2000 Cadillac Seville Review

The Northstar V8s have been improved, and all models get a new airbag suppression system and the revised version of GM's StabiliTrak. A new ultrasonic rear parking assist feature and an advanced navigation system are optional on both STS and SLS. There are also two new exterior colors, Midnight Blue and Bronzemist.

If you're looking for a top-notch luxury sedan that favors comfort over performance, the Seville is one of the smoothest rides this side of Stuttgart.

The world premiere of the 1998 Seville was held in September of '97 at the Frankfurt International Auto Show to exemplify the car's global focus. The first Cadillac ever to debut outside the United States, the Seville embodies not only the best America has to offer, but in many respects the best of what the world has to offer, too.

For 2000, Cadillac has redesigned its dual-overhead-cam 4.6-liter Northstar V8s from the inside out to achieve better mileage with regular fuel, smoother and quieter operation, and certification as a low-emission vehicle (LEV) in some states. A 275-horsepower version still powers the Seville SLS, while the STS again has an additional 25 ponies under the hood. But it's difficult to imagine these motors running smoother, as the Northstars are already among the most refined engines on the planet.

Both the Seville STS and SLS come standard with a new version of StabiliTrak, which adds side slip-rate control and active steering effort compensation to an already impressive computer-controlled traction system. Also standard is the next generation of Cadillac's Continuously Variable Road-Sensing Suspension (CVRSS), which GM engineers say now includes inputs for transient roll control, lateral support and stability control interaction from StabiliTrak 2.0. The CVRSS system works like an electronic active suspension, reading the road surface and employing dampers at each corner to instantly adjust the Seville's ride and handling setup.

Inside, there's luxurious leather appointments (Zebrano wood trim is available) and an ergonomically functional control panel highlighted by electro-luminescent analog gauges as well as a driver information system. A heated seat is part of an adaptive seating package available on both models that uses a network of inflatable air cells installed in the seat cushion, seatback and side bolsters to adjust comfort and support. You can even opt for massaging lumbar seats on the STS. Interior storage is outstanding, with a roomy glovebox, clamshell-design center armrest console, and a rear-seat pass-through. Standard on the STS is the Bose 4.0 audio system, which provides superb sound reproduction through eight speakers and a trunk-mounted subwoofer.

Other notable features include a new airbag suppression system that uses sensors to determine if the front-passenger airbag should be disabled because the seat is either vacant or being occupied by a small child. Also new this year is an ultrasonic rear parking assist feature and GM's three-button OnStar communications service as standard equipment, and an optional advanced navigation system.

We could go on and on about other technology, such as the transmission's Performance Algorithm Shifting feature, or the Magnasteer variable-assist, speed-sensitive power rack-and pinion unit, or the road-texture detection system, or the advanced radio data system stereo and any number of other Seville goodies, but space is limited. What we have here is an outstanding example of American design and engineering excellence.