2019 Cadillac XTS...my Last Rental

[caddycruiser]

Through the last few years, and many automotive ventures, I've had the pleasure of living with endless long term rental vehicles for thousands of miles each.

Typically, this has meant anywhere from 3000-6500 miles a piece, before swapping or exchanging for the next. Road warrior, randoms.

I'm changing roles tomorrow, and will now be driving manufacturer demo's for long term. My "last rental finale?"...

2019 Cadillac XTS. Picked up yesterday.

After putting 3,900 miles on a 2019 Ram 1500 Classic (LOVED it), Enterprise asked me if I'd do them a favor and take one of their leftover XTS's on my one way "get rid of it" trip.

Interesting car...for sure...I had a 2018 Impala Premier back in January 2018, which was good. So, how fitting, my rental finale be a Cadillac.

Ask away...if anyone cares? I'll chart out what I've driven over the next post.

 

[caddycruiser]

What else I've miled up since summer 2017...

2016 Chevy Cruze (green, drove it from Philly to Kentucky, then Pittsburgh, and Philly again. Great little car)

2016 Chrysler 200 with 47k miles. Smooth, not bad. Battery died...had to be towed...

2017 Nissan Altima SL (had a few), the 200 replacement. Always great mileage. Comfy seats. Terrible front end push on corners, and lack of grip. But 35 mpg+...

2017 Chevy Sonic Premier. Great visibility, nice little turbo. Rough, rattly, noisy, uncomfortable. Radio kept malfunctioning. Drove it LONG distance...and couldn't wait to give it back.

2017 Chevy Camaro 1LT RS. Red, 3.6L. Fun. Great cloth. Same hard to get in & out. But fun for a time, and good power/mileage mix.

2017 Toyota Camry SE 2.5L. Fine, not memorable. Long distance driving. Never got over 29 mpg in a 4 cylinder. Handled better than the Altimas, but not as comfy.

2017 Dodge Challenger R/T Hemi. LOVED, LOVED. Cloth, no options. Burbling Hemi. I put 5,900 miles on it...drove everywhere, winter included. Long trips, Pittsburgh to Philly, averaged 29.8 mpg...better than the Camry every could. Didn't want to give it back.

2017 Dodge Journey SXT V6. 3.6L, quick 6 speed, nice sized package. Very little front legroom, but great size. Weirdest option combos ever. USB with little charging juice, but no bluetooth. Mix of old meets newer look.

2018 Dodge Charter SXT V6 RWD. Red. Smooth, crisp 3.6L, CarPlay, remote start. More functional than the Challenger. Easy to get good mileage. I love the FCA 3.6L, but it's not the most impressive in these cars, vs. the Hemi. (I think the reverse in SUV's).

2018 Chevy Impala Premier. Super well done car. Not a car fan, but great size, awesome look, decent 3.6L power. Clunky bad GM infotainment, but a nice sedan with power and size for people, that's solid.

2017 GMC Yukon SLT 4x2. Took this as a "can you take the big one?" for a while. Nice truck, but definitely an old and clunky design. Comfortable enough, and nice interior. Bad GM infotainment, and the useless can barely see it, and it doesn't beep or do a single helpful thing, GM blind spot. 2nd Enterprise I had that broke down...cruising from NY to Philly, on the turnpike, CEL triggered at a toll booth. Kept cruising, seemed fine. Next morning stumbled to turn over, shuddered, turned off. 2 more tries, it ran again, and I got it back to Enterprise. Had a bill in the glove box for "transmission shudders", before, and I noticed that too. But so has every full size GM SUV truck I've driven.

2017 GMC Terrain SLT 2.4L AWD. Know these well, after buying 2 for mom. Holy scary slow. GREAT package, size, and seats. SCARY slow. I enjoyed driving it, and the size, a LOT. But merging with the 2.4L onto highways was terrifying. I always recommended the 2.4L back then, but after long term in one, no way. Mom's 3.0L and 3.6L were monsters in comparison. Terrible mileage, too, always revving out hard to keep moving. But nice package, if it had power.

2016 Hyundai Sonata 2.4L. Thought I'd try it. Hated it, unexpectedly. Antithesis of the previous nice gen (2011+). Hard, flat seats, grainy sounds and feel, just reeked economy. Good mileage. Nice touch screen. I took it back.

2017 Kia Soul +. LOVED this little car. So comfortable, so smooth, so refined, seat height that doesn't kill your legs like a sedan, and functional. Tiny, tiny cargo space (have to be creative with suitcases), but was great. Always felt quick enough, but the mileage was never a standout in the high 20's.

2017 Ford Expedition XLT 4x2 Ecoboost. Who knew. Old school interior and tech, but the powertrain and driving dynamics the Yukon wished it had, and this was the old one. First time I merged onto the highway, I was shocked, after my last truck experience. Did about 4,500 miles on this one, and it was great. Mileage included. Advance to the more modern 2018+, and good choice.

2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited 4x4 Luxury II. LOVED IT SO MUCH. Leased mom one for a reason. Perfect size. Perfect drive. Perfect package. Old platform, that feels better baked, refined, powerful, and economical than other "newer things". Did 5,900 miles and wouldn't give it back. Never got tired of it. 2017 pre-Carplay, but great UConnect. The 3.6L that can feel doggy in the LX cars, is perfect here, quick, sharp, and crisp. Ideal modes, Eco for transmission and Sport for steering. Just too perfect, every day. I'd take one...any day. Filled the tank in Rochester, NY. Drove to Punxsutawney, PA & around town. Drove back to NYC...one tank...549 miles of range...unstoppable, in silent, crisp, comfortable trekking. Buy one. Skip the Hemi, no need, and just heavier.

2018 Chevy Camaro 1LT RS V6. Identical copy of what I had before. Rented in Arizona. Drove there, drove to California, and back to Arizona again over December. Fun, and comfy cloth. With 28k miles, the suspension was clunky, and it wasn't the smoothest. Felt worn out, slightly, but also just in the way the GM Alpha platform always feels too rigid and clunky. Still fun, every day, and nice 3.6L sounds. 

2019 Chevy Silverado 1500 Double Cab Classic. Holy titanic. GM truck powertrains...slurpy, shuddery, feel like rubber bands. Crooked tilted to the side (as every review says) steering wheel. Feels heavier than it is. Feels old. Oddly, the radio & Carplay worked well, old junk graphics aside. Had 700 miles on it to start, and after I hard throttled it a bit in Long Island, and longer trips, the transmission started smoothing out. 5.3L/6-speed in an empty truck always felt like you were trying to pull a cruise ship behind you from a stop...when in reality it was empty and just trying to get off the line. Gave it back after a week, and switched smaller...

2018 Chevy Colorado 4x4 LT 3.6L. Who knew, great truck. After the loafing, puggy, clunky, slurpy, boat anchor feeling Silverado, this drove like a car, sounded great, and somehow the 8-speed with the 3.6L makes it more of a Camaro truck. Great drive too, and no rear end leaf spring bounce liked I expected. Radio worked well. Great size.

2018 Dodge Challenger SXT 3.6L. Same package as my 2017 R/T, but with more stuff. The backup camera and 7" UConnect with Carplay were great. Comfy, smooth, solid, and liveable. Enjoyed it a lot. 3.6L, again, in these cars, doesn't feel as sharp or crisp as in something like a Grand Cherokee, but works well enough and the whole car feels relaxed. Only gave it back, when due for service.

2019 Ford Mustang Premium Convertible 2.3T. GREAT. After Camaros, and Challengers, this was a first. First day, I wasn't sure about the 2.3T, sounded like a tractor. More I I drove it, more I loved it. 2.3T/10-speed is perfect. Enjoyed it so much more than the Camaro 3.6L or the Challenger 3.6L. Always the right gear, perfect ratios, and endless power. Yet, oddly enough, also the best mileage no matter what I did. Philly to Woodstock, NY, averaged 31.9 mpg. Never reset it, and over the next 1.5 months of stop & go, back roads, NYC, etc. the my 2500 mile average was 26.9 mpg at turn in. Throw it in Sport or Track mode...and even better on a curvy road. Problem? Nasty seats and not enough legroom. Really bad. Seats and seating position like sitting in an Aerostar hurt my legs, every time. But it was so fun...and flawless in performance.

2019 Dodge Ram 1500 Classic Hemi Crew Cab. A lot to be said, for the classics. Picked this up with 4500 miles on it, and had never driven one for a while. It was worlds, and worlds, in a different league than that clunky slushy titanic 2019 Silverado Classic. Quick, crisp, smooth, on point, great steering, big mirrors, and bizarrely, easier to park than many cars. Huge 8.4" new UConnect, front & back sensors, and Carplay, with cloth, power folding mirrors and remote start. A combo package, of "old that's still good". Loved it. Even living in the city, loved it, and was always perfect. Best Infotainment and Carplay of any vehicle I've had...and day to day, refined, crisp, and great to drive easily. No negatives, other than I did confuse the rotate shifter with the volume once or twice, and the "old bones interior" would get a few random plastic clicking sounds over bumps. But Bentley vs. "what is wrong with this thing?" Silverado.

 

And now....the finale...2019 Cadillac XTS base FWD. I wanted to keep the Ram. Enterprise asked if I'd help them and take 1 of 2 XTS's to get rid of them. 14k miles. No options. Gray on black, with 19" wheels. No blind spot, no cross path, no safety alert anything. Yet, standard, it has Auto Self Parking?!? Weirdest ever. GM way. $52k...and blind spot (GM's doesn't work anyway) is still an option. Power folding mirrors. Very smooth, very quiet. Infotainment turns on, but is awful. Carplay is clunky, and needs "are you sure?" confirmation every time. NO volume knob and the "slide massage here" CUE volume is terrible, as are the piano black push buttons that are slow to respond on the steering wheel. One of the worst, grainiest, back up cameras I've had. Soft seats. Lit details. Great looking inside. Self parking is glitchy, and only worked once. Why does a car like this self park itself, but have no other feature, safety, etc. at all? And why paddle shifters? 3.6L/6-speed is smooth...and thankful, a normal shifter. But...

My last 2 years in rentals. Fun R&D long term tests...or "please, just take it back. I'll take anything else!" Ha. My company car awaits...

Edited May 5, 2019 by caddycruiser

[caddycruiser]

Missed 2 more I had in the summer...

2017 Ford Taurus Limited. Great old car. Feature packed, Limited with everything including auto high beams. Ford 3.5L always feels crisper with the FWD 6-speed than a GM 3.6L/6-speed car, and mileage was good. Weird seats, and wide car, but worked well. Kept it for a while. Same weird "doesn't beep or do anything blind spot" like GM, but cross traffic worked well. But, for a $40k sedan...skip them. A crossover is more comfortable, more functional, and doesn't hurt my legs. Hence why this and the Impala are extinct. 

2018 Hyundai Santa Fe AWD 2.4L. Kept this one for a while. Not much power, but efficient enough. Not high in features, basically base with AWD, but a great size, smoothness, seats, etc. Felt quicker than the Terrain, and much better tuning/etc, and day to day useful, quiet, etc. Kept it a while.

Edited May 5, 2019 by caddycruiser

[ykX]

Wow, great and interesting reviews.  Thank you

[ccap41]

Do you wish you could blow up the XTS and replace it with a CTS? 

[Drew Dowdell]

I'm hoping for an XTS when I pick up my rental on Thursday. I want the biggest, roomiest, luxury vehicle I can rent without going to an SUV. 

Either that or a 300C

[riviera74]

3 hours ago, Drew Dowdell said:

I'm hoping for an XTS when I pick up my rental on Thursday. I want the biggest, roomiest, luxury vehicle I can rent without going to an SUV. 

Either that or a 300C

Get the 300C if you can.  The XTS is a little small (inside) by comparison.

[daves87rs]

Lots of good reviews!

[Drew Dowdell]

10 hours ago, riviera74 said:

Get the 300C if you can.  The XTS is a little small (inside) by comparison.

It'll all depend on what is available. 

[caddycruiser]

On 5/6/2019 at 9:38 AM, ccap41 said:

Do you wish you could blow up the XTS and replace it with a CTS? 

Not really. I appreciate the CTS RWD Alpha dynamics, but also more liked the smoother, quieter, polished feel of the XTS.

Where the ATS/CTS can be brash and crashy (goal GM wanted to fix in the CT5), the XTS is just smooth. And, unlike those 2, it actually has functional legroom inside. That said, never got comfortable in the driver's position (I have a tough time with cars, period, when they're low and have weird seating), and the infotainment was annoying enough.

CT5 looks to be a good combo. RWD, more legroom than the current siblings, smoother (they say), and a volume knob. The lack of a radio volume knob alone actually did drive me nuts.

 

And now, the NEW one...

Loaded 2019 Subaru Outback 2.5i Touring in Wilderness Green with Java Brown leather.

GREAT. Old platform, but Carplay works better than most other brands I've had, the packaging is great, and the 2.5i is super smooth and takes off well. Moreso, the more I drive it, I've never noticed "CVT" as it does the simulated steps and doesn't rev out high. Just smooth. Love EyeSight, etc. supremely well integrated and enjoyable daily.

2020 seats and such are better shaped and bolstered, in the new platform. But this gen is still terrific. And who knew...I went from a Hemi and a GM 3.6L to a Subie 2.5L...and am enjoying the refinement.

Perfectly refreshing, functional, and luxurious after the sorted mix above?

Edited May 9, 2019 by caddycruiser

[caddycruiser]

Oh, and I started using the XTS self parking the next day...interesting.

No other feature, yet it does this. GM bizarro feature mix. A base Mazda has blind spot and can stop, steer, and radar cruise itself...your $52k+ Cadillac has none of that, yet, will self parallel park.

 

Edited May 9, 2019 by caddycruiser

[ccap41]

12 hours ago, caddycruiser said:

will self parallel park

That's not parallel parking but it is parking itself and that is really cool. 

[caddycruiser]

12 hours ago, ccap41 said:

That's not parallel parking but it is parking itself and that is really cool. 

It does that as well. Parallel or perpendicular, just click what you want it to look for. I used both, but could only video the perpendicular in a quiet parking lot.

But again. $52k+ and no other feature except that. No blind spot, no collision warning, no auto braking, no adaptive cruise...base models of some basic brands have had this for years. Cadillac. Weird, like the rest of GM.

Edited May 10, 2019 by caddycruiser

[Drew Dowdell]

The selection of sedans was poor. I ended up in an Acadia Denali. Android auto in GMs is still rubbish.

[caddycruiser]

10 hours ago, Drew Dowdell said:

The selection of sedans was poor. I ended up in an Acadia Denali. Android auto in GMs is still rubbish.

At least it's comfortable, with seat height. But yes, in infotainment world, GM's are not the best. I've found the more recent gens with CarPlay/Android are better than the messes the previous MyLink systems were (our last Terrain & Traverse, etc.) but nothing special.

Simplicity and functionality with connectivity, and not confused, is key. Add CarPlay to Cadillac CUE...and try to adjust your audio vs. voice volume levels without wanting to punch the head unit and give up...haha.

I need to do a review soon of each automaker's implementation of CarPlay/Android Auto. Again, driving so many brands for thousands of miles a piece...the integration of each is...very different. And noticeable day to day. Software, design, etc.

Edited May 10, 2019 by caddycruiser

[regfootball]

Wow!  Some great write ups!  Have to go back and re read some again. !

on that 2019 Silverado. I know the 5.3/6 speed gets maligned a lot.  I’d be curious to see what you think of the new 4 cylinder if you ever get a chance to drive it. I thought it was not bad  

I just dun got back from driving a ct6 again (for my mom this time). I like your perspective on the XTS it makes me think I should take one for a spin. I’ve never driven an XTS yet. Yes it’s GM stupid that it would have power folding mirrors but not blind spot detection. That is classic GM!

Edited May 11, 2019 by regfootball

[caddycruiser]

1 hour ago, regfootball said:

Wow!  Some great write ups!  Have to go back and re read some again. !

on that 2019 Silverado. I know the 5.3/6 speed gets maligned a lot.  I’d be curious to see what you think of the new 4 cylinder if you ever get a chance to drive it. I thought it was not bad  

I just dun got back from driving a ct6 again (for my mom this time). I like your perspective on the XTS it makes me think I should take one for a spin. I’ve never driven an XTS yet. Yes it’s GM stupid that it would have power folding mirrors but not blind spot detection. That is classic GM!

The only way to ever have factual unbiased data on cars...long term living with brands and models of every kind.

Years ago, when I had a 2012 Regal GS, I considered a 2013/2014 ATS. No room, flat hard seats (in comparison to the Regal GS), a back seat that wasn't usable, and brash harsh Alpha platform "it's so crisp". If you like the idea of a bigger car, a smoother car, and interesting but not great features, maybe a used XTS vs. a loaded Impala could work.

Big 'ole cars...livery service, or just wafting along. I think I got 30-31 mpg average cruising from Philly to NJJ/NY last weekend, fairly easily. The 3.6L was subdued, mixed with classic GM FWD "is it a rubber band in there?" gooey feel.

When GM (or Ford for that matter) do blind spot, they may as well just skip it. Both suffer from the tiniest barely visible light amber tiny symbols far out on the mirror and no audible, etc. alert. GM can't seem to just add all the front end sensing equipment that's standard on a $20k Corolla or Mazda 3, but even something...anything...would help.

A week into the 2019 Outback now. Super functional, proper sized, comfortable, and performs well, CarPlay integration and almost self driving safety tech, all included.

Edited May 11, 2019 by caddycruiser

[Robert Hall]

On 5/5/2019 at 10:56 AM, caddycruiser said:

 

2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited 4x4 Luxury II. LOVED IT SO MUCH. Leased mom one for a reason. Perfect size. Perfect drive. Perfect package. Old platform, that feels better baked, refined, powerful, and economical than other "newer things". Did 5,900 miles and wouldn't give it back. Never got tired of it. 2017 pre-Carplay, but great UConnect. The 3.6L that can feel doggy in the LX cars, is perfect here, quick, sharp, and crisp. Ideal modes, Eco for transmission and Sport for steering. Just too perfect, every day. I'd take one...any day. Filled the tank in Rochester, NY. Drove to Punxsutawney, PA & around town. Drove back to NYC...one tank...549 miles of range...unstoppable, in silent, crisp, comfortable trekking. Buy one. Skip the Hemi, no need, and just heavier. 

Nice to hear you liked the Grand Cherokee Limited...I love my '14.  Bought mine as a CPO in March '17 w/ 25k to replace my '00 GC (which I put 170k miles on).   It's up to 42k miles now, been great around town and on cross country road trips..love driving it. 

[caddycruiser]

On 5/11/2019 at 8:39 PM, Robert Hall said:

Nice to hear you liked the Grand Cherokee Limited...I love my '14.  Bought mine as a CPO in March '17 w/ 25k to replace my '00 GC (which I put 170k miles on).   It's up to 42k miles now, been great around town and on cross country road trips..love driving it. 

Favorite package and drive day to day. Right size, right look, right comfort, right power...and 2016+ have further refined and updated steering systems, etc. 549 miles on a tank, and that crisp 8 speed with a Pentastar that rips...perfect.

Still nothing has lived up to them, in all my drives. Even equally enjoyed a well used 38k mile 2016 GC Laredo 4x2 with ZERO options back in 2017. No camera, no remote start, tiny radio, yet drove the same, and averaged 27.5 mpg.