Model Mix Choose the 2006 Cadillac DTS Luxury if you want a traditional soft-riding and mushy-handling sedan. The more responsive and better-controlled DTS Performance is aimed at people who might otherwise select an import brand.

The 2006 Cadillac DTS isn’t a new car. Rather, it’s a re-worked version of the existing DeVille. That means it’s still a large, front-wheel-drive sedan powered by a 4.6-liter Northstar V8 engine and a four-speed automatic transmission.

Sold in a single trim level with multiple Luxury packages or a single Performance package, the DTS splits its personality along similar lines. In Luxury trim, it’s a traditional soft-riding, nose-heavy, mushy-handling sedan that’s quick off the line but possesses nary a dynamic handling trait. This is the DTS for the older crowd. In Performance trim, which includes a re-tuned engine, a different suspension, bigger wheels with more aggressive tires, and lots of standard equipment, the DTS is transformed into a responsive, controlled, almost fun luxury cruiser. This is the DTS for the younger crowd.

Selected standard equipment on the DTS Luxury 1 model includes fake wood interior trim, eight-way power front seats covered in Nuance leather upholstery, triple-zone automatic climate control with air filtration, and an eight-speaker stereo with a CD player. The DTS Luxury 1 also includes remote engine starting, four-wheel-disc antilock brakes, traction control, 17-inch wheels and tires with a tire pressure monitor, and automatic rear suspension leveling. OnStar telematics with one year of free Virtual Advisor service is included, along with xenon high intensity discharge headlights that automatically illuminate when the windshield wipers are turned on, and heated sideview mirrors that improve visibility even further. The DTS Luxury 1 is the version most likely to land in Avis and National rental fleets as the top choice for moneyed travelers.

Step up one rung to the DTS Luxury 2 if you live in a cold climate where snow covers the roads, and add a heated steering wheel, heated windshield washer system, heated and cooled front seats, heated rear seats, brake assist technology that helps in a panic stop, and StabiliTrak stability control. The DTS Luxury 2 also includes a memory package that recalls vehicle settings for two different drivers, XM satellite radio with three months of free service, and Ultrasonic front and rear parking assist.

The DTS Luxury 3 piles on real burled walnut dashboard trim, a wood-trimmed power tilt and telescopic steering wheel with memory, and a Bose premium audio with Centerpoint signal processing and a six-disc in-dash CD changer. Chrome multi-spoke alloy wheels decorate the exterior, while front seat occupants can ooh and aah thanks to a lumbar massage feature. The DTS Luxury 3 also gets a net and mat for the trunk, IntelliBeam automatic high-beam headlights, and rain-sensing windshield wipers.

Versions equipped with the Performance package come with 18-inch wheels, lower-profile tires for better handling, a performance-tuned magnetic ride control suspension, and Performance Algorithm Shift software to make the transmission more responsive. Adaptive cruise control, a DVD navigation system with touch-screen control, a power sunroof, a power rear sunshade, and upgraded leather are optional on select DTS models.

Safety gear includes a dual-stage driver airbag, a dual-depth front passenger airbag, side-impact airbags for the front seat occupants, and side-curtain airbags for all outboard seating positions. The dual-depth airbag design takes occupant seatbelt usage, seating position, and crash severity into account to deploy the front passenger airbag at a shallow depth or a deeper depth to protect the passenger.

In the event of an accident that causes the airbags to deploy, the standard OnStar telematics system can notify rescue personnel of your location and status to speed medical treatment, if necessary. Cadillac also tosses in a free 12-month subscription to OnStar Virtual Advisor, which can provide weather and traffic updates, stock reports, and other vital data to consumers who select the 2006 Cadillac DTS. And to keep from becoming stranded with a flat tire, a tire pressure monitoring system is standard.