MotorWeek | Retro Review: '89 Cadillac Fleetwood

[@Fontanat]

Plenty of wise guys seen the trunk of this car.

[@Fontanat]

***** You trying get wise with me pal? You know what. Forget about it.

[@michaelcoulter1114]

+Plus Minus Infinity I ain't your buddy, friend.

[@stephencarrigg4371]

Yeah then they see the bottom of the ocean.

[@northamericanauto43]

I ain't your friend, guy!

[@out4lox262]

listen pal, we ain't buddies.

[@oldtwinsna8347]

These were the throwback to the days of smoking, even drinking, in your car while you cruised down the road. You then picked up your business clients since everything was face to face then, no email, and phone calls were only for setting appointments.

[@75aces97]

Drinking in the car was long since over by 1989 unless you wanted heavy fines.

[@onefastslimjim]

@@75aces97 that's why he said "throwback", meaning throwback to the 60's era, when that was definitely the case lol

[@rodmunch69]

@@75aces97 Maybe if you're a flaming fruit. Meanwhile men were still men in 1989.

[@montecarloss305]

MW: "This 89 Cadillac Fleetwood is big and powerful" '94 Fleetwood: "Hold my white wine spritzer"

[@LSp8]

Best comment ever!!! That LT1 from 94-96 is the reason we have a CTS-V now. Now that was a game changer.

[@The_R-n-I_Guy]

The Buick Roadmaster is no slouch either

[@DownassMusic]

Take a drink 🥃 every time John complains about gauges 🤣

[@brspeedysgarage]

DownassMusic you know it’s not right without volt and oil psi gauges. 😀

[@zachg9065]

"Cadillac never claimed that the Fleetwood was a sports sedan." How times have changed!

[@albear972]

They had the sports sedan, the Cimarron by Chevrolet.

[@rcairforceone]

albear972 I don't think anybody seriously considered the Cimmaron to be a sports sedan. I think the Catera was the first one they really pushed as a sports sedan. Fortunately that disappointment led to the CTS which then brought on the V models.

[@Samsroomofrequirements]

rcairforceone I loved the look of the catera! But reliability was definitely lacking.

[@a-aron5691]

I mean still no one is saying the Fleetwood is a sports sedan but that's mainly because the Fleetwood isn't exactly something that exists anymore.

[@WSNO]

‘89 Fleetwood touring sedan, to go with the DeVille touring sedan and coupé, SeVille touring sedan and ElDorado Touring Coupé

[@russelljohnson1303]

I just got my first car this Friday white 1992 Cadillac sedan deville 4.9 V8 with dark blue leather interior. Same size as this. only no rear fender skirts. It's mint condition and I got her for $2,115

[@BruceTheSillyGoose]

you're so lucky! i hope it doesn't break down soon.

[@vitoscalleta4431]

Crazy how this and the LS400 came out at the same time

[@jamesslick4790]

Crazy how the Apple IIe and The IBM PC-XT came out at the same time

[@texan903]

Yes, the LS400 was so much better engineered, technologically advanced, and dependable with a stronger resale value to boot.

[@andrewcolsen]

@@texan903 I still see a few of these Cadillacs on the road today, but I don’t see the LS400. Those are long gone, rusted away in the junkyard. Maybe Toyota isn’t so great after all since this GM product is still around.

[@texan903]

@@andrewcolsen your observation is the exact opposite of mine. Rarely do I see the older de Villes while I routinely see older Lexus and Toyota models. Maybe maybe your observations are flawed.

[@1985toyotacamry]

@@texan903 agreed I see some original LS400 rolling around my area but I rarely see that Caddiac in the road.

[@manthony225]

Those 80's Delco stereos! That takes me back. They sounded pretty good.

[@Skyhawk1987Turbo]

Yes they did. I've owned many 80s GM cars

[@ffdztdr]

Skyhawk1987Turbo I own a 1993 Cadillac Sedan Deville and it was the last year of the 1985-1993 body style and the fleetwood was 1989-1992. My car still reminds me of the 80's it has chrome bumpers same interior the only difference is a S.I.R. Air Bag, and a 4.9 liter v8. My grandfather had a 1990 Pontiac Lemans and the seatbelts move over top of you

[@paulnadratowski3942]

Yep, those radios even sounded good on AM

[@onefastslimjim]

@@AMthefox and their sound quality makes them incredible! One of the best radios I've heard period, let alone from a 30+ year old car!

[@nicolasarias4967]

Bose...not bad

[@DozensOfViewers]

Back when a Caddy was a Caddy! Wish they still made them like this.

[@TheHelado36]

Talking about front wheel drive like if is a good thing !!!

[@PenttiHuttunenGlobetrotter]

times has changed, fwd today is not a good thing

[@waterheaterservices]

Freak wheel drive

[@pianofry1138]

It is a massive car that isn't made to handle. It doesn't matter. If the Mustang was FWD people would be angry due to its objective but the buyers of this type of car probably didn't care.

[@dmer-zy3rb]

honestly a big lazy Cadillac sedan is the best application of FWD other than subcompact cars. you dont need the handling advantage RWD can give you in extreme situations and you have better grip with wet roads. Cadillac Eldorado from the 60s on was always FWD and it worked extremely well.

[@thoughtfinder]

The 4.5L V8 was a very big improvement over the 4.1L V8 which was known to leak antifreeze and blow head gasket.

[@kentkirkpatrick7953]

Agreed. But the 4.5s had horrible water pump design and location.

[@thoughtfinder]

@@kentkirkpatrick7953 not going to argue that point. I agree. Plus trying to replace the spark plugs on the 4.5 was no easy task either

[@kentkirkpatrick7953]

@@thoughtfinder oh man I forgot about doing plugs! What a pain. Was a time when everybody I knew had the late 80s Cadillac's. Not one of them survived to this day lol

[@zackc.8015]

The 4.9 was pretty good too.. Just weak for a V8.

[@thoughtfinder]

@@zackc.8015 yes both the 4.5 and the 4.9 were good reliable engines. There was only one thing I didn't like about those engines. You ever tried to replace the spark plugs on one of those engines? It's no fun believe me.

[@erichaley4485]

the 1957 Eldorado Biarritz had heated seat cushions, power everything, and air suspension

[@drewburk6309]

Which worked for about two months at best. But the car was still a groundbreaker.

[@steeltag]

1966 was the first year Gm offered heated seats from the factory as an option

[@drewburk6309]

@Burleon Because I'm a Cadillac enthusiast, travel to Cadillac shows across the country, and have studied the car extensively. That is how I know.

[@rodmunch69]

@@drewburk6309 what you mean is that you're a glory hole enthusiast, and your cruise interstate bathrooms extensively. That's how you know.

[@out4lox262]

very light at 3590 pounds! a new camaro ss weighs 150 more.

[@TEDdotcom]

This IS your grandfather's Cadillac

[@lupegarays7248]

I just got a 1981 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham d'Elegance with 27451 original miles it's nice. What can I ask for it if I sale it . I can send you pictures. It's a born find.

[@75aces97]

It almost was at that. My granddad considered buying one to make my grandmother more comfortable on road trips. Sadly she soon got sick and died, then he followed only a few years later.

[@jamesslick4790]

Not MY grandfather...He was a Lincoln man. I'll take the Caddy though.

[@ek1414_]

Funny to watch these massive cars go through the slalom.

[@NineteenScarab]

This is a great looking car. I can't understand how anybody can say that this is an ugly car.

[@nickmotsarsky4382]

I prefer the "Better Call Saul" mid 90's version.

[@randybock82]

I agree. It is very nice looking. The fender skirts make this car. Wish cars today looked like this instead of the jelly bean on wheels cars we see everywhere.

[@Zj2030]

@@kxngearner698 hush, people have their opinions....

[@kresienm9031]

looks like a jukebox

[@maxwelsh6121]

Okay maybe it's not that bad but it is compared to the Fleetwood Brougham from the same year

[@gmman010983]

Back then that Caddy was hauling ass! Sound good to!

[@fnulnu6300]

Not really, some of the worst years for Cadillac.

[@LSp8]

@@fnulnu6300 wasn't til 4 years later when they started hauling ass. 93' Seville STS with the first Northstar. That motor really changed Caddy (better or for worse) but was still a game changer coming from this slow 4.5

[@LocDawgd]

My dad owns both an '83 and an '84 Cadillac Eldorado and he loves them both. Both of which have held up real well over the past decades and with very little issues. The '83 with 170k and the '84 with 60k. And I love my '04 Cad Seville SLS with the 4.6l Northstar v8

[@starxlr7863]

+LocDawgd Same here. I have a 85 Eldorado Biarritz with 105k and 84 Seville with 78k. My parents have a 1995 Seville SLS with over 330k and I drive an 2005 Deville with 120k. Love them all very much but we especially love the Northstar powered Cadillac's!!! These cars hold up very well IF they are maintained and cared for properly. None of our Cadillac's have given us any major problems. This was another great era for Cadillac. The new ones just don't cut it for me.

[@LSp8]

One of the best cars i've owned was a Seville. Had a 99' STS sterling silver and she was a beast and such a blast to drive, even with 220k miles. I sold her to my friend, bought a 2011 DTS -Livery that I used for ridesharing. Great car but I had my worst accident ever and deployed all the airbags but walked away (got to experience the blessing of OnStar). Plus she had 220K and the ONLY thing that killed her was the wreck on the highway. Replaced her with an insanely loaded 2011 DTS Premium, a one owner and exclusively dealer maintained. Perfect car. Just sold her to my dad and i'm on the hunt for a 16+ Escalade ESV Platinum. Love these cars!

[@thethomasj1795]

Out of all the Caddy's I owned 81 eldo 83 Coupe Deville 90 Coupe Deville 97 Deville Concours 05 STS My 90 Coupe was my favorite. Loved how it looked, it was the perfect size, great ride, great power and great interior

[@waynejohnson1304]

What a beautiful automobile. Beautiful riding car too.

[@JohnnyAmerique]

I love these retro reviews, it really makes you appreciate the astoundingly enormous strides the automotive industry has made. Amazing how most of these features - which were top of the range optional extras just 30 years ago - are now standard equipment on almost every car on the lot today.

[@jamesdavis1444]

When Cadillac's where Cadillac's, now Cadillac's are just a name. Bring back American luxury.

[@bradmedicus]

This 60 special and the DeVille model were a handful of Cadillacs that were somewhat reliable and have stuck around. You still see these all over the place. Wish I had grabbed one when I had the chance. They're a steal now.

[@rodmunch69]

Cadillac's were always reliable, that's one of the reason you spent so much money on them. You're probably one of those dolts who goes around saying BMWs are unreliable as well. That's what poor people say to make them feel better about having to buy a Kia.

[@ACEcolorado1]

Had no idea a Italian design studio had a hand in that interior..still looks good inside and out

[@jamesslick4790]

Cadillac and Italian designers goes WAY back.

[@Sonic_1000]

I was waiting for a hubcap to pop off!

[@andrewcolsen]

Sonic_1000 those hubcaps are locked onto the rims

[@MrGreenelight]

You may have to go back to the 70's shows like Hawaii five 0 to see the hub caps pop off

[@jamesslick4790]

They are locking wheelcovers (not "hub caps") you need a socket wrench to get them off.

[@brianhechinger6726]

That would have been awesome though. Like if all 4 fell off at the same time during the brake test, and kept rolling on.

[@devonnewest7990]

This car today is being driven by ppl w/neck tattoos, a lawnmower hanging out of the trunk, and one, may be two, donut temporary spare-tires permanently mounted.

[@jamescalifornia2964]

Devonne West 👌`😋 L0Ls @ that _!_

[@RADIUMGLASS]

Sounds like a ghetto car...

[@TeeroyHammermill]

>Nightbird: You must be one of those herion addicts she's talking about. 😒

[@Nightbird.]

@@TeeroyHammermill It's called being educated. Now go back to your trailer park..they miss their meth head. 😁

[@jarmelo2006]

I have a 1993 model Cadillac Sedan DeVille mostly similar to this one..... With the 4.9 litre v-8 I absolutely adore it. For a car that is 27 years old it runs, drives and handles amazingly well and it is gorgeous. These cars were some of the best Cadillac built. Came with 2 sets of keys. Even came with a video... The gold key experience. One owner car I bought it from a an elderly gentleman who took such amazing care of the car. I love this car and would not consider selling it.

[@Juanknes]

Wait, Freddy Mercury was also a test driver?

[@warrenny]

That mustache though

[@blisterbrain]

He's the champion test driver, my friend!

[@daigle2007]

$72,000 in today's money 2020!!!!!

[@rueben44]

I'm sorry but I have sold several of these and I am looking at that track performance and that car is actually handling well. They are just feeding stereotypes because it is not a bad handling car.

[@stillsearching1284]

My dad would have loved this car when I was a kid. Unfortunately, the best we could afford was an Oldsmobile Royal 88. That car was actually pretty awesome though. I'm sure the Cadillacs from that era were next level.

[@jeremyb4493]

We had an '84 delta 88 royale lol

[@loaferguy73]

This car along with its twin the the Deville in 91' was improved a lot with the then new 200hp 4.9L V-8. It made the car much more lively over the old 4.5!

[@ffdztdr]

loaferguy73 I have a 1993 Sedan Deville 4.9 liter which still has the 80's body style. The fleetwood from 1989 to 1992 has the same body style, is the fleetwood better? I know the Brougham looks different.

[@19375320269]

i have a 1990 fleetwood 2 door...super rare and in excellent condition

[@herrbela84]

Enjoy :)

[@19375320269]

thanks...ill be uploading a video to my channel soon

[@19375320269]

agreed i love mine

[@ryanfisher6402]

Plus that motor was a screamer, underrated big time! The car ant my style for my age, but when it is that's a solid choice!

[@byronharkey9166]

Love that 2 door fleetwood!

[@Serrgio45acp]

WHAT A BEAUTIFUL CAR!!! I use to own this car in brown and it was my first Cadillac.. After that I've owned nothing but Cadillac's!!!

[@newlifegroupinc]

Why?

[@ossimjew]

newlifegroupinc Have you ever owned a cadillac?

[@newlifegroupinc]

My brother and cousins and friends used to be in a Cadillac club, don't be insulted, but that's when through experience especially the 80's and 90's models I realized they were crap. Horrible handling, I liked the soft ride, but the materials and craftsmanship wasn't there. If you disagree I'll assume you've never driven a comparable German car, a Mercedes for an example. That said I did like certain models, but they didn't age well, BUT I will say Cadillac has come a long way, much better products today, but they still need a S Class fighter to truly be taken seriously.

[@ossimjew]

newlifegroupinc My last car happened to be a mercedes CL55 AMG, it was nice expensive and very fast and luxurious. But After spending more in repairs then I spent on the car itself, the novelty wore off quickly. I now have a 2008 STS which I love, has basically all the same features my mercedes had and then some. I is faster than it's competitor the 535i and the e350. Also the magnetic ride suspension in modern cadillac's gives it some of the best handling and driving dynamics I have ever experienced from a car of that size. I will say the materials were nicer in the mercedes but that is to be expect from a car that cost the original owner $130,000, vs. my $55,000 STS, which I think is still much better value to any of it's German competitors. I had a 2014 XTS for 2 weeks recently and I was amazed at the level of craftsmanship and the materials used. Every surface in that car was covered with leather, the interior was nicer than my old CL I would say. I have a review of it on my channel, along with a 2014 escalade, (which I can't see the hype for this $80,000 luxo-tahoe, but hey it sells good for cadillac).

[@newlifegroupinc]

I don't disagree I actually like Caddy's now, but I was specifically talking about the 80's and 90's Cadillac's. What year was your CL55? late 90's early 2000's any chance? if so those were definably to put it lightly crappy years for Mercedes, the cost cutting was obvious. But even now with Cadillac there something is still missing as evident by their current sales, they need a serious S Class fighter, now is the perfect time, the 7 series, somewhat disappointing the LS 460 is average compared to an S, the A7 is long in the tooth. But for whatever reason Cadillac just cant get a serious foothold in that segment. But you have to admit Mercedes is very serious about their positioning, look at the new C, that's pretty much a mini S, it's interior is head and shoulders above anything in its class, along with the S in its class. The S Coup, the Mercedes-AMG GT, Mercedes is just on another level. I also agree with the 2014 Escalade, the Yukon Denali is 95% an Escalade, its a better buy, but to each his own....

[@danmccarthy4700]

The '92 Buick Roadmaster I used to have was more of a Cadillac than this Cadillac.

[@bestpilot98]

barf

[@christopherconard2831]

I thought those beached whales were some of the most hideous cars ever made. Then I had to take a two week road trip with three co-workers. We had the station wagon version. Absolutely the best highway car I've ever been in.

[@zzzhuh]

Uhm... What? Compare this fleetwood to the 60's or 70's cadillacs. It fits right in. Your roadmaster looks nothing like older buicks or cadillacs, and I know for a fact it doesn't drive like one.

[@MrGreenelight]

@@christopherconard2831 The Buick Roadmaster was the best highway car ever, not just among cars you have been in. This is testable.

[@waterheaterservices]

Yes, the Roadtoaster had a sturdy full frame, wasn't freak wheel drive, and no plastic fenders .

[@carryclass6807]

prediction: they will comment it "doesn't handle like a bmw"

[@BrokebackBob]

The PERFECT road trip car. The right size Caddy. The current Cadillacs are claustrophobic and the CUE infotainment system is a nightmare.

[@kupidzheart]

+BobEckert56 truth

[@Nightbird.]

+BobEckert56 Preach!

[@LSp8]

unless you opt for the proudly built in TX Escalade ESV. Plenty of room!

[@rodmunch69]

Early CUE was garbage because it was so slow and unresponsive, but by 2016 they had it figured out and speed it up a ton, and I believe in 2017 they added Carplay/Android Auto, which made CUE not a big factor when driving. But early CUE was awful, it's what made me go from the Caddy dealership down to the BMW dealership and get a 4-series that had, at that time, just been introduced.

[@TexasMan77]

The fleetwood sixty special was quite a rare car.

[@markmarshall39]

gotta love these old vids

[@lorenzomoore6398]

I believe that this interior option was very rare in it's day I can only imagine finding one now and try to find one in good condition is probably almost a unicorn.

[@vondoane4647]

I found an unicorn! It's my trademark. I love it.

[@tazaxx21]

This was the smaller front wheel drive Fleetwood. In 89 Cadillac was also still making the bigger RWD cars. Cadillac had 2 personalities in the 80s... they knew people still wanted the big cars, but the technology to make a big car get good fuel economy was not quite there yet.

[@jeffreyfelder7981]

What's crazy is today the milage is basically still the same today.

[@shopwithaaron]

We had a 1991 Chrysler 5th Avenue with the 3.3 V-6...Not the greatest build quality but the back seat was nearly limo like. Road tripping to CO and saw 27 MPG fully loaded...4 adults and only room for a Motor Trend issue in the trunk! This was back in 2006 if I remember....

[@johnnydeville5701]

I'm the proud owner of a 1991 Cadillac Fleetwood coupe! It's a very solid and nice car. I've also owned a 1990 Fleetwood that even in its retirement still ran and drove great with 281k miles! I've also owned a 1993 Sedan Deville (was a very reliable car). My first one was a 1990 Sedan Deville that was retired at 220k miles. I love Cadillacs! My baby is my land yacht 1990 Cadillac Brougham D'Elegance! Even though my 1998 Eldorado is sleek and loaded with options, I prefer my 91 Fleetwood Coupe and 1990 Brougham D'Elegance.

[@NYKgjl10]

Love the 89 Fleetwood....I still see them on the streets even today.

[@vondoane4647]

Lucky me. I own one and I love it.

[@cardo1111]

When Cadillac was in a downward spiral. This car couldn't hold a candle to the MB 300SE of the time.

[@fhowland]

Had a lot of fun in the backseat of one of these in my college years

[@gmlcountry]

$72,329.78 in 2017 dollars

[@peter455sd]

This car was insanely comfortable,very well appointed and a delight to drive,but the engine had a bad rep and it looked kinda weird in comparison to previous years,Cadillac buyers back in the day were still longing for the big block monsters of yesteryears and usually don't give a rat's ass to fuel consumption,me personally didn't like the car back in the day for the same reasons but nowadays think it's cool,nothing drives like it anymore,there's comfort nowadays but there's not obscene comfort anymore.....

[@milfordcivic6755]

It makes me laugh that they call this car a "boat" when the full sized Fleetwood Brougham is larger than this car. This is nothing more than a Buick LeSabre of the same era.

[@WAQWBrentwood]

Well to be fair it's a little more than a LeSabre, It's actually a Buick Park Avenue of the 85-89 era. I have had 3 RWD Cadillac C/D bodies (1982,1986,1989) and 1977 and 83 Buick C bodies (1977 Electra Limited and 1983 Park Avenue), All 5of those RWD GM "C" bodies were basically similar (with the Olds 98). Same with these FWD "C" bodies, (Olds 98,Buick Park Ave., Cadillac DeVille...) My1987 first FWD car was a Buick Electra, and except for drivetrain (ok,really just 6cyl vs 8cyl) was the same as the 89 DeVille.

[@beekbeeker2907]

going right to craigs list to find one today!!

[@mikeoftheages]

Did anyone else catch that Cadillac had a leg up on Lincoln because it is fwd?

[@somersetlax]

mikeoftheages that makes it better???

[@HIDHIFDB]

Late 80's and early 90's car standars. Todays its all about awd

[@Kenny-re8ko]

yes, and they never said why exactly...

[@jhomrich89]

Funny how the tables have turned Cadillac now makes real wheel drive cars and offers many models with all wheel drive and lincoln makes front wheel drive standard and go figure dont sell as many

[@drewburk6309]

Yes, because traction control wasn't as advanced as it is today. Even on cars that had it, it was only activated on speeds less that 30 MPH. RWD was a killer in winter without traction control.

[@NineteenScarab]

I owned a 1993 Sedan de Ville, and it had plenty of power. Whenever I was inside one of those huge parking garages, late at night when they were virtually empty; I would put the windows down and hit the gas going down those straight stretches. The sound of that 4.9 liter V8, amplified inside those empty garages was music to my ears. It sounded like those late 1980's police package Chevy Caprices. That Cadillac was a great car.

[@lrg863]

I can relate.

[@TVHouseHistorian]

I'm with you. The roar and grumble that engine made as you stepped on the pedal was absolute music. People didn't realize you could totally leave them in the dust at a stop light.

[@nicolasmolli]

Cadillac, my favourite brand in the world.

[@davidbetsey2437]

U better know & say it. Here in '20, Cadillac is still my car, even though my health wont allow me to drive anymore & the price is beyond my median, but I enjoyed two in my lifetime, so Im happy.

[@MillerMeteor74]

I loved my `90 Sedan DeVille that I got used. It ran and drove beautifully, and had incredible traction and braking on icy winter roads. But it got wrecked in an accident. The `89 Sedan DeVille I had afterwards was badly worn out when I got it, so it was nowhere near as good, and then everything started going bad on it. Anyway those were great cars in my opinion.

[@TA1199]

My 89' Coupe Deville was my favorite Caddy that I owned.

[@Threetails]

Still an attractive car. I had a '92 DeVille (similar body style) and loved it; sadly the previous owners hadn't taken care of the car and the transmission gave out catastrophically.... but not before getting me from Little Rock to Portland and back with only a brief patch job in Gallup. I had almost zero driver fatigue for the whole journey, the cabin was quiet and warm in the bitter cold of a Western winter, and in a blizzard in Flagstaff I was able to power out of a skid with the generous low-end torque. I ran low on fuel while lost in L.A., but the car had decent enough mileage that I was able to get to my stop in Fullerton and still had enough gas to get to a filling station. An excellent car in every respect, and I am looking to trade one of my cars for another one in decent condition. If anyone has one, note me and let's talk!

[@smokeybear45]

Now this was luxury

[@starxlr7863]

+Smokey BEAR Luxury that hasn't been seen in years!!! Cadillac and Lincoln should still be making big luxury cars with V8 engines only like they always did!!

[@kupidzheart]

+AMCNorthstar 93 they are losing focus now

[@starxlr7863]

Kupidzheart They sure are. I can understand keeping the competition going but I wish Cadillac and Lincoln both would keep a big luxury car in there line up as they always did. And not a car that looks like any other car. It needs to be that when you see a new Cadillac, that you know from a mile away that its a Cadillac and not a Toyota!

[@kupidzheart]

They kept it alive somewhat with the last dts model. Xts isn't cutting it for me. Everything Lincoln looks weird as hell, especially that SUV.

[@starxlr7863]

Kupidzheart Completely agree!! Not a fan of new Lincoln's what so ever. I love all the older Lincoln's so much more. To me the last good Cadillac was the DTS model that ended back in 2011 and replaced with the XTS model that was and still is a flop and are not strong sellers at all.

[@joerumler48]

Next a 1968 Cadillac Fleetwood 60 special.

[@kirbywaite1586]

These Fleetwoods were simply Sedan DeVilles with fancier upholstery and different badging. Fleetwood models used to have longer wheelbases than the standard Cadillac sedans.

[@34Packardphaeton]

What a TERRIBLE marketing decision to put the Fleetwood name on a FWD!!! It would have been better to retire the name.... maybe call the new FWD.. the "LaSalle" ? ?

[@thoughtfinder]

This Cadillac was far better in quality then it's past years with the 4100 V8 which was junk

[@felixacosta8543]

started as a 1971 Camaro driver..move to 1973 impala..moved to 1977 toyota corona..moved to 1980 cadillac..it was p.o.s..moved to 1982 Cadillac, it was too, a p.o.s..moved again to 1984 Cadillac.. it too, was a p.o.s..moved back to toyota..pretty good..moved Nissan.. about 15 years ago.. no regrets..

[@RoundenBrown]

Cadillac, the standard of the world!

[@ElectoneGuy]

RoundenBrown Yeah, ok.

[@Pisti846]

"big car", "luxo boat", these guys were always so prejudice against anything bigger than a Datson. This was hardly a big car.

[@ingridspreckels4983]

They were pretty tame in this video, compared to reviews of other similar cars. The review of the 1988 Dodge Dynasty and Chrysler New Yorker is quite harsh, "off to grandmas garage" "soft car for soft people" etc.

[@fordmavericksosx3569]

IKR! Those Cadillacs were over downsized in my opinion.

[@dlwatib]

At 17 feet, this was plenty long, but didn't hold a candle to the '59 and '60 Cadillac 60 Specials, which were 18 feet 9 inches long. Note that the Buick Electra was equally long (225 inches) thus the Electra 225 designation.

[@tomj4731]

Strangely, you missed mentioning they called it the best luxo boat.

[@BruceTheSillyGoose]

not big until you try to park it in a modern compacts-only parking spot which are the rule and not the exception.

[@Youlosewewin]

Love this generation caddie

[@op_snooze]

*Takes 134 feet to stop from 60 mph* "A good result." I can see this guy's got the makings of an IGN reviewer.

[@rodmunch69]

134ft is a good result in 1989. What's your point cupcake?

[@jimmya2578]

All of the attention and comments, whether positive or negative, in just 6 short weeks speaks volumes.

[@vondoane4647]

I agree with you. I love the attention, compliments and the conversations and engagement strangers start with me about my 1989 Cadillac Fleetwood Coupe.

[@MrDamien1963]

That's when they made cars where you could enter on the passenger side without banging your knees on the dashboard, or sit in the back seat without lowering your head because the roof cuts into the headroom. Also today's cars you have very little room to get out of the backseat because the wheel well cuts off the amount of space for you to move your leg. Also what manufacturers call a full size car interior used to be call midsized,and midsized were called compact. As Americans get bigger, car interiors are smaller.

[@MrJustapersn]

Can someone tell me why RWD was considered a negative in the 80s and 90s, it makes absolutely no sense to me.

[@TheSpazModic]

+MrJustapersn Except for Corvettes and other exotics, RWD implied "no rear independent suspension". A moot point, because most FWD cars at the time didn't, either. Also, FWD saved a few lbs of weight and was better in snow.

[@TeeroyHammermill]

FWD was touted as providing better handling in rain and snow.[One of the main reasons it was so popular with manufacturers is they had to meet CAFE standards and provide acceptable performance. The weak engines of the era provided the best performance and economy when positioned closest to the drive wheels.] FWD also increases interior space because there is no transmission hump or driveshaft tunnel.

[@MrTheMiguelox]

That is not always the case. Mercedes, Jaguar and BMW's had RWD and independent rear suspensions since the early 60's at least.

[@stevenrivers2541]

dstarks80 also because of MPG's...fwd dose help a little in fuel economy.... and much cheaper to build and share lots of parts.. that's why all car companies went that way... a 80's thing.... but greman expect VW... stayed RWD

[@martinvon9973]

Front wheel has better traction on snow and ice. I had 3 front wheel drive Cadillacs, and they really performed well in the snow. Of course, the down side is poorer handling when pushed to the limit on dry roads.

[@chrisc.199]

Is that test driver wearing a members only jacket?

[@hurley911]

Yes! A leather one at that!

[@ocmdog]

No wonder the '89 Lexus LS stole the show. The review kept comparing how good the car was compared to Cadillacs of 10-20 years prior. Continuous improvement is expected, not a feature! Im glad Cadillac of today is on the right track and I'm not against luxo-boats, but this car is just sad. Thank you MW for giving us a look at what cars used to be!

[@fernandorocha7457]

This Caddy Fleetwood is confortable, elegant car, luxuors and great cargo space in trunk. Engine V8

[@azimmey]

Did you ever do one on the redesigned 06 DTS? I cannot find one.

[@FastCarCentral]

This baby would be sweet on the track

[@JDMHaze]

Fast Car Central yeah, a train track😂😂😂

[@harrycallahan9733]

Back then, even a Caddy used drum brakes at the rear :)

[@joseduranjr3152]

I have a 1992 Cadillac Fleetwood Sixty Special with the Delco Bose music system; ital designed 22-way soft leather seats; astroroof; heated windshield and central locking from trunk. I love it. Wish I had another one.

[@INUMIMI28]

Why does “Sweet Little Lies” start playing in my head when I see this car?

[@ARon82]

I like these reviews of cars i can now afford in 2017

[@vondoane4647]

You and me both. Finally, I found and purchased an inherited garaged Cotillion White exterior with the sunroof and a red leather interior 1989 Cadillac Fleetwood Coupe in mint condition. It felt good to be able to afford it and pay cash for it.

[@freddyhoyt1849]

My dad brought a new 1989 fleetwood sixty special for my mom it was a beautiful car my mom gave me the car after she drove it for 6 years

[@Sanpedranoazul]

Please do the 90s Fleetwood Brougham

[@josephromano6825]

I have to admit this is a beautiful car! It looks a lot better than the 2018s!

[@rodmunch69]

A 2018 CT6 is one of the best looking cars ever made, and that is what this would be competing again. I've owned two Caddy's, I love 80s cars, and the rest of the Cadillac current lineup is garbage, but you literally picked the worst possible example.

[@vondoane4647]

I totally agree with you.

[@unknownunknowns]

In '89, 26K buys you 51K today. The equivalent is the CT6 which 53K. A 46K Mercedes 300SE would be 89K today while the equivalent S550 is 97K.

[@LorenzoMoore1000]

When Cadillacs meant something back in the day.....These were the days when older people had them.

[@michaellovely6601]

Agreed. Back in the day; owning a Cadillac was a way of saying that you have arrived. Nowadays; owning a Cadillac is a means of saying you're a douche.

[@Monaghan]

Junk. Give me the fullsized Fleetwood any day over this.

[@Austin86646]

Those 4.5s were beasts even at 155hp before they increased the horsepower. This thing is faster to 60 than the 1990 LS400 I just watched on MW with 95 more hp. My Dad had a 1990 Seville with the 4.5 with 180hp and it would roast the tires if you gave it too much gas accidentally.

[@wincrasher2007]

the LS was an infinitely better car in almost every measure and outsold Cadillac by a wide margin.

[@Austin86646]

@@wincrasher2007 Duh. I own an LS430 lol. I'm just saying, those Caddys had good pickup for the era.

[@wincrasher2007]

@@Austin86646 that’s because they still had high torque numbers for their low hp. modern engines (including the Japanese engines back then) are pretty much 1:1 ratio. Those V8s from GM in those years might have been 130 hp so, but put out 250-260 ft lbs of torque - that’s why they seemed peppy, but would run out of steam at 90 mph.

[@Austin86646]

@@wincrasher2007 I don't disagree, they run out of steam quick at high speeds. But these had 245 ft/lbs of torque and for 1990 that's a lot, 1990 they also brought the 4.5 up to 180 horsepower.

[@landyachtfan79]

This beauty would be $76,081.36 in 2020 dollars. Can anyone make out what song the tester is listening to at 4:41?!!

[@jamesslick4790]

4:36 How SHORT are you arms? I've driven many 85-93 FWD Devilles/Fleetwoods (with the identical I.P.) It's NOT a big reach for a normal sized adult to get at the radio!

[@jayson657]

These weren’t bad but I’d still rather have a RWD 90-92 Brougham when Cadillacs finally got back to resembling what a Cadillac should be…big comfortable and powerful.

[@1beck2en3ham]

155hp from a 4.5l V8? ... How could cadillac do that? The 1974 BMW 528 E12 can make 165 hp from 2.8l IL6 12valve carburator. The 1978 BMW 528i E12 can make 181 hp from 2.8l IL6 12valve fuel injector.

[@Jackmerius_Tacktheretrix]

Emissions regulations.

[@TeeroyHammermill]

>tarin theera: It was tuned that way per customer taste. It's a smooth quiet engine that performs quite well despite it's low horsepower rating. Go test drive one. You'll be surprised.

[@MrDamien1963]

Cadillacs like the XT4,5,and6 model's are pieces of crap. They don't even look like Cadillacs,just like the Cinnamon wasn't a real Caddy. Just an overdone interpretation of a luxury vehicle.

[@rodmunch69]

You poor people don't know this, but when you're a Cadillac driver, you give your fellow Cadillac drivers, Caddy , and let them pull out in front of you, always wave, that sort of stuff. Basically it just shows you're a better class of person compared to someone who drives a Hyundai, for example.

[@cheez1012]

155 HP from a V8... and FWD...? Jeez The car looks fine but I expected more from a V8...

[@raymondhaley6185]

Nice car and well equipped, but they never made a real front wheel drive V 8, poor design poor build quality, no durability, otherwise at least it's very comfortable when standing still, which is almost all the time.

[@palebeachbum]

I wonder why John referring to this Fleetwood as a BIG car over and over. It really wasn't, not even for the time. It was a Midsize car at best. Wasn't it actually smaller than a Ford Taurus? The new Cadillacs are nice, but there's no denying they have a very Euro flavor these days. I miss the days of REAL Cadillacs that defined American luxury. Spacious, plush, quiet, and smooth, with conservative, elegant styling.

[@abram7117]

palebeachbum well it technically is about the size of the current biggest Cadillac so it's full size, though no where near as big exterior wise as the Fleetwood that succeeded it. the years that proceeded(regular Deville ) it were indeed mid sized tho. in terms of interior space, these actually have more room inside then the Brougham and only slightly less then the Fleetwood of the mid 90s

[@poppyreads736]

This Cadi was a full size car. The Ford Taurus was a mid-size car. Ford's full size car was the Crown Vic. And no. The Taurus wasn't bigger than this Cadi.

[@JClark-34695]

A good friend of mine had one of these, and it was MUCH larger and roomier than my Taurus. I drove it a few times, and it was a decent car, plenty of git-up-and-go.

[@illstplaya]

@@poppyreads736 this was not full size. This was a mid size. The Cadillac brougham was the full size Cadillac at this time

[@pmvaldez1]

@@illstplaya they were both full sized cars.

[@blackericdenice]

The 89 300se had a smaller 3.0 inline 6 that made 22 more hp than The Cadillac 4.5 v8. This is why I love imports when I was young. American cars were weak, slow and didn't turn of stop very well.

[@andrewcolsen]

blackericdenice 300SE were touring cars. Cadillacs were pure luxury cars. Different clientele wanted each of these vehicles.

[@chrisallen7911]

I had this car in black with red leather interior. It was the most beautiful Cadillac I have ever owned. I would give anything to have mine back.

[@chriscornelius2518]

We had this exact model in light blue. It had tons of problems. The electrical issues were too many to count.

[@cesDissonance]

155 HP from a 4.5l v8? wow

[@user-tb7rn1il3q]

Dissonance Lots of low end torque and very responsive unlike modern engines that seem to roll on more power over several seconds

[@adbarrnz]

240lb/ft of torque is hardly 'lots' in a 3600 pound car.

[@randomrazr]

the fleetwood brougham was bigger then this

[@221moviemaker]

Do you have a review for the Brougham? My family used to own an '89 brougham and it was the best for the beach and road trips, still miss it to today.

[@BruceTheSillyGoose]

wish i could have afforded one back in the day when i was young enough to enjoy it.

[@texan903]

Many of these have been kept by the original owners, in mint condition. Said owners, in many cases, are dying. You might find a deal at an estate sale.

[@BruceTheSillyGoose]

@@texan903 around my neck of the woods the only vehicles one sees are ratty pickemup trucks.

[@texan903]

@@BruceTheSillyGoose Could you use Craigslist or Auto Trader and expand your area of search?

[@BruceTheSillyGoose]

@@texan903 when i get my SS i should finally be able to afford to travel to where they are at. cheaper to drive it home than to haul it.

[@rodmunch69]

The average age of a buyer was 66 years old. This is literally an old persons car, and they were everywhere in Florida being driven by whitehairs.