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:

• 

  True American Luxury - 1996 Cadillac Fleetwood
  By dunbar - September 30 - 2:00 am

  The vehicle is excellent in every way except for driving over rippled surfaces that are close together. The suspension seems loose when this happens but that is what GM intended. I owned a Mercury Cougar XR7 with a much firmer suspension. Maybe thats why the Fleetwoods suspension seems rubbery at times.

• 

  True American Luxury - 1996 Cadillac Fleetwood
  By Dunbar - September 30 - 2:00 am

  The vehicle is excellent in every way except for driving over rippled surfaces that are close together. The suspension seems loose when this happens but that is what GM intended. I owned a Mercury Cougar XR7 with a much firmer suspension. Maybe thats why the Fleetwoods suspension seems rubbery at times.

• 

  The most bang for the buck. - 2003 Cadillac Seville
  By Cadillac Co - September 21 - 2:00 am

  Break through. Thats exactly what Cadillac is doing with its current line up, and the Seville STS is not execption. Anything from the world- class suspension to the overly impressive NorthStar engine, the STS is a muscle car with class, sophistication, and elegence. Turning heads might be a problem though, as you whiz by any traffic anywhere before anyone knows what passed them.

• 

  Catera Schmera - 1997 Cadillac Catera
  By Doug Qualls - September 16 - 2:00 am

  I stopped counting Cadilacs at my fifteenth. This Catera I bought used has been very reliable and provided excellent service so far. It has a crisp, taylored feel to it which is nice. The handling and performance and fuel economy are excellent. I normally use premium, but I have been buying regular gas for it and it has performed well, averaging 24 mpg. There are no squeeks or rattles and it has a solid quality feel: for a small car it does not feel cheap. While it is not as luxurious as other Cadillacs I own, it does have all the Cadillac features you would want the car to have. My overall feel of the car is that it has been very undervalued due to its plain styling.

• 

  Beautiful Machine - 2004 Cadillac Deville
  By Scotty1927 - September 15 - 8:11 pm

  I love old Caddys and Elvis because my dad loved old Caddys and Elvis. Now they are obsessions. Just picture this, since my children refuse to, a black Caddy with black carriage roof, Gold Package, polished chrome wheels with gold Cadillac emblems, and Vogue Tyres. It dont get no better! George Jones, Pasty Cline, Conway Twitty, and Ray Price sound even better when I am cruising in that old car. The car is mobile art. An object of beauty and grace. Having said all that there are some real concerns. If you whisper "head gasket" I will break into a cold sweat. She is running Mobile 1 and I have no money for repairs. Windows are for looking out of, NOT rolling down. Nylon window components have a horrible reputation. The brakes dont always seem quite up to the task. The paint is flaking off of the radio and climate controls. Its the first thing I see when I get in the car and I cannot believe it. As much as I love Cadillac, GM went belly up for a reason. FWD doesnt make sense for this car. Too much weight up front and the turning radius is bigger than a cul-de-sac. The car actually feels downsized to me. Not nearly as much room as my 1993 Fleetwood Brougham and certainly nothing like my 1995 Buick Roadmaster Estate Wagon. I hate to see these cars disappear. Some of the new Cadillacs are four cylinder. They are shaped like beans and look like my wifes 1987 Accord. Play some Haggard. I need a drink.

• 

  unknown - 2005 Cadillac Escalade EXT
  By fredjones - September 13 - 10:00 am

  This truck is really comfortable and fun to drive. The reliability is awesome. The build quality is pretty good , but its sort of plasticky inside. There are some plastics which should not be there, because of the price, and because its a Cadillac, but its alright. This is a really nice car if youre looking for a comfortable truck. Its a pretty good performer for a truck.

• 

  98 Catera Nice German/American Car. - 1998 Cadillac Catera
  By MarkJU - September 12 - 2:00 am

  Solid feeling car, handles extremely well, great sound system, well crafted. Conservative style yet classy and understated. Completely overshadows the 1998 ES300 Lexus, or Camery, in luxury and feel but that does not take alot to do with boring Japanese cars in this price range. It may be true that you can drive japanese cars harder only then to toss them away, but if you want a nice car to own and you drive responsibly, Catera is a good choice. A great value in the used market.

• 

  Fantastic Ride - 1997 Cadillac Eldorado
  By DA - September 11 - 2:00 am

  I have the ETC. 300HP instead of 275. I drove both. It sure feels like a lot more than a 25HP difference! At 35mph I can break the front tires loose on dry pavement. I got 28.99mpg driving from OKC to Branson with cruise set at 75mph. Better than my brothers Mazda 323 4 cylinder!! course he had problems keeping the little bugger at 75 >) Only complaint I have is the power antenna broke. Its a Cadillac so you can guess the replacement cost... yep A BUNCH!

• 

  Fantastic Ride - 1997 Cadillac Eldorado
  By da - September 11 - 2:00 am

  I have the ETC. 300HP instead of 275. I drove both. It sure feels like a lot more than a 25HP difference! At 35mph I can break the front tires loose on dry pavement. I got 28.99mpg driving from OKC to Branson with cruise set at 75mph. Better than my brothers Mazda 323 4 cylinder!! course he had problems keeping the little bugger at 75 >) Only complaint I have is the power antenna broke. Its a Cadillac so you can guess the replacement cost... yep A BUNCH!

• 

  2000 SLS Not Bad - 2000 Cadillac Seville
  By Pattrick - September 11 - 2:00 am

  Very dependable, nimble, gutsy, clean lines, comfortable inside, tight steering and ride. I am very pleased with the car. Althought lacking the materialship of the MZ/BMW, it lacks the price tag as well. I would recommend this car for the price.