2008 Cadillac DTS Review

The DTS is a full-size luxury car with full-size American power and a warm, spacious interior. Its 115.6-inch wheelbase would have qualified it as full-size car even in the mid-1950s.

Its V8 engine develops 275 horsepower, and a higher-output version is available that delivers 292 horsepower. Though its styling is restrained, the DTS is loaded with the latest technology. Yet, unlike many luxury cars these days, there's no need to study the owner's manual to make the DTS do its job. This is a rational luxury car, easy to operate in addition to being large and luxurious. We like that.

The DTS offers impeccable road manners, with crisp handling and good grip that inspires composure and driving enjoyment on winding roads. It handles surprisingly well given its size. It takes turns with poise and dignity, making it an enjoyable steed when the road goes curvy. The DTS is front-wheel drive.

For 2008, two new options harness the latest technology to enhance safety. The Lane Departure Warning system is designed to help drivers avoid a collision caused by an inadvertent lane change, for example if the driver drifts off to sleep. Side Blind Zone Alert enhances awareness of objects that might otherwise escape the driver's vision, for example a car the driver simply did not know was there.

A new Platinum Edition is available for 2008 that comes with all the performance goodies, plus a bright and cheery handcrafted interior and special exterior trim.

The current DTS was launched as a 2006 model, sporting fresh body lines, a redesigned interior, upgraded running gear, and suspension refinements,. At the same time, Cadillac abandoned the 57-year-old DeVille nameplate. Up through 2005, a DTS badge had indicated a DeVille Touring Sedan, a sporty version of the old DeVille. DTS now stands for the whole revised and revamped model line. It's fitting, given that today's DTS is sportier than yesterday's DeVille.