For unclear reasons, one, but only one, of the supermarkets in my area often has interesting eighties cars parked outside. In mid-December 2017, despite some snow on the ground, there was a 1989 Cadillac Sedan de Ville on “display” with classic car tags—good enough reason for this blog entry.
“… the definitive full-size luxury car”
Cadillac’s Sedan de Ville was substantially revised for 1989, marking the first time that it had been “up-sized” for almost two decades. Overall length increased by nearly nine inches, while the wheelbase increased by three inches. The styling of this C-body was more in the traditional Cadillac vein than the 1985-1988 cars, with vertical blades in the rear that somewhat resembled the fins of previous decades. Changes extended to the interior, with more comfortable seats, more room in the rear compartment, and a larger trunk. New options included a heated windshield defogger ($250) and a Delco-Bose Gold Series music system with an AM stereo/FM stereo radio, a compact disc player, and extended-range rear speakers ($872).
Standard power for the front-wheel-drive Sedan de Ville continued to be the transverse-mounted HT 155 bhp 4.5 liter/273 ci V8 with throttle-body fuel injection paired with a Turbo Hydramatic 4T60 four-speed automatic transmission. 0-60 mph took about 10 seconds in the 3,470-pound car. Mileage was 17 city/25 highway by the day’s standards (15/23 by today’s measures)—with an 18-gallon gas tank, a de Ville owner could expect a range of about 310 to 340 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.
Standard exterior and mechanical equipment on the $25,760 Sedan de Ville (about $69,500 in today’s dollars or about what a loaded 2026 Cadillac CT5 sedan goes for) included tungsten-halogen headlamps, Soft-Ray tinted glass, power rack-and-pinion steering, power brakes, four-wheel independent suspension, and P205/70R15 Michelin steel-belted all seasons whitewall tires (a size still readily available) on 15-inch wheels. Inside, the Sedan de Ville was well equipped: electronic climate control, a six-way power driver’s seat, a tilt-and-telescope steering wheel, cruise control, power side mirrors, power windows (including an express-down driver’s side window), power door locks, and an AM/FM stereo with cassette player were all standard.
Options, Period Reviews, & Production Numbers
Exterior and mechanical options for the 1989 Sedan de Ville included Firemist paint ($240), an Astroroof ($1,355), an anti-lock braking system ($925), and aluminum alloy wheels ($480). Inside, leather seating areas ($560 and including leather-trimmed headrests), a leather-trimmed steering wheel ($115), a theft deterrent system ($225), a digital information cluster ($250), and a rear window defogger ($195) were available.
Reviews of the revised Sedan de Ville were generally positive—Motor Trend referred to the 1989 models as “upgunned”—and it sold well. Cadillac shipped 122,693, making it by far Cadillac’s most successful model for the year—the rear-wheel-drive D-body Brougham was a distant second place with 28,926.
The View From 2025
According to Hagerty’s valuation tools, a 1989 Sedan de Ville in #1/Concours condition is $17,300, with a far more typical #3/Good car going for $7,100 (only the top-of-the-line Allantés do really well among late eighties Cadillacs). This generation of de Villes does maintain a presence in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds, on eBay Motors, and on Bring a Trailer. When I last updated this blog entry in December 2025, there was a Medium Garnet Red Metallic 1989 with 36,000 miles for sale on Hemmings, asking $16,000.
Make mine that same Medium Garnet Red Metallic, please.
Other C-bodies I have covered in this blog are the 1985 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight Regency sedan and the 1989 Buick Electra Park Avenue Ultra sedan. Other eighties Cadillac sedans I have written about include the 1980 Seville, the 1982 Cimarron, the 1986 Fleetwood Brougham, and the 1988 Cimarron.
Last updated December 2025.
Eighties Cars 