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:

• 

  Cadillac XT5 Start/Stop Feature - 2017 Cadillac XT5
  By Eugene Zamiska - May 24 - 12:52 pm

  I think that I am having troubles with the start/stop feature since the car has not turned off in almost 3 weeks and about 1000 miles of driving. I contacted the service dept. at the dealer about 2 weeks ago and the service adviser didnt even seem to know that the XT5 had a no-turn- off start/stop system so he told me to just keep driving. I then called the salesman who told me to drive the car until the weather cooled down to see if it would turn off on its own. Today I visited the dealers service department to make sure that I was not injuring the cat since it does seem to try to turn off at the same intersections that it used to. Todays service adviser printed off reasons that the system does not work and they are the same reasons that I saw long ago on the internet or in the manual. He told me to just drive the car normally and that I would get a warning from the car if something was wrong. He also assured me that there are many XT5s out here and that none has reported a start/stop problem, although he did not bother to check my car.

• 

  best car of the year - 2004 Cadillac Escalade EXT
  By TTITTANNS - May 24 - 2:00 am

  i think that this is so comfy and so fun to drive. it has room in the back for my tools and supplies for on the job.

• 

  A really good car - 2009 Cadillac CTS
  By jimmeryeso - May 22 - 9:26 pm

  Fantastic car, Powerful and quiet. Excellent quiet ride. 40 gb hhd really lets you record all your cds. As much fun as my Carrera. Air cooled front brakes like my XJ 6.

• 

  My Last Cadillac - 2007 Cadillac STS
  By Former Caddy Owner - May 22 - 8:50 pm

  This is my 3rd or 4th Cadillac (lost count) but it is surely my last one. This little STS has had one annoying problem after another...and NO MILES ON IT!!! This evening it has shut down completely and doesnt recognize fobs, wont open the trunk or move out of PARK. Road Side Assistance sent a tow truck out to carry the car back to the dealer, but, the tow driver couldnt budge the car out of PARK. Thankfully, we are home and have a second vehicle (Toyota) so we arent stranded. Now, if this was happening at a mall or anywhere on the road, this incident would be more than infuriating. I would not advise anyone to buy a Cadillac.

• 

  Lovin my CTS - 2003 Cadillac CTS
  By pdrjr - May 22 - 10:00 am

  When I was a kid Cadillacs were cool. By the time I was in college, they were living rooms on wheels. Now, Caddy is making a car that kicks butt, turns heads and competes with luxury imports. Im an American. I want power, performance and bold styling. And I want to buy it from an American company, especially at a time when world opinion is decidedly anti US. The kids at the car wash tell me they love my CTS. People stop in parking lots to look it over, and slow down in traffic to get a better view. Break Through indeed.

• 

  Ive had a few Caddies - 1992 Cadillac Brougham
  By Reggo4u2c - May 21 - 5:06 pm

  But this is the one. I found it in this nice lady yard who told me her son had it for years and park it there about 5 years ago. Well after a tune up and fluid change this car has come back strong. I still have to replace the top and the radio is shot but I hope to have her put back together before the summer is out

• 

  Sweet truck ;) - 2004 Cadillac Escalade EXT
  By Mikeslim99 - May 18 - 10:00 am

  Great truck to pick up horny chicks in :)) Great all around truck does everything. Rims make this truck off the hook. I have 22s on mine. truck loves gas :( And you can put your dirt bike or quad in back of truck. You can use truck for everything.

• 

  Great Value and Performance - 1996 Cadillac Eldorado
  By ricardo719 - May 18 - 5:22 am

  My previous car, the Seville SLS, was a nice car, essentially trouble-free for 4 years, so I felt confident going with another Cadillac with the Northstar engine. Its styling is beautiful, the performance and handling are solid. On hard acceleration I get thrown back in the seat! The fuel economy was amazing (18/27) for a "heavy" car with a V8 engine then I put nitrogen in the tires and experienced a 12% increase! I hope to keep this car forever, since they dont build them anymore! What a shame! This car has all the options, Bose sound and a 12-disc changer, glass moonroof, the works! I love the color, a metallic maroon, I think they call it Crimson Pearl, its gorgeous!

• 

  GM got something right... finally - 2009 Cadillac CTS
  By nbafan512 - May 17 - 10:53 pm

  This is one of the best cars I have ever owned. I could not be happier I am keeping this. My grandson wanted me to get the Cts V but im 70 i dont need that. This has plenty of get up and go. I got it fully loaded for 51,000. It has all the luxurys. MY wife loves it and wants to keep it forever. The heated cooled seats are great. {Cooled is loud on high setting} Love the dual sunroof. Pop up nav screen is a must. All of our music sounds great on this car. A few things I dont like on this car is head room in the back. Storage is nill for cell phone and wallets. There is ALOT of road noise but you get used to it. My grandson is getting a car in a year he likes mine but still is getting the XLR

• 

  Engineered Excellence... - 2009 Cadillac XLR
  By G Brint - May 17 - 11:33 am

  This is the Finest Autocratic Admirably Driven Dependable Motored Autocross Carrier on the Planet. Sometimes you can tell more about Vehicles by the way the general populace looks fixedly at them without reservation. Most Exotic Sapient Transporters will get their Fair Share of Attention and the XLR is no Stranger in this Category... Let the Contentious European Lackeys be on Alert, this is another Beauty in a long line in the Form of one of Americas Finest Driving Machines. This 2 Seated Phenomenal will be replicated by many by many times over but never will it or could it be reproduced by a Foreign Entity. The Trap has been Set and Sprung to catch only the finest engineering affecios..