The more auto show pics I had seen and the more pessimistic I get. Well, I went to the show in Boston last night and saw one close up.
I actually find the sheetmetal MORE attractive in person. The sweeping flow of the canopy further back to a smaller trunkline is more attractive than in the LaCrosse, which I also really like. The light piping in the front headlights makes a solid vertical line that flows down to the LED fog light beams, which are also vertical. The back end also looks better than in pics in that white version. The one I saw was beige. I think darker colors, like black, will make this a very sharp looking car.
However, it is what I figured it would be, a nicely sized car but too small for my needs of transportation. My brother and I(we're both chauffeurs with big Town Car Ls) then went over to the LaCrosse and sat in it to get an idea of room. I have been in the back seat of a LaCrosse before and was impressed with legroom. But, looking at it more critically, I felt like I was sitting in a back seat rather than lounging in it. In the Town Car, much business can be done and you need briefcases and laptops out be able to sprawl out on long trips. While the XTS should have OK legroom, being narrow leaves zero room for extra stuff laying around. And, with the XTS being so narrow, there is little space between 2 rear seat passengers. Also, looking to the front of the dashboard, the entire cockpit feels small. Even the DTS(which is noticeably smaller than a TC-L) has a much more open feel.
It's a shame because I really want to have CUE in my life. I think it would make my job a whole lot easier and safer.
I can also fully see what Cadillac is doing. I think once the CTS grows for the next generation, the XTS will bow out and then a flagship will emerge. Hopefully.
But, I think the car, in itself, can be a good one depending on the pricing. For the right price, it's roomy enough for 4, looks sleek and has a nice amount of new tech. I just can't get one for work...
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BTW, Cadillac is doing what it needs to. There are no other clear-cut answers for me.
Lincoln has nothing. The MKT has a high step in and the interior is squared off and not luxurious to the touch. The MKS is a joke. Chrysler has the 300, which I was optimistic about. But it's going to need to be stretched, like the older ones had been, to be viable. It's not too narrow but it needs that extra space. I was also disappointed by the grainy plastic on the upper door. But it's got potential if they stretch it.
We sat in the back of Passats, E-classes and the like. I have to say, the Toyota Avalon had the best back seat. The Avalon is wide, has plenty of legroom and just feels very spacious, front to back and side to side. AND, the back seats recline, which my clients would love. It pains me to say it had the best back seat of any car in my working price range. But I won't be getting one. I can probably talk my boss into a lot of things, but convincing him our clients can look past a Toyota badge is one I can't. Maybe in time our clients could be persuaded but that's a big jump.
My brother and I started looking at lightly used Equus online at dinner afterwards. We found a basic one with under 2k miles for $49K. If I could find one for a little less with similar miles, that may be an option...
I actually find the sheetmetal MORE attractive in person. The sweeping flow of the canopy further back to a smaller trunkline is more attractive than in the LaCrosse, which I also really like. The light piping in the front headlights makes a solid vertical line that flows down to the LED fog light beams, which are also vertical. The back end also looks better than in pics in that white version. The one I saw was beige. I think darker colors, like black, will make this a very sharp looking car.
However, it is what I figured it would be, a nicely sized car but too small for my needs of transportation. My brother and I(we're both chauffeurs with big Town Car Ls) then went over to the LaCrosse and sat in it to get an idea of room. I have been in the back seat of a LaCrosse before and was impressed with legroom. But, looking at it more critically, I felt like I was sitting in a back seat rather than lounging in it. In the Town Car, much business can be done and you need briefcases and laptops out be able to sprawl out on long trips. While the XTS should have OK legroom, being narrow leaves zero room for extra stuff laying around. And, with the XTS being so narrow, there is little space between 2 rear seat passengers. Also, looking to the front of the dashboard, the entire cockpit feels small. Even the DTS(which is noticeably smaller than a TC-L) has a much more open feel.
It's a shame because I really want to have CUE in my life. I think it would make my job a whole lot easier and safer.
I can also fully see what Cadillac is doing. I think once the CTS grows for the next generation, the XTS will bow out and then a flagship will emerge. Hopefully.
But, I think the car, in itself, can be a good one depending on the pricing. For the right price, it's roomy enough for 4, looks sleek and has a nice amount of new tech. I just can't get one for work...
----------
BTW, Cadillac is doing what it needs to. There are no other clear-cut answers for me.
Lincoln has nothing. The MKT has a high step in and the interior is squared off and not luxurious to the touch. The MKS is a joke. Chrysler has the 300, which I was optimistic about. But it's going to need to be stretched, like the older ones had been, to be viable. It's not too narrow but it needs that extra space. I was also disappointed by the grainy plastic on the upper door. But it's got potential if they stretch it.
We sat in the back of Passats, E-classes and the like. I have to say, the Toyota Avalon had the best back seat. The Avalon is wide, has plenty of legroom and just feels very spacious, front to back and side to side. AND, the back seats recline, which my clients would love. It pains me to say it had the best back seat of any car in my working price range. But I won't be getting one. I can probably talk my boss into a lot of things, but convincing him our clients can look past a Toyota badge is one I can't. Maybe in time our clients could be persuaded but that's a big jump.
My brother and I started looking at lightly used Equus online at dinner afterwards. We found a basic one with under 2k miles for $49K. If I could find one for a little less with similar miles, that may be an option...