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.
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.