Contact FleetCUBE

Cadillac BLS

Fleet Review

Fleet Rating: 3 ½ 
Vehicle price: R 268,000
For: Distinctive style, economical engine, grip, practical boot, equipment
Against: Resale values, finger-trapping handbrake, body roll

On the road

The Cadillac BLS is all about comfort and ease of use. The suspension is notably soft, and lean around corners is rather pronounced. For everyday use the suspension set-up is perfect but for the sport enthusiast it will not suffice. As a result, it's not so involving, but there's plenty of grip. The steering is too light and it lacks the precision of some of the other offering from Europe and Japan. Yet the BLS is a capable cruiser, and refined on the move.

Safety

To protect occupants in side impacts, the door pillars function much like a pendulum, hinging at the top and swinging at the base in a controlled movement. This deflects the energy of the impact from the occupants’ head and chest areas to less vulnerable areas of the body.

Additional safety features include front air bags for both driver and front passenger, side-seat mounted airbags on the front seats for thorax protection for the front seat occupants, and side curtain air bags that provide protection for the driver, front passenger and occupants of the outer two seats at the rear. Active headrests fitted to the front seats reduce the risk of whiplash injuries. Pyrotechnic seatbelt tensioners and force limiters are fitted to the seat belts for the front seats and the outer rear seats. All five seating positions have 3-point seat belts.

Large diameter ventilated brake discs are fitted front and rear and are linked to a four channel ABS system. Traction control, electronic brake assist, and Cadillac’s Stabilitrak vehicle stability enhancement system with cornering brake control (CBC) complete the electronic driver aids suite. CBC regulates the brake pressure at each wheel individually if the brakes are applied in a bend to increase cornering stability under this condition. Cruise control is also an element of the electronic driver aids package on the Cadillac BLS.

Interior and space

The Cadillac has retained the same finger-trapping handbrake as on the Saab 9-3. It's a perfect example of form over function. Still, the centre console is unique, and looks and feels suitably upmarket, offsetting a steering wheel, indicator stalks and window controls shared with the 9-3. Adding to the interior's charms, the ergonomics are sound, while the seats offer a decent range of manual adjustments. Tall drivers may find themselves wishing for a little more reach on the steering wheel, however, and there's not enough side bolstering to prevent you from sliding around a little during serious cornering. But the generous rear headroom makes the BLS a practical proposition for adults in the back, as does a deep 425-litre boot with a 60:40 split to increase boot space even more. So there's nothing here to feel ashamed off at the golf course.

And your colleagues won't laugh at the interior either. Our car was silver outside with all black leather inside, with some aluminium finish strips and bits of black plastic and plastic 'wood'. Surprisingly, it looked pretty good; the plastic wood was almost convincing and passengers all commented favourably. The analogue clock taking top centre of the console looks very classy; the three dial instrument panel a model of almost BMW-like clarity.

In the market

This is Cadillac's best chance to establish itself as a contender in the South African market. Based on Saab's 9-3, the BLS adds distinctive styling to a proven mechanical package. The pricing is keen, for a range that includes three turbo petrol engines (2 liter turbo manual and automatic and a 2.8 liter twin turbo) and, in a first for a modern Cadillac, a 1.9-litre turbo diesel.

Ownership

Service intervals are set at 20,000 km so you do not have to worry about visiting any of the current 6 dealerships in South Africa too often. During the test period we fitted a towbar and I must say that the service we received from the Williams Hunt Fourways Cadillac dealership was exceptional. Residual values could be one of the only draw back in the ownership experience. The Cadillac comes standard with a 5 year / 100,000 km Maintenance Plan, 3 year / 100,000 km Warranty and a 3 year / 100,000 km roadside assistance plan. The fleet logbook tells the story of the residual value implication on the overall ownership cost. This is a reality with a lot of vehicles on our roads nowadays and one should be aware of the facts prior to the purchase.

Verdict

If your tastes are a little mellower, you're going to be pleasantly surprised by the BLS. Even allowing for my bias, I really enjoyed my time with this car. The 3 ½ star verdict doesn’t do the car justice it is only because of the resale values out in the market and hefty competition from the European rivals that could hamper the decision to include the BLS in your fleet or as a company car. On the other hand, one could stand out in the crowd and go with the Cadillac advertising slogan “the new measure of success”.

Now can I have the 2.8-litre turbo V6 please?

More information on Cadillac
Downloadable brochure
Downloadable spec list
Dealer locator
Visit Cadillac site

© 1998 - 2008 © FleetCUBE. All rights reserved. Disclaimer
Found a fault on the web site, click here and tell us about it.