Cadillac BLS Saloon (06 on) - Review

Review by Ben Wall on
Last Updated: 05 November 2008
The BLS is Cadillac's attempt at a medium-sized saloon. It's actually built in the same factory as (and shares many components with) the Saab 9-3, which itself has plenty in common with the Vauxhall Vectra. So despite the all-American name it is developed for European tastes. The styling is distinctive and it's certainly a good choice if you want to stand out from the crowd, while equipment levels are generous too. But there's little else to recommend the BLS. It's dull to drive, looks and feels dated inside with some flimsy switchgear while Cadillac's dealer network is very limited in size. So while the price tag puts it alongside the likes of the BMW 3-Series, the quality and driving experience falls way short.
3.5 out of 5

Safety

The BLS is closely related to the Saab 9-3 and Vauxhall Vectra, so in theory it should match them in terms of safety - as a guide the Saab received the maximum five star rating while the Vauxhall was awarded four stars. It has six airbags as standard along with active headrests to lessen whiplash for front passengers and pyrotechnic seatbelts which tighten in the event of an accident.

NCAP Test

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3.5 out of 5

Reliability

The Saab 9-3 which the BLS is based on has proved a reliable car on the whole with only a few minor problems on early cars. All the engines in the line-up have been well-proven in other GM cars.

Car check problem points

Body

No problems reported.

Engine/Gearbox

No problems reported.

Other

No problems reported.