Every race must have a winner—even if it’s a Seniors Olympics, where competitors battle with oxygen tanks in tow. In this case, it’s Yank tanks: our American large luxury car shootout. Those of you with a knack for the process of elimination will already know that the Cadillac DTS is our winner. On the face of it, the Caddy doesn’t have the power or charisma of the Chrysler 300C, nor the traditional rear wheel-drive layout of Lincoln’s boxframed Town Car. But the DTS brings a much-needed karmic balance to our comparo. It’s the only car that approaches luxury. In other words, it offers at least a week’s worth of livability for an actual owner.
The DTS’s exterior is an automotive every-car from the side. From all other points of view, the Caddy’s angular creases, gaping grill and vestigial fins proudly proclaim “standard of the tasseled loafer wearing set.” I can respect that. The flagship’s styling might not be to everyone’s tastes, but at least it’s identifiable. There’s a lot of carbon dated dissonance here, thanks to combination of 1970s proportions and all-LED tail lamps, bi-xenon headlamps and shiny 18″ alloys.
This two-ton beast’s interior is this troika’s best. I realize that isn’t saying much. But it is saying something. The DTS’ leather is supple. The overall design is semi-modern and reasonably tasteful. The plastics are far behind Euro luxury standards, but they’re so far ahead of the 300C’s interior they’ve already crossed the international dateline. Yes, the cabin is a midwestern prairie of blandness. And the steering wheel is swizzle-stick thin (pulled from a 1990s Buick), but at least it’s heated.
In the back, passengers are suitably coddled on their way to Sunday lunch. The DTS’ rear seats are by far the best in this group. They offer bun warmers, cheek-friendly leather and what 300C and Town Car passengers won’t recognize (but will enjoy): padding. The Cadillac DTS’ rear A/C controls are basic, but they’re bound to make occupants feel a bit more special. At speed, the DTS is also the better place to sit. The 300C is just a bit too harsh and noisy for executive transport duty, and the Town Car manages to be a bit more penitential than presidential.
Aside from offering more occupant friendly proportions, the aging Northstar V8’s transverse placement precludes the sort of hoonery that’s easy to accomplish in the Chrysler 300 (donuts are possible, but only in reverse). With 295hp and 288 lb·ft going to the front wheels only, you’d be right to be concerned about torque steer. Fortunately, somehow, the usual front wheel-drive demons have been all but banished, leaving you only to fret about the lack of power compared to the 300C and fume over the dimwitted four-speed slushbox.
Even the five-seat version of the DTS (with the centre console) doesn’t include a manumatic function. Never mind . . . all four gear options are about as thrilling as a Kate Hudson chick flick. Put another, more positive way, the DTS seems to perform just about equally regardless of what gear it’s in. This brings us to the six-seater DTS, which anyone with memories of the 70s should avoid. Seriously, column shifters are like so last century, dude.
It may come as a surprise to readers (as it was to me) that the DTS actually ties with the 300C in the gadget shoot-out. The DTS doesn’t bring satellite TV to the party, but it does have some nice touches that a Euro shopper might expect: magnetic ride control, blind zone alerts, lane departure warning, and voice recognition.
Did I mention driving? Does it matter? If it does, when piloting the DTS, it’s important to keep a few things in mind. First, the Lusitania had a similar turning ratio. U-turns should be avoided like U-boats. In fact, plan any changes in direction miles ahead of time. Despite the bad road manners, it just about ties the Town Car in actual driving prowess. The zero to sixty sprint happens uneventfully, and corners are taken with relative ease. The best thing that can be said about the DTS’s performance—the only thing that needs saying– is that it’s composed and sedate.
The fact that the DTS is less common as a limo or airport shuttle is a huge benefit. We are talking about a car that costs approximately $50 to $60K—providing you can stop the Cadillac salesman from thanking God long enough to book the sale. Even so, the Cadillac is the winner of this shootout because its what an American luxury car is all about: size, presence, comfort and a V8. Sure Audi, BMW and Mercedes have nothing to worry about. I’d rather have a base LS460 than a loaded DTS. But if American luxury is what you want, the DTS is the way to go. While supplies last.
82 Comments on “Review: Yank Tank Comparo: Cadillac DTS vs. Lincoln Town Car vs. Chrysler 300C. First place: Cadillac DTS...”
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I would actually agree that the DTS is the best choice given the three and the objective of getting a “yank tank.”
You know, despite my love of performance automobiles, I really have a soft spot for the DTS and the Town Car. I suppose its one of those things you don’t admit; but it is SO COMFORTABLE. The Town Car really feels like you’re driving around on your grandparents’ worn-in couch. Oh man you could fall asleep very easily (while driving, though… hmm).
DTS is also extremely smooth.
IMO I never even considered the 300C to be in that category, although I suppose it could. Far too much bling, no substance, terrible plastics, cheesy indiglo gauges that look like they were drawn up in Word – doesn’t cut it … at least for me.
Of course, it’s the Lusitania’s turning *radius* that bests the DTS, and I have to agree. I’ve rented a few, and the first few minutes are spent banging HARD against the steering stops, because there is only about 1½ turns lock-to-lock. Seriously, what is up with that? I suppose it’s some design compromise with whatever they did to eliminate torque steer.
For about 15k less you can get a Buick Lucerne- American, big, comfy, FWD, same V8 engine, also better reliability history.
So you’re telling me that I can spend $60k on a so-so vehicle that’s uncompetitive with a loaded Camry?
This level of money buys you a 5-series bimmer. Maybe even a 7-series. It gets you a Lexus LS460. An E-Class Benz (or a lightly used S-Class). An Audi A8 maybe.
No way, no how would I ever consider this vehicle. It’s behind the times. It’s plasti-chrome. You see this car and think 70’s wire wheel hubcaps and landau roof.
You didn’t even mention the epic depreciation that the new owner will face when he buys a DTS.
At $20k, I would still give it only a passing glance. At $60k, you gotta be kidding me.
As I said yesterday. I’d take a HYUNDAI Genesis V6 over any of these.
Any
Day
Of
The
Week
And I’d pay the local pre-discounted price for the privilege.
If I were in the market for a luxo-barge.
it just about ties the Town Car in actual driving prowess
Let’s see here. The Town Car’s basic layout goes back to the 80s and it has received virtually no attention in the last 10 years. The DTS is supposed to be GM’s best recent effort at a big car, was thoroughly reworked in the last couple of years and ALMOST ties the Townie as a driver? Gad!
Lets go out 10 years. The DTS will be immobile due to its leaking Northstar and its toasted transmission and shorted electronics, while the Townie will be cruising along on the way to 250k miles, and still selling for the upper 4 figures.
But if American luxury is what you want, the DTS is the way to go. While supplies last.
If you don’t need the domestic badge, Hyundai will sell you a big RWD luxury car that has a 368hp V8 and a ZF six-speed auto. Fully loaded for $42000.
Why is a V8 so important? Modern V6s make as much HP and torque as these ancient dinosaurs, and are much more efficient.
The Toyota Avalon is far superior than any of these vehicles. The newest ones with the black leather interior and dark plastiwood and leather stitched door panels and cooled seats and a six speed and 270 HP and and rear reclining seats and more legroom than a first-class airplane seat all for 20k less than this bugger!
I’m just saying, even though this DTS gets 4 stars and 1st in a comparo, it’s like miles behind the foreign competition!
I live in a neighborhood with lots and lots of old people. They’ve all seen the light and switched their old Devilles and got Avalons!
This comparo really reads like the special Olympics of automotive transportation. The $60K price tag is insane – for that kind of money an Escalade provides more luxury, utility and resale value than any of these. Not to mention the E class, 5 series or the Genesis for $20K less.
I agree the DTS is the nicer but having spoken to a few livery drivers, the Town Car is the better car. According to the real buyers of these cars (hard working immigrants) the Town Cars are durable beyond compare. 300000-400000 hard stop and go pot holed miles are routine.
The DTS doesn’t hold up. Transmissions apparently. The Town Car puts the Tank in Yank.
They haven’t made a Hyundai yet that can hold up that sort of use.
@carguy, I completely agree. This is like the “I’m not the worst luxury car in the world” contest or something.
Again, I think about that $60k sticker price on the DTS and laugh.
If you must have a DTS, you’d be crazy not to find a nice Certified Preowned version. You can get those bad boys all day for mid $20,000s and CPO means 6 year/100k warranty.
I actually drove a new Genesis V8 a week ago today. The dealer was offering $5 to anyone who would come in and test drive any Hyundai, so what the Hell right?
Well, none of the Genesis V8 sedans they had on the lot were $44k. Try $48k, more with TTL of course. Oh, also add $300 for tinted windows and desert protection.
I took one out with nav and all the bells and whistles. The interior is nothing to get excited about. In fact it’s a bit worse in person than it looked in all the photos. It’s shiny, slippery and extremely bland in pretty much every way.
The performance for it’s much touted V8 is… underwhelming. Kane it and it moves, kind of, it’s not explosive like a 300C or Pontiac G8, it hardly makes any noise at all and it doesn’t get up to speed like a 550i or V8 German car. It’s quiet other than the thump thump thump of the expansion joints and a little wind roar. Handling seems ok. In short, it’s a vastly unexciting car to drive.
I also think it’s one of the most overrated cars I’ve ever driven. I expected it to be German quality, which it isn’t in any way, shape or form. It’s not quite as nice as a Lexus either. Yet it’s very expensive. And compared to the Three Yank Tanks in this comparo it lacks personality.
I’d also like to note that none of the cars in this comparo sell for MSRP. In fact all of them are substantially discounted from sticker price. Down into loaded Genesis territory, and BELOW. For what these cars actually go for, especially the 300C and DTS, they are pretty good deals for good cars.
I think the biggest problem with the Genesis aside from the fact that it’s not really in the same league as all the cars Hyundai compares it against is the fact that it is a Hyundai. When people spend coin for luxury cars they want a good brand, not a bargain brand. People buy Hyundais for cheap cars, period. The Genesis at MSRP is not a cheap car by any stretch of the imagination. I think that explains why nobody is buying them. I’ve seen maybe five here in the Valley of the Sun. One had a GRAMPS vanity plate. Yet you can’t throw a rock without hitting a DTS or 300C here.
My parents had a 99 Deville Concours (the run up to the DTS) and the DTS isn’t much different. But the Concours was a very nice car to ride in and it lasted over 160k miles with no issues whatsoever. No transmission problems, no electric problems. The DTS is pretty much the same car underneath and GM has been refreshing and steadily improving it ever since the late 90s. I’ve driven a few as my folks were looking at buying one and it was a vastly better car than what most people give it credit for. Certainly better than the Avalon (another Asian luxury vehicle nobody buys) and the Camry (which is ugly and awful inside and out).
Oh, and that Hyundai dealer (Larry Miller Hyundai actually). They won’t leave me alone. I told them I’m not really interested and they keep calling me multiple times a day a week later. I don’t think I will be buying a Hyundai soon, if ever.
So basically, the:
3. Town car is taxi cab bland
2. 300 has a gawd-aful interior and the loaded 300c R/T looks like the entry level stripper
1. The DTS is exceptional in nothing.
I’m keeping my ‘76 New Yorker thank you. At least it turns heads.
“So you’re telling me that I can spend $60k on a so-so vehicle ”
Something tells me no one has paid sticker for a DTS in… well… ever.
I’d be shocked if anyone is actually paying $60k for one of these. You can probably get one nicely equipped for $45-$50k– still way too much though.
Does American Luxury mean a heated steering wheel?
Do you need one in Florida?
Why does does GM continue with the DTS and STS?
This comparision really brings me back to the question of why did LIncoln drop the LS. It wasn’t quite “tank” size like the TC and DTS, but it was RWD, V8, luxury, and decent enough to drive.
Column shifter is also soooo last gen 7-series and current gen S-class… but who’s counting?
Neither of these 3 vehicles are worth their new offering price, but they are excellent purchases thereafter.
The DTS starts at $46k according to autos.yahoo.com. That does put it a little lower than a base E-class or 5-series. With discounts and rebates, who knows what the out-the-door price would be.
The regular DTS engine is listed at 275 HP and 295 lb*ft. That’s exactly the same as a 1993 Mercedes 400E, which can be had for a few thousand dollars. With the weight difference, though, the DTS is probably more in line with the 300E 3.2 from that era.
Pretty sad that the DTS is the best America can do in terms of full-sized luxury. Isn’t this class of vehicles supposed to be our car industry’s strongest suit? Pathetic. And there is a place to place blame–read about it here: http://www.examiner.com/x-6882-Classic-Autos-Examiner~y2009m4d17-GM-near-bankruptcywhat-happened
I’m keeping my ‘76 New Yorker thank you.
Now for a REAL yank tank comparo: Go find a 76 Town Car and a 76 Fleetwood to go up against commando1’s New Yorker.
The Town Car and 300C at least have unique engineering.
Much better large front wheel drive cars can be had for much less (although I’m sure a new, 2009, well optioned DTS can be had for significantly less than $40k).
Column shift was great then and it’s great now… if I wanted to be pinched into a superfluous centre console I might as well buy a compact.
I’d like to see an Avalon vs. Lucerne vs. MKS comparison. FWD, not quite tank size semi? luxury.
jpcavanaugh :
Amen, but now you make we want to ask the question, “Would one of our more experienced readers actually tabulate how many barges would show up to that slugfest if we could include flagship cars from all the American Marques of 1976?” Call it the Bicentennial Blowout!
BTW this comparo has made me go hunting ebaymotors for old V8 RWD iron from every American car maker, even the ones that no longer exist.
I have a 1979 Lincoln Continental Town Car in Dark Turquoise Metallic. Gets more looks than a car costing $100,000 or more. More impressive than a new Bentley it was parked next to the last time I took it out.
My 1999 Cadillac Deville? Sold it to a fellow on Craigslist for $700.00. Bad Northstar. He paid too much.
Cars like these should be compared at cost per pound. Using this metric, the TC provides the most metal for the buck. TC for the win.
You see this car and think 70’s wire wheel hubcaps and landau roof.
I actually think wire wheels and a landau roof make this car look better. Add a set of whitewalls, and you are good to go.
I don’t know about this DTS win, IMO is really does represent everything GM has been doing wrong for the last few decades. Overweight, FWD, awkward proportions, inefficient…It’s one of those cars. Sure it may be a typical yank-tank, but not typical for the time period when that was a good thing, typical for the GM suck-era. AND it costs twice as much as the tested competition.
Why celebrate the root cause of the deathwatch series?
I once considered a used Buick Park Avenue Ultra for insurance purposes. At the time, my Honda Civic was $500 a month to insure with a clean driving record. Something is out of whack when you are paying more for insurance than the loan payment.
http://www.trader.ca/powerpage/details.aspx?vlotid=72083&adid=7504436
You could buy this and save yourself over 50 grand instead of the DTS. And you could be seen in this car and not look like secret service or mafia. Probably the only two people that bought the DTS.
Alex,
I don’t know what criteria you used for picking these cars, but its all so narrow and seems misleading.
I mean, rear wheel vs front wheel, etc.
And why isn’t the MKS or the Buick in here?
Can you explain to the class the reasoning in the initial choices?
My father had a thing for extremely well used 4 door caddy’s in the late 90’s and early 2000’s. He went through 3-4 of them in the course of about 10 years, fixing them, keeping them well maintained.
He damn near cried when I picked up a used e38 BMW for what he was paying for his Caddy’s. Then when I sold it for a profit 3 years later, it was his next model of choice.
The sooner Caddy looses it’s Floridian reputation altogether, the better.
86er: You don’t know how often I’ve cursed those ridiculous plastic logs that are there just to take up space. I really hate consoles.
One of the advantages of FWD was the flat floor it provided. And what do they do? Run a stupid knee banging unit between the seats that takes up more space than the benefit it gives.[If any].
I like the looks of all three. The 300 could have been on CTS level at least, if not TC and DTS.
The DTS is much improved over it’s mid to late 90s de-construction of Cadillac “look”.
Sometimes I think Cadillac’s Allante provided the worst styling cues of any car in Cadillac’s history.What a gawd awful unimpressive and boring 2 seater. Even the Chryslerati TC was more interesting.
Is this not the same DTS that got 1 star not too long ago ? Or would it still get the same outside of this context ?
It’s hard to conceive of a more irrelevant set of comments. “Empathy” is the emotion of the week, so just for a moment try to imagine yourself among the target group of buyers.
Hyundai makes a better car for the money? Listen honey, Sinatra didn’t drive Korean. Sammy didn’t either. Feh on Hyundai.
Resale value? That’s the children’s problem in probate, and believe me they’re already making out like bandits between the condo in Boca and what they’re sure to recover on the Madoff lawsuit. Feh on resale.
Escalade? What am I, Michael Jordan? You try climbing up into one of those things. Turning circle? Who’s in such a hurry to go back where I’ve already been? Anyway, I can always just go around the block. I’ve already got my signal on.
We’re talking about a Cadillac, bubalah. CA-DI-LLAC. And don’t you forget it. Now who’s got time for one more round of mahjong?
If this is the best that Cadillac can produce, no wonder that Australia’s GM boys “delayed” the introduction of the Cadillac brand down under, seeing it would have to compete against the Holden Caprice/Statesman twins. Which is surprising because I thought that was what GM did best, (or company policy dictates that) compete against itself internally!
“If you must have a DTS, you’d be crazy not to find a nice Certified Preowned version. You can get those bad boys all day for mid $20,000s and CPO means 6 year/100k warranty.”
So true. A 2006 DTS with mileage no higher than the mid 30’s can be had for $24,000 range with chrome wheels and luxury II pkg. And also true that the DTS is the best in it’s class. Hyundai? Gimme a break!
A year ago on a trip to the USA I rented a DTS. Although my daly drive is one the german references mentioned in the various comments, I must say that I did like the car: that big v8, the ride, the smoothness and appropriatley agile. I do not know if they last but some of those german big shots are not that bullet proof. If possible I know where I would put my money. The problem is that all cars are always reviewed as if they should be racing machines. In fact most of people do not want them but the message is reiterated countless times and it becomes the truth.
I’m still not getting why this is better than the 300.
romanjetfighter :
The Toyota Avalon is far superior than any of these vehicles.
The Avalon is one of, if not THEE worst car I have driven in the past 2 years. I was shocked that Toyota would put a POS like this on the road. The Toyos are acting more and more like AP-Sloan boys everyday.
I drove a friend’s DTS a couple of years ago while we were visiting them for a few days; used it to tour the local antique shops while our host and hostess were at work. It seemed fitting, somehow.
He was a little irritated when I told him that I thought it resembled my 03 Silverado in the way it drove. I said it was a compliment; that’s a nice riding and driving truck except that it hops a little over the bumps. The similarity’s a little odd, come to think of it, since they’re driven from opposite ends. That’s how little difference it makes that the DTS is fwd.
It’s no wonder so many people bought Tahoes and Suburbans; they’re simply tall Cadillacs. Caddy had to build the Escalade in self-defense.
So…far as I can tell, the DTS wins over the 300C because it has a smoother ride, less cheap plastic, and nicer leather? Okey dokey.
You also completely leave price out of this comparison. Fully loaded, a DTS is $60,000. You can’t option a 300C beyond $45,000, even with all wheel drive.
that’s a lot of money to be saddled with a 4 spd auto
@ FreedMike:
You can’t option a 300C beyond $45,000, even with all wheel drive.
For $45k you can get a brand new 300C SRT-8 and destroy the competitors in this test. Heck, that thing will destroy anything short of another SRT-8 or Mustang GT-500.
Let’s forget that the 300 puts the DTS on the trailer in every performance category…if you look at the 300C’s dimensions, performance results and mission, you have a car that actually compares to something like a BMW 5-series.
Now, don’t get me wrong – a 535i will kick the 300’s ass in the corners, and when it comes to workmanship, there’s no comparison. But in the real, everyday world we all live in, the 300 will accelerate, handle, and haul passengers and cargo as well as a 535, and it’s a shitload less money.
Bottom line pricing on a 300 with every possible option, after discounts, is about $36,000. A comparably equipped 535 checks in at $65,000.
The carping about the 300’s interior quality is legit, but think of it this way: with the $29,000 you save, you can buy a two or three-year-old BMW 335i and revel in Swabian craftsmanship.
I’d take the TC anyday. Look on cars.com and ebay. 10 year old Town Cars and 10 year old Deville/DTSs. The Lincolns have far higher mileages (one with 400,000!) on them and go for higher prices. Better yet, let’s have a comparo between a ‘99 TownCar and a ‘99 Deville. (And what, a ‘99 Concorde?)
I used a new 2008 DTS extensively for 3 weeks. That experience removed any desire on my part to own one.
rochskier :
May 28th, 2009 at 9:10 pm
@ FreedMike:
You can’t option a 300C beyond $45,000, even with all wheel drive.
For $45k you can get a brand new 300C SRT-8 and destroy the competitors in this test. Heck, that thing will destroy anything short of another SRT-8 or Mustang GT-500.
And the prices on the used ones are silly…check this one out.
2007 SRT-8, 9K miles, mint, still under warranty…$28K BEFORE haggling.
you can buy a two or three-year-old BMW 335i and revel in Swabian craftsmanship.
freedmike (quietly)
BMWs are built in Bavaria (which is what the B stands for) if you where buying Swabian, you’d be getting a Mercedes or a Porsche.