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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  Thrilled! - 2009 Cadillac CTS
  By steve - March 14 - 9:38 am

  This vehicle is simply phenomenal. All the bells and whistles except ventilated seats. Pop up nav is truly my favorite feature. Have had two infinitis prior to this purchase, Fx and G35, both great cars, especially the g35, but this car honestly outshines both hands down. Pure luxury in an american made car with an interior that surpasses all other luxury cars in this category.

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  Run Farrrr Away From Catera - 2000 Cadillac Catera
  By yaki - March 13 - 5:40 pm

  the car runs perfectly when ur not spending thousands of dollars on it. worst cadillac ever built.check engine light always on.most users complain about cosmetic faults like door knob and all but let me tell you all the issues you will have with this cadi. catalytic converters,mass air flow sensor,o2 sensors,camshaft postion sensor,secondary air solenoid,crank sensor,air injection pump,modulator. once you fix all of those,a few thousand dollars after,you are good to go for a month or so till they all go bad again. trust me on this,the car is beautiful,lovely interior and sound system but there is something bout the engineering that just makes all those things go bad

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  quite a few problems - 2005 Cadillac SRX
  By Sameer Sinha - March 13 - 5:25 pm

  I purchased this new. youd expect a $55,000 will be flawless but that i snot the case quite a few mechnical problems. Suspension noise- got replaced, driveshaft seal noise, exhaust system noise, troque converter noise, audio replced twice. interior bracket and clips replced. When it is not in the shop it is awesome. rides great, not a great touring car due to uncomfortable rea seats.

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  Like throwing $ away - 2003 Cadillac CTS
  By Mark - March 12 - 3:30 pm

  I can not begin to say how disappointed I am with this car. As soon as the warranty expired it has cost nothing but money and time. My average annual repair bill in in excess of $3000 and the average repair takes 3 to 4 days to get corrected due to misdiagnostics by the shop technicians. This on a car with less than 100,000 miles on the odometer. I completely understand why GMC is on the verge of bankruptcy. And my forgiveness to those who will lose their jobs when they finally close the doors, but if you build junk and offer bad service you dont deserve to be in business. My experinece with this car has been so bad I will never buy another vehicle from the Big 3. Ever!

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  good car - 2004 Cadillac Escalade
  By Robert Mandel - March 11 - 10:00 am

  The car is very powerfull. and has good looks.

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  World Class CTS - 2009 Cadillac CTS
  By Steve S - March 10 - 9:29 pm

  The CTS is by far the best riding vehicle I have owned. The Styling is second to none. The CTS handles well at all speeds. Drives extremely smooth and very quiet. Excellent Quality. This car is best in class. Looked at all the competitors, CTS beat them all in price and value. GM did a great job with the CTS I highly recommend this vehicle.

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  Sexy and Fun to Drive! - 2008 Cadillac CTS
  By Eric - March 10 - 4:58 pm

  I absolutely love my 2008 CTS. I chose a 6 speed manual with the direct injection (304 hp) and for the power it gets amazing fuel economy. I have not had one single problem with this car since I drove it off the dealer lot. The cabin is comfortable, quiet and has lots of goodies to play with. Th exterior literally makes heads turn. The materials are high quality and the design is flawless.

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  92 & Still like new - 1992 Cadillac Deville
  By Dave - March 7 - 5:32 am

  this car is the best auto iv ever bought it has way more power then youll ever need and makes less noise then newer cars on the job site.i know now why people drive the way they do in a cadi.beacouse you ARE the king of the road.watch the speedo. though because 85 feels the same as 35.i once was doin 40 on the interstate (midafter noon) didnt realize it till school bus pasted me but even then i was like "oh well"the min speed lmnt.is 40 and i was just enjoin my ride.

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  Uber Cadillac - 2007 Cadillac CTS
  By BroncoDan - March 4 - 3:25 pm

  I love my CTS Sport, it has the 18" Wheel performance and appearance package, handles very well for the size. Not quite as well as my previous Audi and Porsche, but very nice for a larger car. Love the shiftable automatic. Only issue was a broken rear sway bar, replaced by the warranty. Cadillac has an excellent Certified Pre- owned program. (6 years/100,000 miles)

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  First Impression - 2008 Cadillac CTS
  By Wineldr - March 2 - 1:00 pm

  I just purchased this car from a private party, a good friend so I know it has been treated well. What a surprise. The car is fantstically put together. Weleld esigned and executed. An absolute pleasure to drive. Looking forward to a very lengthy relationship.