Last summer I had my first stab at a luxury sedan when I reviewed the Acura RL. It was an enjoyable ride, but left more to be desired in terms of embedded technology; I felt that it was targeting a much older demographic who sought ride comfort and subtle detail, over usable technology as their reasons for purchase.

As you first walk up to the XTS you’re immediately reminded of its cousin the North American car of the year the ATS, however - no pun intended - with a bit more junk in the trunk. You see, the XTS takes its design cues from the ATS, but is modeled after the now defunct Cadillac STS and DTS models. However coming in at 202 inches, it measures larger than the STS and shorter than the DTS; falling gracefully in between the two. In essence, it is the largest car in GM’s current lineup, but by no means a ‘boat’ in today standards.

Something I found striking about the XTS, which I felt deserved honorable mention, was the console behind the steering wheel. Though the picture doesn’t do it proper justice, it was simply unreal. Having previously driven the Escalade and ATS, I was taken aback by the amount of detail put into this digital box.

Onto CUE;

As previously reviewed in the ATS, it is the same implementation in a larger space. It still offers a stunning UI and recognizes gestures like a champ (as you put your hand toward the screen, the menu pops up from the bottom). What it doesn’t do, however, is work well with Android 4.2.2. I found the Bluetooth for calls to be extremely finicky and A2DP music streaming non-existent. Aside from the previously mentioned complaints, CUE is fantastic for first-timers as the system itself is extremely intuitive and easy to navigate.

I think it was largely due to the size, but never have I driven a sedan that handled as well. The Magnetorheological shocks provided ride smoothness, while GM’s Quick-ratio steering and short sidewalls give the XTS prompt responses; the downside is the occasional harsh impact on heavy braking during city (or highway) driving.

Overall with a 306HP V6 engine, when you buy this bad-boy, you know exactly what you’re getting yourself into. With a starting price of $48.9K it is the most technologically-advanced luxury sedan in Canada and well worth the look if you’re on the market for a BMW 7 Series or Audi A8.

Learn more about it via GM Canada here

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