Edmunds gives Cadillac XLR a thorough going-over

Most importantly, apparently, is that the XLR turns heads in Beverly Hills, a place where heads rarely turn. So the car is definitely visually striking and unique— but does it have the performance and refinement to live up to those looks? Kind of: the performance is almost there, with a Corvette chassis and strong Northstar V8, the car can indeed get out of its own way, but it's hampered by a soft suspension, isolated steering, and excessive body roll. Where the XLR leaves the most to be desired is in the cabin appointments, which fall short of what is expected from a $75,000 machine. The materials and quality of assembly are good, but not great, and the interior design overall is unremarkable. The XLR is most happy on long straight, sunny roads, as driving with the retractable hardtop closed proved a bit claustrophobic. Fortunately Cadillac has also realized the importance of bringing technological gadgetry in moderation, and the various heads-up display, touchscreen navigation and adaptive cruise control systems are all quite functional and relatively easy to use.