7
0
Premium large car; Built in USA
  • 4-door sedan
  • transverse front-engine/front-wheel drive
Good condition price range: $1,700 – $3,600*


1994 Cadillac Sedan DeVille Concours


1995 Cadillac Sedan DeVille


1995 Cadillac Sedan DeVille


1994 Cadillac Sedan DeVille Concours interior


1994 Cadillac Sedan DeVille Concours interior

Pros:
  • Acceleration
  • Antilock brakes
  • Interior noise levels
  • Passenger and cargo room
  • Traction control
Cons:
  • Climate control (base and d’Elegance)
  • Fuel economy
  • Rear visibility

Don’t judge the latest DeVille and Concours just by their conservative styling, which continues to appeal mainly to older drivers. Both Cadillacs offer tempting performance and roomy accommodations, and represent good value for the money.

Overview

Cadillac’s best-seller was redesigned for 1994. The base model was called Sedan DeVille, while the top-of-the-line version earned a DeVille Concours designation. Both were 4-door sedans built on a 113.8-inch wheelbase. Overall length grew by 3.4 inches compared to ’93 sedans. No more Coupe DeVilles, Touring Sedans, or Sixty Specials made the lineup. Base DeVilles used an overhead-valve, 4.9-liter V8 engine. The Concours came with Cadillac’s potent 270-horsepower, 4.6-liter Northstar V8 and Road Sensing Suspension. That RSS setup adjusts firmness in milliseconds, based on vehicle speed and road conditions. Regular DeVilles had a Speed Sensitive Suspension, which adjusts firmness to one of three levels, based on car speed. Antilock all-disc brakes were standard. Outboard front seatbelts got a height-adjustment feature.

Yearly Updates

1995 DeVille/Concours
Traction control was made standard across the board. The system also could now be switched off, if desired. New transmission fluid did not require changing for 100,000 miles.
1996 DeVille/Concours
All front-drive Cadillacs now carried one version or another of the 4.6-liter Northstar V8. Base DeVilles gained a 275-horsepower Northstar, while the Concours V8 rose to 300 horsepower. Daytime running lights were installed this year. Concours sedans added Rainsense to automatically turn on wipers when rain began, and magnetically operated variable-assist power steering. DeVilles gained a stainless-steel exhaust system and Road Sensing Suspension. New stereo systems included redundant controls on the steering wheel. New coolant was designed to last five years or 100,000 miles.
1997 DeVille/Concours
A new DeVille model, standard side airbags, and a mild facelift headline the list of changes for 1997. Joining the base DeVille and plusher Concours is a new mid trim level model, called the De Ville d’Elegance. It comes with more standard equipment than the base DeVille, chrome wheels and gold ornamentation. Plus, dual door-mounted airbags join the two dash-mounted airbags, antilock brakes, and traction control on the list of standard safety features. Styling alterations include a new grille, rounder rear-wheel openings to accommodate the car’s wider rear track, and a deeper rear fascia.
1998 DeVille/Concours
Changes were minimal for 1998, however, with the demise of the Fleetwood, the DeVille lineup became Cadillac’s largest cars.
1999 DeVille/Concours
Cadillac’s largest car saw a host of changes for ’99 including available massaging front seats on d’Elegance and Concours models. Other improvements include an electronic suspension with StabiliTrak. This system is designed to aid control in fast turns by selectively applying the front brakes. It was standard on the Concours and optional on others. In midyear, a Golden Anniversary option was added that included special white paint, wood interior trim, and 2-tone leather upholstery. The DeVille line was all-new for the 2000 model year.

Engines

transverse front-engine/front-wheel drive

Until 1996, the Sedan de Ville held a 200-horsepower, overhead-valve 4.9-liter V8. Then, a 275-horsepower dual-overhead cam Northstar V8 of 4.6-liter displacement became standard. The Concours got a 300-horsepower version that year, versus a 270- or 275-horsepower 4.6-liter Northstar powertrain in 1994-95 models. All DeVilles used a 4-speed automatic transmission.

ohv V8
Engine Size (liters/cubic inches) 4.9/300
Engine HP 200
Engine Torque (lb-ft) 275
Avail. Trans. EPA MPG (city/hwy) MPG avg. as tested
4-speed automatic

 16/26
dohc V8
Engine Size (liters/cubic inches) 4.6/279
Engine HP 270-275
Engine Torque (lb-ft) 300
Avail. Trans. EPA MPG (city/hwy) MPG avg. as tested
4-speed automatic

 17/26

 15.8
dohc V8
Engine Size (liters/cubic inches) 4.6/279
Engine HP 300
Engine Torque (lb-ft) 295
Avail. Trans. EPA MPG (city/hwy) MPG avg. as tested
4-speed automatic

 17/26

 17.2

Road Test

Concours is the performance prince, but even a base DeVille boasts impressive acceleration, with brisk passing response. Power is plentiful with the 4.9-liter base engine–and even better with the later Northstar. With any of the Northstar V8s under the hood, you can expect surprisingly sizzling action, which belies the car’s heft. A Concours, with the most potent V8 ready and waiting, actually rivals some sports sedans when pushing the pedal to the floor. Even better, Cadillac’s 4-speed overdrive automatic transmission shifts with buttery smoothness.

Fuel economy is poor. Only on the highway did we average better than 20 mpg. Overall, a Concours averaged just 15.8 mpg in a long-term trial. Worse yet, all engines demand premium gasoline.

Because of a stiffer structure and better engine mounts, these two ride much more quietly than in previous years, with less noise and vibration. Both suspensions do a good job of isolating the cabin and keeping bouncing to a minimum. The Road Sensing Suspension does a commendable job of maintaining a stable, comfortable ride and minimizing body lean in turns. Agile may not be an appropriate word to describe either DeVille, but these sizable sedans handle reasonably well for cars in their category. Later models with StabiliTrak feel much more agile in hard driving, with no penalty in ride quality. Road and wind noise are minimal, though not necessarily nonexistent. Brakes are strong and fade-free. Steering is firm and responsive, but lacks true road feel and precision.

Inside, you get ample six-passenger seating in a spacious cabin, plus dual airbags. Basic dashboard design is borrowed from the Seville, so climate controls are just to the right of the steering wheel, where they’re hard to see and reach. The trunk opens at bumper level and has a wide, flat floor that can hold loads of luggage.

Ratings

Model Tested: 1996 Cadillac Concours

Ratings values are on a 1-10 scale, with 10 being the best. With the exception of Value, these numbers reflect how the vehicle compares against the universe of vehicles, not just against rivals in its class.

Performance

Acceleration - 8
80%
Fuel Economy - 2
20%
Ride Quality - 7
70%
Steering/Handling - 5
50%
Quietness - 7
70%

Accommodations

Controls/Materials - 7
70%
Room/Comfort Front - 8
80%
Room/Comfort Rear - 8
80%
Cargo Room - 6
60%

Other

Value - 8
80%

Total: 66

Specifications

4-door sedan
Wheelbase (in.) Length (in.) Width (in.) Height (in.) Weight (lbs)
113.8 209.7 76.6 56.3
Cargo Volume (cu/ft) Payload Capacity (cu/ft) Fuel Capacity (gal.) Seating Capacity
20.0 20.0 6
Headroom Legroom
Front Rear Front Rear
38.5 38.4 42.6 43.3
Safety Ratings

Model Tested: 1999 DeVille 4-door sedan

NHTSA

(5 is the highest rating)

Front Impact Test

Driver Injury - 4
80%
Front Passenger Injury - 4
80%

Side Impact Test

Driver Injury - 4
80%
Rear Passenger Injury - 4
80%

HLDI

(A score of 100 is average. Lower is better)

Collision 93
Injury 56
Theft 62

Trouble Spots

Blower motor
Description: The blower motor fails if the spark plug wires are routed too close to the blower-motor housing. (1994-97)
Engine noise
Description: A rattling noise from the engine at startup is often caused by automatic-transmission pump starvation or cavitation, or a sticking pressure-regulator valve. (1994-95)
Fuel odors
Description: Leaks in the vapor recovery system, due to excessively short hoses coming loose, causes fuel odors inside the car. (1997)
Oil leak
Description: Beware rear main seal leaks on Northstar engine. (1996-99)
Oil pump
Description: Low oil pressure may result from debris caught in Northstar engine oil pump pressure relief valve. (1993-94)
Steering noise
Description: The upper bearing mount in the steering column can get loose and cause a snapping or clicking, requiring a new bearing spring and turn-signal cancel cam. (1994-96)

Recall History

1995
Description: Inadvertent airbag deployment could occur, due to water intrusion.
1995-97
Description: The fuel line tubing on certain vehicles may crack causing fuel leakage. Dealers will inspect and replace affected parts.
1996
Description: Secondary hood latch may be improperly adjusted; if primary latch also is not engaged, hood could open unexpectedly.
1997
Description: Brake/traction-control module can cause antilock brake system to cycle in non-ABS braking; could increase stopping distance.
1998
Description: Hood-hinge pivot bolts can break; could cause either the corner of the hood near the windshield to rise, or one side of hood to be unstable when opened.
1998
Description: Misrouted canister-purge evaporative-emissions harness could interfere with cruise control and throttle linkage, preventing return to close throttle position.
1999
Description: Some side-impact airbag-sensor modules have quality problems and may deploy inadvertently.

Equipment Lists

Equipment lists are only viewable on larger screen sizes.

Pricing

Used-car pricing varies widely depending on local market conditions. Therefore, we recommend visiting websites that list used cars for sale to get a better idea of what a specific model is selling for in your area.

More about Tom Appel
Written by: Tom Appel on June 17, 2014.
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