Overview & Reviews

Owned by General Motors, Cadillac is America's most prestigious domestic luxury automaker. For most of its existence, the company was known exclusively for its cushy, senior-friendly sedans, but in more recent years the automaker has revised and expanded its lineup in a successful effort to attract a new, younger generation. Cadillac's roster now includes SUVs (its Escalade is a favorite of both rappers and suburban moms), a crossover and even a high-performance wagon.

Born in 1902, Cadillac was founded by Henry Martyn Leland, a manufacturer of automotive components. He named the company after a noted French explorer who discovered Detroit in the early 1700s. Leland helped create one of the company's earliest offerings -- the Cadillac Osceola, noted for being the industry's first concept car and the first closed-body car made in America. Only one Osceola was made, but it helped spark a trend; closed bodies caught on and spread like wildfire through the industry.

Cadillac quickly gained a reputation for specializing in precise craftsmanship and for using standardized parts. The success of early Cadillacs like the Model A and the "30" made the brand a sales success, so much so that the automaker was purchased by General Motors in 1909. The marque became GM's luxury division, and its list of innovations grew. Cadillac was the first U.S. auto manufacturer to produce a V8, the first to use thermostatic control of a cooling system and the first to offer dash-controlled headlights. During the 1930s, the brand earned a strong reputation for producing powerful and smooth V12 and V16 engines.

Soon after World War II, Cadillac history hit a high point as its tailfinned and chrome-laden cars became the epitome of American postwar automotive style. Cadillac's tailfin took its cue from Lockheed's P38 Lightning Aircraft, and was the brainchild of designer Frank Hershey. Vehicles like the Coupe de Ville and Fleetwood El Dorado made Cadillac a staple in upscale neighborhoods and among the Hollywood set.

By the 1960s, Cadillac's flashy tailfins had given way to a new styling cue: vertical taillights. This attribute was in evidence on one of Cadillac's most successful new cars of that decade, the Fleetwood Sixty Special. The Fleetwood offered luxury features that were cutting-edge for its day, such as fold-down writing tables, footrests and a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel.

The gas crunch of the 1970s, however, started a downward trend for the company. Cadillac's Titanic-sized behemoths that ruled the highways in previous decades were increasingly out of touch and out of favor. Cadillac responded to the changing times by downscaling the dimensions of many vehicles in its lineup. Despite this smart maneuvering, the automaker's fortunes suffered in the late '70s when it unveiled a diesel engine that quickly earned a reputation for spotty performance.

The 1980s saw the redesign of the Seville, a vehicle whose unique bustle-back styling sparked a trend and inspired its share of imitators. That decade also witnessed the rollout of the Cimarron, a small car that was essentially a rebadged Chevy Cavalier, the latter an economy car not exactly known for excellence. Understandably, the Cimarron never caught on with the public. Things got worse when Cadillac launched a series of underpowered, unreliable V8s during the first half of that decade that, along with the notoriously unreliable diesel, cost the automaker thousands of customers, millions of dollars and immeasurable damage to its reputation.

By the early '90s, Cadillac started a major turnaround as it brought out redesigned, stylish models with vastly improved engines. Shortly after the new millennium bowed, the company adopted its "Art & Science" design philosophy. With styling cues that included sharp, almost severe lines and stacked headlamps, Art & Science was first seen on Cadillac's 1999 Evoq concept roadster. By the mid-2000s, this bold new look had reinvigorated the company's sales, and was seen on hits such as the Escalade SUV and the CTS sport sedan.

This fresh styling, coupled with improvements in performance and overall product quality, has done a great deal to help Cadillac recover much of its previous status. Today's Cadillacs, which include coupes, sedans, crossovers and SUVs, are known for offering powerful engines, chiseled lines, sharp handling and a full accoutrement of luxury features.

User Reviews:

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  Country Cadillac - 2005 Cadillac Escalade EXT
  By ray tordoff - July 25 - 9:10 pm

  This is the third EXT I have owned. The vehicles are used for work & pleasure. They are very luxurious workhorses. I use the cargo space extensively to haul building materials & antiques. The vehicle is quick, responsive, & fun to drive. My average mileage over the first 4000 miles is 16.1mpg. I dont baby it & usually drive 9 miles an hour over the posted highway speed limit. I highly recommend this " Country Cadillac"

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  Great car - 2006 Cadillac CTS
  By jjmiller - July 25 - 11:06 am

  We purchased this car with 7000 owned by 92 year old man and it is too much car for a oler person, traded back to the dealer for a small and less equipment.

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  a car for those go for quality - 2007 Cadillac CTS
  By sandile - July 23 - 8:13 am

  having a car like this was for me the greatest experience ever as the car gave me that sense of control which you normally dont get from other vehicles.for me its a dream coming true.

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  CTS Review - 2003 Cadillac CTS
  By ratso - July 22 - 10:00 am

  The best automobile Ive owned in the last 39years. Outstanding performance matched with great design! A winner!

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  My Caddy - 1999 Cadillac Deville
  By Caddy - July 19 - 8:12 am

  I bought the Std version. I got fed up because the dealer either made a mistake or scammed me telling me its a Concours (not an official GM/Cadillac dealer), but a Caddy is a Caddy and it is a dream.I bought it for $6900 CANADIAN (at the time i bought it it was worth 10,000 US). On my first drive from the dealership I had to go on the hectic and jammed 401 on a snowy november night, and it felt like I was driving in my neibourhood on a sunny day in may. I was amazed by the performance. I mainly drive on highways and at one time it gave me 28 miles to the gallon, thats pretty impressive for a 4-ton Cadillac running on a 4 and a half liter Northstar engine.

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  Wish I could buy a new one - 1990 Cadillac Deville
  By Laddie Williams - July 14 - 5:18 pm

  This is my wifes car. She loves her 90, the way it looks, handles, parks, and rides. When the cruise control quit I thought she would simply die. Otherwise, it has been trouble free. It now had 123,000 miles with no major repairs other than brakes and struts. s

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  Car is great - 2007 Cadillac STS
  By brian - July 10 - 1:49 pm

  Car is an automotive winner. She blows the doors off the Mercedes Benz E class, the Infinity M35, or the 535 series BMW. in both performance and and good looks. Full featured for far less.

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  Stud Truck - 2004 Cadillac Escalade EXT
  By Caddyboy - July 10 - 10:00 am

  This is a head turner. I have a blast driving it. I added some performance from a customizer and this thing does 12:66 at 104mph in the quarter now

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  Loads of Fun! - 2005 Cadillac CTS
  By rhaydon - July 1 - 4:41 pm

  This is my first Cadillac, although my parents have had several over the years so I am familiar with them. I am 37 yrs old and absolutely love this car! I have the 3.6L V6 and it gets about 26 mpg highway and 19 mpg city. I average about 24 mpg and I step into the pedal quite often. It did have to go back to the dealer at about 3000 miles when the car started pulling to the left for no apparent reason. It took 2 trips to the dealer, but they figured out it was a failed steering gear and replaced it under warranty. Overall, this car is superb!

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  Assessing the 2006 Cadillac DTS - 2006 Cadillac DTS
  By Jim - June 28 - 6:47 pm

  I thoroughly enjoy the car in almost every aspect. It has lots of zip and yet is classy. The interior is nicely laid out with plenty of room. The seats are comfortable. I dont use the remote start much, but in the winter it is nice to have. I thoroughly enjoy the XM radio. Like drugs, it is extremely addictive. I cannot live without it now. I have since installed it in my second car and when I replace that, I will get XM radio in the new car.