can be configured to alternate displays with some being very basic and others being more performance and information oriented. Complaining about the headliner...? Maybe you should stick to driving your pickup Jethro. There is a reason Cadillac does not market their cars to this type of crass individual. Not every luxury car buyer wants a RWD Audi or Mercedes type car that is Autobahn ready and transfers every bump in the road to the backside of the cars passengers. Some people are more refined and can appreciate an authentic luxury car ride, and in fact it's why I bought my 2013 XTS Premium. It's a great car. Matt, If you don't like a car, don't bash the hell of out it in one of your weak videos, just don't buy. You probably can't afford it anyway.
+Ken Brockington I have a XTS premium as well.....and everything you say is true....plus cue is easy to use, unless your a complete idiot, its very intuitive....the ride is incredible and honestly you cant tell it front wheel drive...owned a BMW now that was a piece of shit...the dash display is like a fine piece of artwork, so you cant expect much coming from the reviewer..and other reviewers love the car..i say consider the source, and proudly drive your Cadillac!
+Ken Brockington just traded in my 2013 for a new one last week. love the ride, love the cue system, love the design. compliment everywhere i drive. everyone i know with a BMW complains about the maintenance , and the constant repairs.
+Chris G Did they buy a brand new BMW, like how you have a BRAND NEW Caddy??? Because I have a BRAND new /M235i. Guess what, the ONLY maintenance im required to handle on the car is tires. They replace my brakes, cover my oil changes and ANYTHING else. For 4 years or 40,000 miles!!! The Caddy is a nice car. Its simply not as nice as BMW and Mercedes!!! Audi doesn't make the cut either these days. Also a ///M car is the harder riding cars from BMW. Same with the AMG of Mercedes. Go ride on a 5 series, or a 5 series or a 7 series. The ones optioned out for luxury best ride. Ride in one of those, then go ride in your Caddy. Even from the passenger seat it's gonna be WAY better. Then, once you crawl behind the drivers seat, you will see why they are leagues ahead. The are just such a solid, quality feeling piece of kit!!! The Caddy feels like lots of good parts put together. The Merc and BMW feel like ONE solid very high quality chunk, and the car is carved out from it. Everything feels like it was meant to work with each other. I love new Caddys, I just think people who say they are BETTER then the German rivals..... Well it's because those people already own the car. Now they are trying to defend it, so they don't feel like they made a bad purchase. Again, it's a VERY good car, it's just not GREAT like the rivals.
I love the 5 series. There is not a car on the planet that drives like a BMW..but we let's face it, we are comparing apples and oranges here. Dollar for dollar , the caddy is the best ride you'll get for the money. But performance wise, you cant compare to a BMW. Another difference is repair costs. Every car maker in the world will give you warranties . But when the warranties expire, the repair costs for the BMW, compared to the caddy are light years apart. An oil change on a BMW is like a grocery bill. While on the caddy , it's 29.99. You basically need to mortgage your house to keep up with repairs once the car gets dated. But don't get me wrong, I drove the 5 series before I bought my XTS, and I fell in love with driving it. The only thing that made me pass on it , was it was a little tight inside for a family car, and the 7 series is above my pay grade. However I still love my Cadillac ride. Like I said , Apple and oranges. Can't compare the 2. One is luxury , one is performance. I just prefer the luxury is all..
First and ONLY review I will watch on this channel. He doesn't like it, I get it, but wowowow. He's trying to be 'real' and comes across just like a jerk with a bone to pick against Caddy. Sounds very uninformed about Caddy, their position, and where they're building too. Undercut the Germans, of course! You're comparing expectations of a $50k car against a $90+k car, and mentioning a place to put your gun or your weed? Geez man, some of us evolved past our frat days.
+Jon Patrick You are absolutely right! When are we going to quit comparing a $ 50,000 car to an $ 80000 plus car and say it isn't as good? How stupid people are. All these idiot car ghuru's should be fired! I am with you on this!
My equus crushed all them! So I understand what he’s saying. Not only was the car cheaper and the things they had in there were better and didn’t feel So cheap. Nobody love caddy more than me. But when I get in the Genesis or Equus i know for a fact I’ll never have a problem with the material and reliability of the car.
I like how unbiased Matt is in his views and opinions, and also his spontaneous reactions to stuff happening during the shoot. Thanks for the great review! Keep 'em coming!
I'm glad that there still are reviewers that actually call out flaws in cars. I'm so tired of hearing how perfect every car is. That's bullshit. All cars have something wrong with it. Thanks Matt. Great job! Keep it up!
Everyone's complaining, Matt. I'd have to agree. You totally didn't do this car a solid and made everything seem like it was beyond you instead of reviewing the damn car. I don't see how you were tempted to buy a fwd, v8, 70's cadillac from "1000 dollar cars" and just totally bitched about the XTS. Yes it's mundane, yes it has a bunch of features, yes it does a lot of bullshit (prompt dismissing is absolute bullshit and I agree with not having a "FunNazi" policing your every move) but the reality is complaining about the headliner is a fucking JOKE! That's like complaining about the tires not having a cool tread design. You don't touch the fucking headliner when you get in a car. The only place where I DO agree with you is that they can do better. But that would completely defeat the American car moto which is BANG FOR BUCK!! You save SO MUCH MONEY that you can literally go to interior shops and the like and still save thousands.
Remember, Matt drives a F 150. He cant afford a new Cadillac. Its just a review. There are thousands of reviews out there. Take it with a grain of salt
I was thinking the same thing the whole time as well. I have a review of an xts I had as a loaner for 3 weeks and its a great car. And people need to shut the fuck up about cue it is not hard to use if you have some basic understanding of technology it seems as though everyone who reviews cue was born in the Stone Age.
***** The problem is that people expect perfection on the first try. The world doesn't work that way which is why creatures evolve.. just like computers, operating systems, technology. It's an evolutionary process and people need to stop expecting perfection on the first try.
nezerac In my opinion I-drive was shit, is shit and will always be shit. I have the knob in my Acura for the navigation and I would much rather have a touch screen when imputing directions into the gps. All the manufacturers now are trying to copy I-drive which is the worst infotainment platform to try to copy in my opinion. I have owned a CL Mercedes which is a coupe s-class and it had it's many flaws to, I just think so many reviews have become so bias of German vs. American cars from the many preconceived notions they have developed from years of cheapened sub-par luxury and performance coming out of Detroit they have forgotten the fundamentals that make a car great and only focus on the negatives.
No, 419 was the address of our office building on Park Avenue in NYC. Ironically, two floors up from us was high times, and something tells me it wasn't a coincidence for them.
Test drove the XTS and it's solid all-around. The CUE system is excellent; just takes a few days to get used to it. I prefer it over the BMW iDrive that was in my 335i. Probably will look for a used XTS; really liked how smooth this car feels.
I am glad that someone actually understand the annoyance of these reviews talking about feel, touch, and nothing of price to unreliability. If I am spending $60K or more I don't want the thing is a shop all the time.
Very good review of the Caddy XTS - I agree US car manufacturers should stop undercutting the competition by price but like you said - make a better car and if the price is more expensive so be it - that's the price of having a premium product.
The XTS is not trying to be a 7-Series or S-Class for cheap. It was not built to be a supposed bargain. It was built to be competitive with buyers in its price target market... I would take this over a regular 5-Series, they're the same price both new.
Why would you take this over a 550i??? This car having 400hp, that is the EXACT car it would compete with!!! Even though this is longer then the 5 series which would give it the "edge" on luxury room. What about this is better though considering they are the same price.....
my truck has fully enabled voice commands as well. With the exception of inputing a destination on the Nav or making a phone call, it's more trouble than its worth, and not speficic to that system. I just don't always want to speak my commands, I want to be able to easily change basic stuff like the radio station and volume with simple, reliable controls.
If it's so well planned how come it takes like 30 seconds to turn down the volume using the touch controls? Voice controls are good for certain things, entering a destination or searching for a song on your iPod, but I don't know anyone who uses voice controls for everything. Plus, good voice commands aren't an excuse for bad interface. My F150 has great voice commands but the buttons are also well thought out and easy to use.
I love mine I got the 2016 version it's quiet. The handling is amazing it's very comfortable it's automatic and has paddle shifters and has sport mode it will skat and it definitely floats like a magic carpet 0-60mph in 5 and a half seconds and that's just stock. It's sound proof so you don't hear anything outside the vehicle while driving the vehicle. Very cold AC and heated seats in the front and back seats heated steering wheel Bluetooth Pandora OnStar and much more. If you do decide to buy one after a test drive you won't regret it. Also if you get a aftermarket k&N intake installed with a throttle body spacer lighter wheels with a straight pipe exhaust added and a tune it's even better and much quicker 160 top speed. Also I get compliments all the time. Mine is AWD. Y'all just need to stop telling the whole world about the hidden compartments let them find that out on their own. So the nosey police don't know about it. It's a sporty luxury Cadillac XTS with the power and it's got the looks baby I love it. People try to race me all the time and they sleep on it until they're in my rear view lol 🤣 it's not a drag car so you won't beat a hellcat unless you tune up but I enjoy it everytime I'm in it and so will you. Best smooth handling sporty driving car I've owned. Even compared to most Mercedes I drove✌️. Cadillac definitely did it's damn thing on these Caddies nowadays.
I got 38.5 When I drove from Mexico to the Oregon border on a single tank of diesel fuel. It took using the cruise control the entire way, but it's absolutely possible.
@TheSmokingTire"I don't want it to be cheaper, I want it to be better" Well said, that sums it all up. Unfotunately this is the way is always been for Cadillac Sub-premium not Premium quality.
Because the XTS represents Cadillac's full-size flagship sedan that's now replaced the Deville. Cadillac is America's premiere luxury brand, & they're not really on par with what the Germans make. & as an American I hate that, I wish we were the best made stuff out there but we're just not. I agree with Matt when he said Cadillac should get more bold, & make a true $120,000 luxury flagship car that legitimately competes with the LS600, S-Class, 7 series, and the A8. The XTS is America's new full-size flagship luxury sedan & it just falls short in some many ways.
Hey matt I got this from the Cadillac website about the new 2014 XTS available 3.6L 410 HP Twin Turbo direct-injection V6 engine that delivers a new level of invigorating performance with optimal efficiency.
we are still doing segments for "attack of the show," a show on a cable network here called G4. You can't watch them on TV, as far as I know, but the segments we make are uploaded online and I post them on The Smoking Tire web site.
There are quite a few systems that use voice commands, my SYNC system in my Raptor among them. The truth is though, that in instances where the consoles are well configured there are very few occasions where I actually need to use them. I use voice commands for programming navigation and making phone calls, but that's about it. For radio/MP3/info functions, I always use the buttons, and I find that in my informal polls, most people do the same. Simple things like volume shouldn't need voice.
Maybe it's just me but it seems like all you did was bash the Cadillac.....where does RWD automatically communicate luxury? Audi is front and AWD and it's luxury? Also the Hyundai Genesis and Chrysler 300 are RWD but do you really think people consider them luxury cars? The 300 is premium in my book but not really luxury and hasn't been in over twenty years. Everyone DOES NOT want a RWD car? Especially for those in the snow belt and we necessarily don't won't the weight or expense of AWD either? I would have enjoyed the review a little more if you didnt bitch and complain so much....."Yes it is your grandfathers Cadillac" PLEASE!!!
my 300 has "real" leather wrapped dash, center console, and doors. leather, and suede seats. real carbon fiber, and aluminum. way more luxury than this caddy will ever be..
just got back from looking at a xts. everything from the pleather dash, plastic paddle shifters, star track touch sensitive center console seems cheap to me.... imo my 300 srt8 seem more solid, and have a classier interior design.
Whether you looked at it or not Chrysler has a poor reputation for quality..my boy has the Sebring n been nothing but problems n he bought it brand new
I had a rental xts while my cts was in the shop for 2 weeks and this car is great. The cue system that everyone bitches about probably took me an hour to master it and it became very simple to use. I just think the review sucked.
I'm "Acting as if its the same price of an E class, which it's obviously not." This is actually true. The E350 Bluetec with Sport and Technology package that I gave the "TST Car of the Year" Award to last year had an as-tested price of $57,200, which is $2,000 less than the as-tested price of the XTS in this video.
Hey Matt, Met you at the lemons race. I was the "can I be a douche and get a picture guy" I noticed in this video that you were literally 5 houses away from my place. I live off of waterview right there. You would have never known a caged 400hp e30 lives on the street you were filming at!! hahaha. Wish I would have seen you guys shooting! I would love to check out a shoot like this. Anyways, Keep it up bud. Hope I get to see you again in the future. -Andrew
And as the reviewer said....ITS A RENTAL CAR.... not domething you wanna own.... Great going Cadillac.... Had a world class car on your hands and as usual you killed it...wonderful
Obvisouly haven't drove a Mercedes recently. I have and it was all plastic. This video seems to be just a bashing video more then a review. Maybe instead of bitching about all the faults you should compare to something better with facts.
I think the CTS-V won against the German competitors when it came out in 2009, but has fallen behind since. It may be an excellent performer, but its interior is lacking here at the end of 2012. The Lincoln MKS and Genesis both offer as much equipment, better driving dynamics, more power, and for less money.
I don't know about Jonny's test car, I had premium not Platinum, but if the new CTS is going after E and 5, Where does that leave this car? The old folks I know now drive BMW's and Merc's, and would probably be open to a Cadillac, if only the Cadillac actually measured up to the quality they get (and can afford) when buying a full size luxury sedan.
A good and honest review consumer reports said that for its price range they believe it should have a 7 speed just cause of price some people should review cars
I recently sat in the XTS with a two tone interior and I thought it was very nice. I see your point and I also see the point of this video. Most ppl who buy German cars are not primarily concerned with reliability. German cars do have a better feeling of quality evidenced by the materials down to the solidity of how the doors close. The extensive attention to detail is a major selling point to people who like quality.
Good work matt, best one of your videos i've seen so far, i think your doing a great job and you know your stuff about cars, don't care about the haters saying stuff and just keep on making excellent videos like you do right now :)
Everyone download their most recent podcast. It is AMAZING! These guys are great at what they do and deserve to be supported to the fullest. Thank you Matt, Zack, Thad, Tom etc for the great work. Cheers... PS: buy a Smoking Tire t-shirt people!
Really like this format......you pretty much tell it like it is when you're describing the interior. The HVAC/media interface is enough to put me off on this car. At any rate- really like your stuff Matt, keep it coming :-)
I've seen three of these and god do they look so good. Cadillac is stepping it up with design and build quality if you ask me. Just look at the 2014 CTS - recently revealed - that looks good too. :D
The Premium level car, which we tested, had a crap headliner. The Platinum might be better, but I didn't test that car. I know you can get all Audi's in FWD, but I've never driven one, nor do I know a single person who has ever bought an Audi that didn't have Quattro. I don't know why anyone would; it would probably suck and I would trash it in a review. And I don't subscribe to Motor Trend because I don't listen to reviews from people who sell ads to manufacturers.
My father recently bought one of these. He is 84 Years old. After 20 minutes with a salesperson, he was able to use the CUE system quite well. I have driven this car and it is a great car.
Your assumption that if an American manufacturer made a car of equal quality and price, they could sell it on an even footing with a European manufacturer is flawed. People will always place a certain value on the prestige of European nameplate. Thta will draw more money for an equal car.
My wife and I have owned two Mercedes, three BMWs and one Lexus. When it come to reliability they were all sold as superior car but ended up being disappointing. They had more down time than my father's Cadillacs and there cost of service and repair have been astronomical.
My next car will be a Cadillac.
K Webb does it ride like the old school ones ?
sorry, I have to disagree. the BMW screen system was much harder to figure out. I had the XTS cue system figured out in a day. the XTS drives like no other. its not a BMW , but then again, its not supposed to be. The BMW is a car drivers car. if you like handling and driving fast, the BMW is the only way to go. but for comfort , and just enough handling to make it a nice balance , you cant beat this car. it blows away the Mercedes ride by a long shot. the XTS interior leather is much softer, whereas the BMW leather feels like hard plastic. very uncomfortable. and you have to pay a premium price to get a good sound system with the BMW, where the XTS has a standard Bose system that is awesome. If the biggest complaint is learning the cue system, then its just nit picking. every car has touch screen features , so one has to learn it in every car regardless. the cue system is what actually brought me back to buy another one.
After reading many of the comments below, I'm glad to know I wasn't the only one who thought this was a horrible and biased review.
The "reviewer" bitches about features he either couldn't comprehend or couldn't be bothered to understand like the dash display. He never mentioned that (a) the instrument display shown in his test car ONLY comes on Premium and Platinum models (standard and luxury models have a more traditional analog display) and (b), the beauty of the electronic display he ragged about is that it can be configured to alternate displays with some being very basic and others being more performance and information oriented.
Complaining about the headliner...? Maybe you should stick to driving your pickup Jethro.
There is a reason Cadillac does not market their cars to this type of crass individual. Not every luxury car buyer wants a RWD Audi or Mercedes type car that is Autobahn ready and transfers every bump in the road to the backside of the cars passengers.
Some people are more refined and can appreciate an authentic luxury car ride, and in fact it's why I bought my 2013 XTS Premium. It's a great car.
Matt, If you don't like a car, don't bash the hell of out it in one of your weak videos, just don't buy. You probably can't afford it anyway.
Um ... nice paragraph, but Audi isn't a rear-wheel drive company lol, although I agree with every word you have wrote.
+Ken Brockington I have a XTS premium as well.....and everything you say is true....plus cue is easy to use, unless your a complete idiot, its very intuitive....the ride is incredible and honestly you cant tell it front wheel drive...owned a BMW now that was a piece of shit...the dash display is like a fine piece of artwork, so you cant expect much coming from the reviewer..and other reviewers love the car..i say consider the source, and proudly drive your Cadillac!
+Ken Brockington
just traded in my 2013 for a new one last week. love the ride, love the cue system, love the design. compliment everywhere i drive. everyone i know with a BMW complains about the maintenance , and the constant repairs.
+Chris G Did they buy a brand new BMW, like how you have a BRAND NEW Caddy??? Because I have a BRAND new /M235i. Guess what, the ONLY maintenance im required to handle on the car is tires. They replace my brakes, cover my oil changes and ANYTHING else. For 4 years or 40,000 miles!!! The Caddy is a nice car. Its simply not as nice as BMW and Mercedes!!! Audi doesn't make the cut either these days. Also a ///M car is the harder riding cars from BMW. Same with the AMG of Mercedes. Go ride on a 5 series, or a 5 series or a 7 series. The ones optioned out for luxury best ride. Ride in one of those, then go ride in your Caddy. Even from the passenger seat it's gonna be WAY better. Then, once you crawl behind the drivers seat, you will see why they are leagues ahead. The are just such a solid, quality feeling piece of kit!!! The Caddy feels like lots of good parts put together. The Merc and BMW feel like ONE solid very high quality chunk, and the car is carved out from it. Everything feels like it was meant to work with each other. I love new Caddys, I just think people who say they are BETTER then the German rivals..... Well it's because those people already own the car. Now they are trying to defend it, so they don't feel like they made a bad purchase. Again, it's a VERY good car, it's just not GREAT like the rivals.
I love the 5 series. There is not a car on the planet that drives like a BMW..but we let's face it, we are comparing apples and oranges here. Dollar for dollar , the caddy is the best ride you'll get for the money. But performance wise, you cant compare to a BMW. Another difference is repair costs. Every car maker in the world will give you warranties . But when the warranties expire, the repair costs for the BMW, compared to the caddy are light years apart. An oil change on a BMW is like a grocery bill. While on the caddy , it's 29.99. You basically need to mortgage your house to keep up with repairs once the car gets dated. But don't get me wrong, I drove the 5 series before I bought my XTS, and I fell in love with driving it. The only thing that made me pass on it , was it was a little tight inside for a family car, and the 7 series is above my pay grade. However I still love my Cadillac ride. Like I said , Apple and oranges. Can't compare the 2. One is luxury , one is performance. I just prefer the luxury is all..
First and ONLY review I will watch on this channel. He doesn't like it, I get it, but wowowow. He's trying to be 'real' and comes across just like a jerk with a bone to pick against Caddy. Sounds very uninformed about Caddy, their position, and where they're building too. Undercut the Germans, of course! You're comparing expectations of a $50k car against a $90+k car, and mentioning a place to put your gun or your weed? Geez man, some of us evolved past our frat days.
+Jon Patrick You are absolutely right! When are we going to quit comparing a $ 50,000 car to an $ 80000 plus car and say it isn't as good? How stupid people are. All these idiot car ghuru's should be fired! I am with you on this!
My equus crushed all them! So I understand what he’s saying. Not only was the car cheaper and the things they had in there were better and didn’t feel So cheap. Nobody love caddy more than me. But when I get in the Genesis or Equus i know for a fact I’ll never have a problem with the material and reliability of the car.
I like how unbiased Matt is in his views and opinions, and also his spontaneous reactions to stuff happening during the shoot. Thanks for the great review! Keep 'em coming!
Just hit like button when he said asshole
I'm glad that there still are reviewers that actually call out flaws in cars. I'm so tired of hearing how perfect every car is. That's bullshit. All cars have something wrong with it. Thanks Matt. Great job! Keep it up!
Gun and weed stash.... lmfao and the live jasmine reference is priceless
Everyone's complaining, Matt. I'd have to agree. You totally didn't do this car a solid and made everything seem like it was beyond you instead of reviewing the damn car. I don't see how you were tempted to buy a fwd, v8, 70's cadillac from "1000 dollar cars" and just totally bitched about the XTS. Yes it's mundane, yes it has a bunch of features, yes it does a lot of bullshit (prompt dismissing is absolute bullshit and I agree with not having a "FunNazi" policing your every move) but the reality is complaining about the headliner is a fucking JOKE! That's like complaining about the tires not having a cool tread design. You don't touch the fucking headliner when you get in a car.
The only place where I DO agree with you is that they can do better. But that would completely defeat the American car moto which is BANG FOR BUCK!! You save SO MUCH MONEY that you can literally go to interior shops and the like and still save thousands.
Remember, Matt drives a F 150. He cant afford a new Cadillac. Its just a review. There are thousands of reviews out there. Take it with a grain of salt
Frank Assnot
I agree with you but it's still just bashing for bashing's sake. Dude can keep his integrity and just say he's on his period XD
I was thinking the same thing the whole time as well. I have a review of an xts I had as a loaner for 3 weeks and its a great car. And people need to shut the fuck up about cue it is not hard to use if you have some basic understanding of technology it seems as though everyone who reviews cue was born in the Stone Age.
*****
The problem is that people expect perfection on the first try. The world doesn't work that way which is why creatures evolve.. just like computers, operating systems, technology. It's an evolutionary process and people need to stop expecting perfection on the first try.
nezerac
In my opinion I-drive was shit, is shit and will always be shit. I have the knob in my Acura for the navigation and I would much rather have a touch screen when imputing directions into the gps. All the manufacturers now are trying to copy I-drive which is the worst infotainment platform to try to copy in my opinion. I have owned a CL Mercedes which is a coupe s-class and it had it's many flaws to, I just think so many reviews have become so bias of German vs. American cars from the many preconceived notions they have developed from years of cheapened sub-par luxury and performance coming out of Detroit they have forgotten the fundamentals that make a car great and only focus on the negatives.
It comes as no surprise that you prefer the "knob", bro.
Good job, Matt. An honest, no nonsense review.
No, 419 was the address of our office building on Park Avenue in NYC. Ironically, two floors up from us was high times, and something tells me it wasn't a coincidence for them.
Test drove the XTS and it's solid all-around. The CUE system is excellent; just takes a few days to get used to it. I prefer it over the BMW iDrive that was in my 335i. Probably will look for a used XTS; really liked how smooth this car feels.
I am glad that someone actually understand the annoyance of these reviews talking about feel, touch, and nothing of price to unreliability. If I am spending $60K or more I don't want the thing is a shop all the time.
Very good review of the Caddy XTS - I agree US car manufacturers should stop undercutting the competition by price but like you said - make a better car and if the price is more expensive so be it - that's the price of having a premium product.
I could watch Matt's reviews all day. Awesome.
The XTS is not trying to be a 7-Series or S-Class for cheap. It was not built to be a supposed bargain. It was built to be competitive with buyers in its price target market... I would take this over a regular 5-Series, they're the same price both new.
Why would you take this over a 550i??? This car having 400hp, that is the EXACT car it would compete with!!! Even though this is longer then the 5 series which would give it the "edge" on luxury room. What about this is better though considering they are the same price.....
This was actually a really refreshing in-depth review. Quite nice to have basic production on some videos.
my truck has fully enabled voice commands as well. With the exception of inputing a destination on the Nav or making a phone call, it's more trouble than its worth, and not speficic to that system. I just don't always want to speak my commands, I want to be able to easily change basic stuff like the radio station and volume with simple, reliable controls.
lololol "the knob is better because once i Have my hand on it "
Matt = priceless
Im on cable now, hosting and producing segments for Attack of the Show on G4 Network.
If it's so well planned how come it takes like 30 seconds to turn down the volume using the touch controls? Voice controls are good for certain things, entering a destination or searching for a song on your iPod, but I don't know anyone who uses voice controls for everything. Plus, good voice commands aren't an excuse for bad interface. My F150 has great voice commands but the buttons are also well thought out and easy to use.
My Volkswagen? I sold it for $1,000. It was just taking up space and I didn't want to put another $3,000 into it to make a budget race car.
I love mine I got the 2016 version it's quiet. The handling is amazing it's very comfortable it's automatic and has paddle shifters and has sport mode it will skat and it definitely floats like a magic carpet 0-60mph in 5 and a half seconds and that's just stock. It's sound proof so you don't hear anything outside the vehicle while driving the vehicle. Very cold AC and heated seats in the front and back seats heated steering wheel Bluetooth Pandora OnStar and much more. If you do decide to buy one after a test drive you won't regret it. Also if you get a aftermarket k&N intake installed with a throttle body spacer lighter wheels with a straight pipe exhaust added and a tune it's even better and much quicker 160 top speed. Also I get compliments all the time. Mine is AWD. Y'all just need to stop telling the whole world about the hidden compartments let them find that out on their own. So the nosey police don't know about it. It's a sporty luxury Cadillac XTS with the power and it's got the looks baby I love it. People try to race me all the time and they sleep on it until they're in my rear view lol 🤣 it's not a drag car so you won't beat a hellcat unless you tune up but I enjoy it everytime I'm in it and so will you. Best smooth handling sporty driving car I've owned. Even compared to most Mercedes I drove✌️. Cadillac definitely did it's damn thing on these Caddies nowadays.
What a great review. Perfectly detailed and informing. I completely agree with the whole touch screen problem.
I got 38.5 When I drove from Mexico to the Oregon border on a single tank of diesel fuel. It took using the cruise control the entire way, but it's absolutely possible.
That's actually a pretty good idea. I'm gonna look into that.
So much better. My ears are not bleeding like last time. Good job.
@TheSmokingTire"I don't want it to be cheaper, I want it to be better" Well said, that sums it all up. Unfotunately this is the way is always been for Cadillac Sub-premium not Premium quality.
I enjoy these simple reviews more than the edited ones ... I hope you will do more like this.
Why are you comparing this to the S-Class or the 7-Series.
Because the XTS represents Cadillac's full-size flagship sedan that's now replaced the Deville. Cadillac is America's premiere luxury brand, & they're not really on par with what the Germans make. & as an American I hate that, I wish we were the best made stuff out there but we're just not. I agree with Matt when he said Cadillac should get more bold, & make a true $120,000 luxury flagship car that legitimately competes with the LS600, S-Class, 7 series, and the A8.
The XTS is America's new full-size flagship luxury sedan & it just falls short in some many ways.
hahahaha the live jasmin line just killed me lol
Hey matt I got this from the Cadillac website about the new 2014 XTS available 3.6L 410 HP Twin Turbo direct-injection V6 engine that delivers a new level of invigorating performance with optimal efficiency.
we are still doing segments for "attack of the show," a show on a cable network here called G4. You can't watch them on TV, as far as I know, but the segments we make are uploaded online and I post them on The Smoking Tire web site.
There are quite a few systems that use voice commands, my SYNC system in my Raptor among them. The truth is though, that in instances where the consoles are well configured there are very few occasions where I actually need to use them. I use voice commands for programming navigation and making phone calls, but that's about it. For radio/MP3/info functions, I always use the buttons, and I find that in my informal polls, most people do the same. Simple things like volume shouldn't need voice.
head liners are often the best indicator of quality. When a company cheaps out on it, it's a sign of cheaping out on other parts of the car too.
This is definitely a step or six above the other impromptu review, hoping to see more like it!
"Most of you were very nice, some of you were total assholes" That is honestly the best summary of the internet I have ever heard.
someone crashed the press car, so our loan had to wait until they get a new car. It's going to be the second week in January now.
a week usually, unless it's something very exotic then its 3 or 4 days, or (in the case of the Audi S6, S7, S8, 2 hours each.
Maybe it's just me but it seems like all you did was bash the Cadillac.....where does RWD automatically communicate luxury? Audi is front and AWD and it's luxury? Also the Hyundai Genesis and Chrysler 300 are RWD but do you really think people consider them luxury cars? The 300 is premium in my book but not really luxury and hasn't been in over twenty years. Everyone DOES NOT want a RWD car? Especially for those in the snow belt and we necessarily don't won't the weight or expense of AWD either? I would have enjoyed the review a little more if you didnt bitch and complain so much....."Yes it is your grandfathers Cadillac" PLEASE!!!
my 300 has "real" leather wrapped dash, center console, and doors. leather, and suede seats. real carbon fiber, and aluminum. way more luxury than this caddy will ever be..
corrrect Cadillac XTS is more luxurious than a Chrysler 300. C'mon man
I agree
just got back from looking at a xts. everything from the pleather dash, plastic paddle shifters, star track touch sensitive center console seems cheap to me.... imo my 300 srt8 seem more solid, and have a classier interior design.
Whether you looked at it or not Chrysler has a poor reputation for quality..my boy has the Sebring n been nothing but problems n he bought it brand new
I had a rental xts while my cts was in the shop for 2 weeks and this car is great. The cue system that everyone bitches about probably took me an hour to master it and it became very simple to use. I just think the review sucked.
Just watched it for the hell of it and enjoyed myself! Thanks Matt!
This was awesome! Great vid. Ready for many more
Well done, Matt. Great format.
I've never thought about that comparison before. The caddy has more room inside, especially in the back seat, but the SHO is much better to drive.
This was a great review. Keep them coming!
I swear to fricken God your livejasmin joke had me laughing so hard.
One of the best reviews. Nice that you are honest and dont sound like an ad from a car company. keep the vids comming.
Love this new sub-series.
I'm "Acting as if its the same price of an E class, which it's obviously not." This is actually true. The E350 Bluetec with Sport and Technology package that I gave the "TST Car of the Year" Award to last year had an as-tested price of $57,200, which is $2,000 less than the as-tested price of the XTS in this video.
I did the latest generation Maxima back in 2009 at Garage419
concerning the way the big three American auto makers approach "high end cars" you took the words right from my mouth.
yeah right. I'm sure all those touch buttons and LCD screens will be working great by then.
Hey Matt! I am a huge fan and you crack me up man! never stop making car review videos I love them!!!! Much love from Texas.
Straight forward. Awesome review.
"did you fart? you just hit the air re-circulate"
lmao
Hey Matt,
Met you at the lemons race. I was the "can I be a douche and get a picture guy" I noticed in this video that you were literally 5 houses away from my place. I live off of waterview right there. You would have never known a caged 400hp e30 lives on the street you were filming at!! hahaha. Wish I would have seen you guys shooting! I would love to check out a shoot like this. Anyways, Keep it up bud. Hope I get to see you again in the future.
-Andrew
it was dirt on the sensor. We've cleaned them.
AWD is an option on all but the Platinum model, where it's standard.
I liked this style of video. It was well filmed and was kind of like asking a friend to tell me about their car.
I love these kinda videos! Keep it up matt
And as the reviewer said....ITS A RENTAL CAR.... not domething you wanna own.... Great going Cadillac.... Had a world class car on your hands and as usual you killed it...wonderful
Obvisouly haven't drove a Mercedes recently. I have and it was all plastic. This video seems to be just a bashing video more then a review. Maybe instead of bitching about all the faults you should compare to something better with facts.
Amazing review of this car. Got a chuckle out of me in the first 2 mins.
This type of video is great Matt
Wow great review Matt
Great Review Matt. Think you summed it up perfectly with its your grandfathers caddy but your grandfather won't be able to drive it. Well put
Great videos guys
Much better than the first one, really good work.
we realized that after we shot, it was actually the camera's sensor.
I think the CTS-V won against the German competitors when it came out in 2009, but has fallen behind since. It may be an excellent performer, but its interior is lacking here at the end of 2012. The Lincoln MKS and Genesis both offer as much equipment, better driving dynamics, more power, and for less money.
Great job Matt. What a good way to describe what the fundamental with it.
Great video! Keep up the great work!
Your tripping!! The dts was awesome, the performance package had power.
great vid guys!
I don't know about Jonny's test car, I had premium not Platinum, but if the new CTS is going after E and 5, Where does that leave this car? The old folks I know now drive BMW's and Merc's, and would probably be open to a Cadillac, if only the Cadillac actually measured up to the quality they get (and can afford) when buying a full size luxury sedan.
MATT YOU ROCK MAN! your so to the point you dont try to protect peoples feelings u have a honest opinion and i love it. lifetime fan! long live TST!
Keep up the good job Matt and thank you for keeping it real.
Great video! Please make more like these, I could watch you talk about crappy interiors all day lol
Glad to see you took my advice, great vid, great review. I always like subtle background music, it adds so much by doing so little
A good and honest review
consumer reports said that for its price range they believe it should have a 7 speed just cause of price some people should review cars
> Big Cadillac
> Invigorating Performance
> mysides.jpg
it feels very different on a front drive car than with a rear drive car.
"I don't want it to be cheaper, I want it to be better."-----couldn't agree more
Very very well put. Great review as usual.
This review is very GOOD! I dont even car much for the XTS but, I was fully entertained!
I recently sat in the XTS with a two tone interior and I thought it was very nice. I see your point and I also see the point of this video. Most ppl who buy German cars are not primarily concerned with reliability. German cars do have a better feeling of quality evidenced by the materials down to the solidity of how the doors close. The extensive attention to detail is a major selling point to people who like quality.
Good work matt, best one of your videos i've seen so far, i think your doing a great job and you know your stuff about cars, don't care about the haters saying stuff and just keep on making excellent videos like you do right now :)
the argument would be exactly the same if I replaced S Class and 7 series with E class and 5 series.
Everyone download their most recent podcast. It is AMAZING! These guys are great at what they do and deserve to be supported to the fullest. Thank you Matt, Zack, Thad, Tom etc for the great work. Cheers... PS: buy a Smoking Tire t-shirt people!
the title should have been "Cadillac XTS - I Dont LIke It".... WOW complain much?
Really like this format......you pretty much tell it like it is when you're describing the interior.
The HVAC/media interface is enough to put me off on this car.
At any rate- really like your stuff Matt, keep it coming :-)
I love this review! really shows off your talent as a reviewer...and it's pretty funny.
I've seen three of these and god do they look so good. Cadillac is stepping it up with design and build quality if you ask me. Just look at the 2014 CTS - recently revealed - that looks good too. :D
it's a side effect of shooting LED lighting.
Really nicely articulated review Matt. I agree with your sentiment that we want better cars not cheaper ones.
The Premium level car, which we tested, had a crap headliner. The Platinum might be better, but I didn't test that car. I know you can get all Audi's in FWD, but I've never driven one, nor do I know a single person who has ever bought an Audi that didn't have Quattro. I don't know why anyone would; it would probably suck and I would trash it in a review. And I don't subscribe to Motor Trend because I don't listen to reviews from people who sell ads to manufacturers.
Matt awesome as allways
thanks for doing reviews on cars that WE real people could afford.
Ahahahahahha fucking lost it before the 2 minute mark. Love the honest car reviews.