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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  read before you buy - 2000 Cadillac Catera
  By david hause - February 11 - 9:24 pm

  well when we first looked at this car we thought...wow. We found a car that looks and drives like a dream for the right price...we were right but soon after we drove it hope the electric in this car went wacky, the headlight went out..$25. Then the brake lights stop working as well as the sunroof, cruise control and other small things

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  My biggest Mistake. - 1998 Cadillac Catera
  By kymika01 - February 11 - 8:12 pm

  My husband and I purchased this car thinking that it was a cadillac, it had to be worth the money right? WRONG!!!! It has been a nightmare from the first week we owned it. We have put enough repair in it to have bought another car. It had a rebuilt engine only a couple of years ago and now we are junking it because yet again there are over 1k in repairs needed. I can not believe Cadillac ever allowed such a car to scar their name. I would NEVER own a cadillac again EVER!

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  Love this car - 2008 Cadillac SRX
  By caddyfan - February 10 - 5:18 am

  There is nothing not to like. I have owned Honda and Toyota for years and thought it was time to buy American." This car has needed nothing other than one oil change. Reliability is excellent, despite the reviews. This car is a well kept secret.

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  Rare Fun Car - 2006 Cadillac XLR
  By Mark Zachary - February 10 - 1:49 am

  A Rare car among more common luxury convertibles on the road. Plenty of power for a 2 seater, handles well. Smooth, stable ride on highway and side roads. Comfortable, well equipped interior. A Fun car to drive, especially on warm, sunny days with the top down. Eye catching exterior is noticed wherever you travel. Be warned.....this vehicle often attracts the interest of complete strangers but Ive met some great people who enjoy unique, fun automobiles like the XLR as much as I do. Buy One and Have Fun!

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  caddys are not for rookies - 2002 Cadillac Deville
  By caddy daddy - February 9 - 11:25 pm

  this is my third cadillac and from my expierence, its all a roll of the dice! some are built to last with minimal repairs, and others will make you pull your hair out! routine maintenance plays a critical role of the life of your caddy, used caddys should be bought will eligible extended warranty, if buying used check gm inquiry report and that should tell you alot about your caddys reliablity. the car overall is great, i guess for me the third times a charm, ive paid my dues to cadillac, do your research, inspect your caddy daily, and keep up with routine maintenance.

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  Unapologetically old school luxury... - 2011 Cadillac DTS
  By Bill Gobeille - February 9 - 12:26 am

  Just wanted a big, solid, reliable, old fashioned American luxury car as a weekend cruiser/retirement car. Looked for a white, low mileage, DTS Platinum edition with a brown interior for years. Its a very popular used car with strong reliability and good ones sell fast, so you have to be on top of the search. Finally tripped across one on Autotrader alert after a 3 year search. The alert hit the phone, it ticked every box, clean Carfax, and the internet price was awesome (5k cheaper than 2 similar local models for sale), so I purchased. My brother drove it up for me and so far, so good. Beautiful car, easy to drive, and very comfortable. Interesting observation is that the speed never gets away from you...you know that sensation when you think youre driving one speed and youre actually going much faster...this cars perceived vs actual speed is right on the money. Other drivers take one look at it and KNOW that youre not lead footing it down the road, just enjoying the ride! Love the blind zone and lane departure alert features, just wish that a backup camera had been offered as a feature as well. Easy entry & exit for all passengers, tons of trunk space, amazing ride quality, upscale but not showy, and very solid /stable feeling.

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  Darth Vaders Cadillac - 2001 Cadillac Seville
  By Firestorm 500 - February 5 - 4:41 pm

  Bought used black on black STS with 78K miles for my wife. Now it has 118K miles. Generally reliable. Have replaced battery, crank position sensors, engine air tube, engine cooling fan and a few other things. Others are right, car is expensive to have worked on, I only let Cadillac dealer do it. Rides nice, is quiet. Handles good. Bose 4.0 stereo very good. Car still looks good, many favorible comments. Good A/C. Roomy. Trunk is adequate. 300 HP Northstar will fly, but uses oil about 1 qt. every 700 miles or so. About 19 mpg city, 24 highway, regular fuel. Very good traction on wet roads or snow. Stabilitrak helps a lot. Has better build quality than my 97 Eldorado or 97 Catera.

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  Good Looking - 2009 Cadillac CTS
  By drjohnson - February 5 - 11:35 am

  This car looks hot but has a few quirks. Its hard to see out of, isnt as roomy as it looks, and sometimes has trouble starting. The DI engine either just doesnt like sub zero temps or is plain tempermental, but on occasion, Ive had trouble firing this baby up. Having said that, the AWD is awesome. This car handles better on slick roads than my V8 suv. It looks great and is overall pretty cool. The most annoying thing for me is the telescoping steering wheel. It is quite bulky so that my knees constantly bang into it, and Im an average to small guy. But, shes a head turner and the Black Cherry color is awesome.

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  Looks good but u should pass - 1998 Cadillac Seville
  By John - February 4 - 11:12 am

  Just three weeks into buying I started getting "check coolant level" I thought no biggie. I put some in but after a few weeks boom same problem again. Went online and seen Head gasket leaking was a common problem. I heard its expensive. Still putting coolant in it. Now it says "servise suspension" tired of car. In process of selling it or trade in. Only had car for 11 months now.

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  Affordable muscle - 2005 Cadillac STS
  By Just Brilliant - February 3 - 9:51 am

  I keep a number of cars- for business, fun, performance and some just to look at. The STS is meant for business appts and really fits the category. Picking a client up in a $100k car or a $1k car sends a message. Its great for taking my hottie out on the town. No worries about the elements or parking lots. Dont settle for less then a fully optioned vehicle. Get the heads up display, V8, navi, sunroof, 15 speaker bose, adaptive cruise, 18 inch wheels. Reliability is an issue along with finding knowledgeable, competent and confident service.