Favorite Cadillac feature this week: seat heaters

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This week the Dallas, Texas area is in the 30s (F) which is generally colder than I prefer. I am also back on my diet, so hopefully more sensitive to cold weather lol.

One of the features of my current Cadillac is front and rear seat heaters. I garage my car overnight, and I have a short commute. So while my Cadillac is not as cold as it might be in the mornings if it were sitting out in the weather, there are only a few minutes during my daily commute for the Cadillac to warm up enough to brace me for a windy parking lot traverse.

That’s where heated seats come in. While the climate control is waiting for the engine to reach operating temperature and provide warmth, the seat heaters are electric and go right to work. By the time I get to work my core is ‘fortified’ for the parking lot slog.

The same would be true for longer commutes of course — faster heat on a cold morning is welcome regardless.

My Cadillac also has a heated steering wheel but I am not as clear yet on that feature — I may have to break down and read the owner’s manual (oh no!).

Cadillac November 2011 Sales show Cadillac SRX strength

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SRX sales outpaced steady CTS sales for November 2011.    Overall as expected with the DTS to XTS gap total Cadillac sales were down.

 Details by model:


 November
(Calendar Year-to-Date)

January – November

2011 2010 % Chg Volume %Chg per S/D
2011 2010 %Chg Volume
Selling Days (S/D) 25 24





CTS 3,804 3,727 2.1 -2.0
49,622 40,485 22.6
DTS 264 1,384 -80.9 -81.7
11,423 17,102 -33.2
Escalade 1,274 1,347 -5.4 -9.2
13,189 13,832 -4.6
Escalade ESV 777 763 1.8 -2.2
7,269 7,412 -1.9
Escalade EXT 196 197 -0.5 -4.5
1,774 1,816 -2.3
SRX 4,736 4,076 16.2 11.5
49,581 45,229 9.6
STS 94 307 -69.4 -70.6
3,260 4,144 -21.3
XLR 0 0 ***.* ***.*
12 187 -93.6
Cadillac Total 11,145 11,801 -5.6 -9.3
136,130 130,207 4.5

The good news here is that SRX sales continue to shine, up 11.5% per sales day.

Make my Cadillac XTS AWD

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One of the available features of the new Cadillac XTS, arriving in showrooms this summer, is the Haldex All-wheel drive system with electronically controlled limited slip differential.

The advantage of this system:

  • All-wheel drive traction for improved control & safety in rain or snow

while the disadvantages:

  • slightly more weight
  • 1 mpg less highway fuel economy

Traditionally the disadvantages to an AWD system have been more severe.  The new system is lighter and more capable which act to mitigate the disadvantages and improve the advantages.

Cadillac notes:

A smart Haldex all-wheel-drive system – with an electronic limited-slip differential that splits torque between the rear wheels – complements an advanced HiPer Strut front suspension and standard Magnetic Ride Control real-time damping to give the XTS sure-footed, confident and comfortable ride and handling traits. A linked H-arm design with “air springs” comprises the rear suspension.

One of the features previously discussed for the XTS AWD (see discussion here) was the ability to ‘tune’ the powertrain to have the same characteristics as a rear-wheel drive vehicle.

Another feature I would like to see is a full performance version of the AWD hardware — say on a future CTS-V — with the advantage of full hp launches with AWD traction.  I am hopeful that as Cadillac continues to develop these systems along with Haldex that we will see a high-performance version some day.