In former times, Cadillac fitted rear-seat passthroughs to its sedans, including the now discontinued ATS, CT6, CTS and XTS, but GM’s luxury brand now appears to think that this feature belongs to a bygone age. Today’s Cadillac sedans, the Cadillac CT4 and Cadillac CT5, do not have nor offer rear-seat passthroughs.
This information will immediately resonate with people who know what rear-seat passthroughs are. For the benefit of everyone else, they are sections in the center of rear seats which fold down to allow longer objects to protrude through from the trunk into the passenger compartment, while still allowing people to sit on either side.
Cadillac CT6 rear seats
They are also known as ski hatches, because they allow sedan owners to carry skis without breaking them in half, throwing them in the trunk and somehow sticking the pieces back together when they reach the resort. But they are also useful for people who want to carry other long objects, such as hockey sticks, a cello or conceivably even a bull fiddle.
Cadillac CT5 rear seats
In Cadillac’s now-discontinued sedans mentioned above, as well as in many rivals from Europe, these things can be carried along with four passengers. In today’s Cadillac sedans, they can not. It would of course be possible to fold down either or both sides of the 60/40 split-folding reach bench, which immediately solves the carrying-long-objects problem, but then the vehicle’s ability to transport four occupants along with the necessary cargo would become a thing of the past.
It will be interesting to see whether Cadillac plans to reverse its current policy for its upcoming models, most of which will be electric. Three of these are crossovers – the Lyriq, scheduled to go on sale in the first quarter of 2022, and the later Optiq and Symboliq – and one is an EV version of the fifth-generation Cadillac Escalade.
Cadillac Lyriq show car
None of these is relevant to the present discussion, but the flagship Celestiq, which will be priced to start at around $200,000 and may come to market as soon as the 2023 calendar year, is definitely a sedan, while the more mysterious “low-roof” EV is expected to be a cross between a sedan and a four-door coupe. While we wouldn’t expect an ultra-luxury sedan like the Celestiq to offer a rear-seat passthrough, the “low roof” model seems like a prime candidate for such a feature.
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This post was created in collaboration with our sister publication, Cadillac Society.
Comments
You need to look at it this way. If drivers need to carry anything of a large nature most own a SUV, CUV or truck as a primary vehicle. Like my garage we have an example of each.
The real benefits of a non folding rear seat is you can have a better rear seat. Making them foldable often leads to a poor or compromised rear seat. They are hard, non adjustable and uncomfortable.
Most people with large cargo needs buy for those needs with a more cargo capable vehicle anymore.
I use to use the pass through when there were no larger vehicles but not anymore.
The real trouble is while I could carry a pole rake or long skinny item, I still can’t carry anything very tall in my Malibu.
Often I was left inbox in in parking lots and or just not able to haul an item.
If a car is a hatch in the rear then it needs a folding seat but otherwise I would rather have a better rear seat.
If I am buying a luxury sedan I am buying it for comfort not to haul cargo.
“If I am buying a luxury sedan I am buying it for comfort not to haul cargo.”
But it’s not at all as clear-cut as you make it out to be.
First, the “buying a sedan for comfort” mindset does not hold up when considering the bigger picture: the same levels of comfort can be found in a pickup, SUV, or crossover as in a sedan. Comfort is one of the many factors to buy a sedan. Others include style, performance, and luxury.
Second: obviously, sedans are not intended to haul cargo. But are a set of rear seat passengers cargo? And are a set of hockey sticks or skis “cargo”? They are not. These items are perfectly normal use case scenarios for any kind of vehicle, and do not necessitate an SUV, crossover, or pickup body style.
BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Volvo and many others understand that a sedan is perfectly capable of carrying three or four passengers and their skis, poles or sticks. Cadillac seems to have understood this with ATS, CTS, CT6, and XTS, but forgot all about it on the CT4 and CT5. One should not need a clinic to understand that taking away a feature is not a good idea.
There is also a general mindset situation here: Cadillac continues to be a challenger in this space. Its products must outperform those of the competition to entice conquest purchase. Clearly, not offering something that the competition offers is not “outperforming.”
Sorry but this is a limited sales vehicle. Numbers in this segment are low and prices are high. Generally these are a second vehicle for most and the sport version are the better sellers.
People today with active life styles have moved to vehicles that best fit their hobbies and lifestyles.
No longer are people like. My father hauling plywood in the roof of their sedan. If they Fido that they buy a truck.
If they ride bikes they buy a CUV, SUV or truck. Only a small few buy a bike rack.
If people ski they are in a CUV or SUV with AWD. The parking lots here at the ski resorts are full of them.
Atone time the concern was true you had to have a pass through as most people only bought or had cars. Today cars are now the minority vehicle and often no longer the primary car.
If the back seat is used it is for passengers and if you had to choose from cargo fold down vs better seats you will pick the better seats as your primary cargo is passengers anymore. If not you are taking the other lifestyle vehicle you have.
My GTP had one of the best gold down seat features. I could carry a Kayak in it. It the seat quality for passengers was horrid. To fold flat they compromised the seat quality. Pontiac even tried to repay them but still poor seats. Even some CUV models suffer bad rear seats for better folding.
It appears that “pass-through” and “fold-down” rear seats are being conflated in this conversation. If I understand the article correctly, Cadillac sedans still have folding rear seats but lack the smaller pass-through feature. That means they can STILL carry much of the so-called oversized cargo—even WITH THREE PASSENGERS. The loss of the pass-through feature merely means that certain oversized cargo cannot be carried while transporting FOUR PASSENGERS.
With that said, I am opposed to Cadillac decontenting any of their models. That is the antithesis of luxury. It is frugality that dictates the elimination excess. Luxury is defined by excess not just in comfort but also ease of use; it is about having more comfort/capability than is thought necessary.
I’d imagine it helps with NVH too
It’s the only way to carry skis in the ct6 since they don’t make a roof rack for it. If it didn’t have that, I wouldn’t have bought it.
If you can pay for the Cadillac, you can also pay for a custom made set of roof racks. As of now, even the brand new 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E has a third party seller making roof racks for it.
so ford is cadillac’s competitor now?
This is an incredibly ignorant point of view.
“If you can pay for the Cadillac, you can also pay for a custom made set of roof racks.”
1. That doesn’t sound like a great way to delight the customer or to win sales. In fact, that kind of thinking provides just one more reason for someone NOT to buy a Cadillac, but instead to buy a European competitor that offers pass-throughs and factory roof racks and ways to install them.
2. There are no custom-made roof racks for the CT4 or CT5 at this time. SeaSucker is the best option and while it works, a factory-backed solution should have been offered.
https://gmauthority.com/blog/2021/01/cadillac-begins-offering-an-alternative-to-the-roof-rack/
The hybrid CT6 had its battery behind the rear seat back, so it had no folding back or pass through. I read that the Cadillacs for the Chinese market also had no folding backs or pass through because their rear sets can recline.
just gives the customer another reason not to buy cadillac.
Basically make it less attractive then wonder why no one wants it. I have a truck, suv and sedan that are pretty much copies of each other in terms of functionality. if I’m out and need stuff my car had better be able to fit my basic needs.
When was the last time anyone here carried ski’s, a cello or step ladder in a Cadillac sedan?
Yes just as I thought.
People who own cars like this own 2-4 vehicles and they are not all sedans.
What next are we going to cry for a ski pass through for a Corvette too?
Folks this is not a Cruze.
the people who “own” this car are those who can afford the lease and you don’t have to be rich to afford that.
Then don’t complain about the 3% who can’t carry ski’s.
They should be saving their money anyways.
This thinking is why so many have $20k to $50k on a credit card and will never pay it off. People need to live with in their means and with vehicles that better fit their needs.
Many who own Cadillac sedans are picking up the leased ones and buying them pennies on the dollar. They are a good deal used. Depreciation in this class in general is abysmal.
“When was the last time anyone here carried ski’s, a cello or step ladder in a Cadillac sedan?”
When I lived in Colorado, I carried my skis in my gen 3 CTS and my ATS Sedan every year using the pass-through feature on both models. I then turned around and put my hockey sticks in there, all while being able to carry passengers in the back seat.
Your thinking is missing the bigger picture: visit any mountainous area and you’ll see a $hit ton of luxury sedans from BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Volvo and now even Tesla with roof racks carrying snow boards, skis, etc. The competition is woke to the fact that people use sedans for more than a leisurely drive to the local Melting Pot. It’s almost like Cadillac thinks its owners don’t partake in sporty activities.
This is not a big ask for GM/Cadillac. They just require a better understanding of the customer and the marketplace.
Ok that is one, any others here?
My point is ski owners are a small percentage. Those who own and drive a Cadillac sedan to the resort is even smaller.
Might also consider that with no fold down the Blackwings may be a stiffer structure that improves ride and handling.
Have you ever heard the adage:
Better to have it and not need it, then to need it and not have it…?
I used to defend GM as you do. Too much disappointment and moved on. Like Alex said, GM needs to WAKE up to the customer and to those who offer what they do not. Luxury is more than ‘product.’ Its the feeling of having and doing what others cannot. When Cadillac removes what others have, it creates a sense of wanting that most will just go get from the competition. Who wants a ‘LUXURY’ car that lacks what others have? If you can’t honestly answer that question, you don’t really understand luxury at all…
Yep C8.R,
I carry all sorts of things through the pass through in our POS ATS !
I also carried many things in our fold down in our CTS !
Pipe, trim, fishing poles, just have used it alot !
And we own 4 trucks !
That is besides the point here.
Its a Cadillac and ONCE AGAIN GM has cheapened them up !!
WHY do I always have to keep telling you to QUIT TELLING GM THAT THEIR PRODUCTS ARE GOOD ENOUGH !!!
hey C8.R – are you reading and understanding what Alex is saying?
Seems like you are stuck on the “I don’t ski so it’s not a big deal.” There are lots of reasons to have both a passthrough AND a way to install a roof rack. My BMW M2 (a sports car!) has bolts in the roof so that I can install a roof rack to carry my bike or skis or one-time-a-sheet-of-drywall. And yes, it’s my second vehicle to a Sierra. Sometimes I wan’t to drive my car to go biking, or skiing, or to get lumber. GM should make it as easy as possible for me to do that…
If the Germans can do it, there’s no reason for GM not to.
C8.R,
You are forgetting that this is CADILLAC made by GM, the most ridiculed and nitpicked company known to man AND animals. If they discontinued a poorly selling paint option these people would create a petition to have Marry Barra removed from her position. GM can do no right, even when they do.
I’m not saying removing options/features is the right thing to do, but why is it wherever GM does something it’s completely blown out of proportion? It’s like completely forgetting the fact that more expensive German competitors (Audi) ask $70,000 for a sports sedan but refuse to offer simple, basic, and convenient features like “Remote Start” straight from the factory, a feature you can get on a $17k Chevrolet Cruze. Or how Acura refuses to offer a proper touchscreen and intuitive interior for the sake of convenience. Audi is never drug through the mud for their frugality. Neither is Acura, whose interior was just actually praised with the release of the new 2022 MDX. But Cadillac is literally being STONED for taking away the option of ski pass-throughs on the CT4 & CT5.
German cars rarely have remote start because it’s illegal in Germany. Neither Mercedes or BMW had it offered as an option until around 2018 and think it’s done at the dealer.
Just seen this article trying to find if some of the dts’s had fold down rear seats and since you don’t have to register thought I’d respond. Straight up fold down would be nice but they should still have the pass through to get skis or fishing poles plus passengers in back.
I use the pass through ALL THE TIME. Skis, fishing poles, wish I had fold down rear seats so I could get my bike in without having to take off the wheels. Some people who own cadillacs do stuff other than go out to eat or church. I see tons of bmw and mercedes sedans at the ski hill. I bought my car because i like driving it, looks, comfort, and price. For what I paid for my used dts I couldn’t get any kind of decent suv. As far as suv’s go, I see no point in this tiny little pansy alleged suv’s. No use for anything smaller than a grand cherokee. These new suv things is like i made my backseat area the size of a cruze and sawed off all but a foot of my trunk, and lifted it a couple inches. Ugly as hell and totally useless
Like gm thinks their owners don’t do anything active to where they would want the pass through or roof racks. All they do is force the buyers that want these things to go get the competition that offers it. And since they want to shake the “image” that all cadillac buyers are 100 years old or turn them into ghetto blasters, you think they’d want my nice clean cadillac looking good up at the ski hill parked next to all the bimmers
I see , my 2010 DTS Plat. will be the last Caddy I really like the car it has about 52,000 miles and it has almost as many opts. as the new SUV own.
When I had a current gen Malibu I rarely dropped the seats. If I own a CT4/5 more than likely I’ll have an older truck to do the hauling. Now if GM was to plan one more rwd ICE sedan have a hatch/wagon version for mainstream versions and maybe offer one for Cadillac but IMO this isn’t a total deal breaker.
“If I own a CT4/5 more than likely I’ll have an older truck to do the hauling.”
But that’s exactly the point: why should one have to get a second vehicle when this is perfectly doable in a sedan?
I’d much rather make the twisty mountain road drive from Denver to Vail in a sport-luxury sedan than in any other kind of vehicle. It’s as simple as Cadillac offering the option it once had.
“But that’s exactly the point: why should one have to get a second vehicle when this is perfectly doable in a sedan?”
An sport SUV is actually better if I’m doing that much hauling and performance, as said you see the same said vehicles in ditches coming/going from ski resorts because they want to be Pikes Peak racers?. A periodic used option isn’t a deal killer. As said I hope it’s added back on the list again.
Hell yes. Why should you have to get another vehicle just to be able to take your fishing poles on a camping trip? My dts is perfectly capable of handling this task. I just wish I had straight up fold down IN ADDITION, so i could get my bike in the back without having to take off the wheels. Pain in the ass and my hands get all greasy screwing with the chain
While handy I think they were rarely used. I’ve never used mine in my CTS Coupe. If I needed to haul anything bigger I use my pickup. Also, this allows for more body structure to be built into the area and potentially a quieter passenger compartment by eliminating that opening.
The way the pass-through was implemented in the ATS and CTS had no negative impact on NVH.
It’s a matter of offering the feature for those who need it and will appreciate it. Those who don’t need it simply won’t use it. No harm no foul there.
But Alex, its those 2 cents !!
GM has to keep those 2 cents to pay that stockholder !
And unlike the 2 cents in that ignition switch that was killing people this 2 cents in a rear seat makes no difference to GM.
Just cheap – cheap- Cheap – CHEAP !
Interesting. We own a CTS with a rear pass-through, and it’s one of the things I miss with our new Cadillac for exactly the reasons outlined. We’re unable to carry skis, or anything longer that would normally fit through the pass-through, without folding down part of the rear seat, losing passenger space. (Another small thing that I notice is missing in the newer vehicle are courtesy lights in the bottoms of the rear doors, a small but helpful feature.). Otherwise, very happy with our two Cadillacs – the CTS has been an excellent car, and has 220,000 km on it!
Why would they get rid of the “puddle lights”? Totally stupid, they’ve had it forever. My seville 2 cars ago had that. One it’s nice as designed to see if you’re stepping into something when you get out, also nice to see if I’ve dropped anything when getting out of the car in the dark. By the time I grab my wallet, phone, cigarettes, lighter, keys, drink, anything else i have to bring.
Like alex said, just another reason why the european fans see cadillac as a joke and won’t buy one. I guess we’re too poor to have a cadillac because i have to have another vehicle for the sole purpose of getting my skis to the hill or fishing poles to the lake. Those 2 tasks apparently now require you to own, maintain, and park a 2nd vehicle. My broke ass still has awhile before I’ll be forced to switch. Still cruising in my dts, will probably get another low mileage example of this car, then an xts or ct6 depending on funds years down the road. Once I need a car past the xts or a ct6, I’ll just jump ship from the brand if unable to afford an escalade. Would not be buying a 2nd car to take my poles to the lake. Get bent on that one
I have CTS Coupe, folding seats down I can pack 10×10 trade show booth and luggage etc. That happens more often than someone sitting in the back.
GM’s strategy for adding features continues to be they will give you something new to stay just competitive enough but they will cut something else.
I realize that everything costs money but it’s not like they pass the savings. They are almost always the most expensive vehicles in their classes with the fewest options.
It has nothing to do with saving money. As pointed out by Raymond Ramirez, the hybrid models need the space for a battery pack behind the seats. This is nothing new, when cars were smaller it was very common to put a fuel tank behind the rear seat.
As someone who owns a coupe presently this is really dumb. I use my rear seat passthrough extensively. I owned a gm sedan in the past with pass through. So what if I decide to run to Lowes to pick up some wood? Guess I’m screwed and will have to rent a GM truck that lowes will rent out.
Time for a pick up. Everyone should have at least two vehicles.
I’m sorry I am unable to afford a 20-30k truck with 100k plus miles. Would you like to buy me one?
No way in hell I’d be paying 30k for a pos truck with 100k miles. 30k get me a damn nice sedan, if only you could still carry what you need when up and about.
I guess as long as the seats fold down you can still get the stuff. Be irritating though for the family with 2 kids in the back can’t buy something while shopping that they’ve been able to do perfectly fine for the last 30 years
As a Cadillac owner, off and on since the 1950’s, my present XTS will be my last Cadillac as when I toyed with buying the newer large sedan (I don’t buy small Cadillac’s or SUV crossover models), and found the seat didn’t come down to allow my occasional need to haul longer items, I punted. I have Jeep, LUV truck, IH Travelall and Yukon…. but when I’m in the car of choice and want to haul something “outsized,” I want to haul it. Cadillac management is screwing themselves. They don’t know who they are selling cars to. What a shame
Amen. Luckily you have the jeep and yukon but bogus you can’t just be up and about and use the car like every car has been used for the last how long
Since Cadillac is competing with BMW and Mercedes and Lexus, they should follow their lead. If they have pass-through, so should Cadillac. That is what their customers want.
Another reason I will keep my XTS for a long time. Cheaping out on the pass through may seem insignificant to Cadillac management, but not to me, as I use it. I also will never buy a cuv box. It’s also indicative of decontenting in other places where one may not notice right away.
So you don’t want a trax or ecosport with a tiny little back seat and MAYBE a foot of space behind the back seats? Oh but it’s lifted up a couple inches over a car so now it’s able to be an adventure mobile
Can’t even carry a broom home from the store. Need a truck for that? This is one more reason sedans are dying. Only good for moving 4 people
I have a 2020 CT4-V. The rear seats fold down.
This article is Wrong, unless maybe it starts in 2021.
The article is not about rear seats folding down.
Opening the pass thru hatch and pulling the emergency release is the only way for me to open my CTS’s trunk! Gm’s wire harness has issues with flexing too much with the trunk opening and closing where the remote and interior button release don’t consistently work….love my cts, but embarrassing to have these kind of quality issues from a company that has been making cars for over 100 years.
Sounds like time for repair.
I had a 2013 XTS with rear fold down seats..while I didn’t use the feature often, it DID really come in handy.. I find the “pass thru” in my 2027 CT6 useless, would much prefer rear fold down seats..
Its like I have been saying,
Why would ANYONE think that GM will change the way they are doing things with Cadillac just because it will be an EV ?
Sure the SUV will not need the passthrough, but its just a cheapening up of Cadillac.
Just like a 2 cent ignition spring, its just 2 cents !
Look at the past Cadillac EV or Voltallacs. Still GM just making as cheap as possible vehicle !
First Cadillac tried to compete with the foreign luxury, now Cadillac only really needs to sell in China !
The ONLY Cadillac in the USA is the Escalade !
The rest are just cheap Chevrolets with a Cadillac badge.
Even these Alpha cars, still just a Chevrolet, and a Chevrolet quality vehicle !
Look at the interior of these vehicles, WHY is the Escalade interior different ?
I am going to love when Cadillac sales go the same as today with the EVs in the USA, THEN WHAT ?
Will GM only sell Cadillac in China ?
If Cadillac would have installed the dash setup of the Lyriq or Escalade in these sedans, they would be moving in larger numbers.
Same could be said of the rest of the Cadillac SUV lineup !
Fun days !!!