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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  Quite a nice surprise - 2012 Cadillac CTS
  By big_g - October 1 - 2:58 pm

  I drive about 40k a year so i go through allot of cars. After leaving American cars for German due to my excessive mileage I am glad to be back. I have owned an A6 (too uncomfortable) and a 528i (too unreliable) and came back to GM. Couldnt be happier. The rebates and incentives that I got were amazing and I have to say its nice driving something that not everyone else has on the road (528i). Mine is Opulent Blue and I get the thumbs up all the time.

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  More Than a AWD Station Wagon - 2004 Cadillac SRX
  By guy41 - October 1 - 7:08 am

  I purchased the 2004 SRX to replace a Buick Riviera and a Chevrolet AWD Astro van. It was difficult finding a vehicle with the sporty ride and handling of the Buick that could also perform some of the daily tasks of the Astro. Suprisingly the SRX does it all with style and grace. I like this model more than the new ones for its sporty station wagon style. Even after 102k miles it makes me smile when Im behind the wheel and I would buy another.

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  Big Caddy with Styling - 2013 Cadillac XTS
  By bigwes3 - October 1 - 12:43 am

  Purchased a White Diamond exterior with Carmel/Black interior Premium FWD XTS in July after considering a BMW or Mercedes. After 3,300 miles in it, the more I drive it the more I love it. Outstanding ride quality and interior finish is top notch. So glad Cadillac did not abandon the smooth ride to chase the BMW/Mercedes performance (extremely hard ride) model. This car provides a perfect blend of cushion & performance handling. Big car ride with midsize handling. The spirited V6 provides excellent power while returning great gas mileage. CUE system definitely requires a dedicated learning period to familiarize yourself with the many features.

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  Know Your Car!! - 2005 Cadillac SRX
  By oliviad1214 - September 23 - 2:36 pm

  There seems to be a lot of frustration when it comes to the oil on this car. When you are driving a luxury car you need to keep up with certain things that you wouldnt need to in a Honda. I have my oil checked after every 100+ mile trip and topped off and get my oil change every 3,000 miles. Its a great reliable car with amazing handling. The gas mileage could be better but no complaints, again a high maintenance vehicle. You need to take care of it though, and commit to regular maintenance, if you cant then you shouldnt be buying luxury.

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  At long last, a worthy entry. - 2013 Cadillac ATS
  By ngamoth - September 22 - 1:10 pm

  After successive failures, it appears Cadillac has finally made a small car worth buying. The level of effort involved in the design, creation, and testing of this car are evident upon first driving it - it feels surprisingly well built. Were it not for the plush American cabin, youd swear the VIN began with a telltale W. Performance-wise, the car shines. The adjustable Magnetic Ride Control is brilliantly implemented, and one could wax poetic about the powertrain, braking...but lets face it. This isnt going to the track - its going to make a break in traffic much more enjoyable. Spaciousness wasnt the intended result, so make your buddies drive separately!

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  New Xts Driver - 2013 Cadillac XTS
  By nutsaboutcars - September 17 - 1:25 am

  I leased a new xts with the premium trim pkg today in black on black and what a gorgeous car it is

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  Good sports sedan - 2010 Cadillac CTS
  By tdbmd - September 13 - 3:25 pm

  I purchased my 10 CTS 3.6 with AWD about 6 months ago. This is my first sports sedan. The CTS handles great. Ride is firm but not bone jarring. 3.6 liter motor has good acceleration, but you have to rev it a bit to get the most performance from it. Have not had any bad weather yet to test the AWD system. Mileage is about 22 mpg in mixed driving and 26-27 on the hwy at speeds from 65-70 mph. The interior is comfortable and well finished. The seats are comfortable but really best for 4 passengers, 5 is a bit tight. Bose stereo has great sound and I like that you can hook up a iPod to it. Climate system works well in both heating and cooling.

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  My first Cadillac - 2008 Cadillac STS
  By powerline87 - August 5 - 6:39 pm

  This is my first Cadillac and my first car that was over $1000. Value: I got my car 3-4 years old, because the price drops by $20-25k by then. Performance: 302hp 3.6L DI V6. 52/48 weight dist. AWD. Dual-Wishbone front suspension - It handles better than most smaller cars Ive driven, and even handles about as well as the CTS, despite being bigger and more comfortable. Comfort: I have driven a Lincoln MKZ, a Cadillac CTS and SRX, and a Lexus ES 350, and the STS is the most comfortable out of all of them. It is roomier and its seats just feel more comfortable. Summary: A used 2008-2011 Cadillac STS has a better balance between luxury and performance than any other car in my price range.

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  Audio System Atrocious - 2012 Cadillac CTS
  By bgk99 - August 3 - 1:55 am

  There are lots of things to love about the Cadillac. The incentives are what got me, the design, the handling, the power... However, ALL of that isnt worth the car for one reason and one reason only. The absolutely complete MESS of navigation and especially the phone system. 1) when you get a call, the number appears on the DASH but the CONNECT button is on the NAV SCREEN and it pops up MAYBE 25% of the time. The audio voice will instruct you to hit a button, but when you do... nothing happens and you will lose calls ALL THE TIME. It CANNOT put your iphone contact list into its system (are you kidding?) and the "hands free calling" is worse than the Prius (which was horrific).

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  SRX puts the Sport in SUV - 2006 Cadillac SRX
  By thomas2006 - July 19 - 11:58 pm

  Smooth, Fast and fun to drive. I traded in my 2008 Mustang GT and I havent looked back. I would buy another anytime. I drive over 80 miles a day to work and back. I now look forward to the trip. You cant beat the Bose stereo. It is almost a surreal experience.