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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  CTS Pleased - 2003 Cadillac CTS
  By Robert C - January 6 - 10:00 am

  Wifes buying decision based on the design. I wasnt too sure (I drive a 5 series BMW) but now I am really pleased with the purchase. Driving experience is just excellent and the design really grows on you. Best trip up the mountains that we ever had. Car runs flawlessly and seems to get stronger as we put more miles on it. We bought the NAV system and now I dont know if I would ever buy a car without one.

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  My STS rocks! - 2007 Cadillac STS
  By Sylvia - January 4 - 5:13 pm

  Ive enjoyed owning my Cadillac STS - I can sum up my experience like this: reliable, luxury, solid, head-turning, quiet, smooth, f-a-s-t!, beautiful, graceful, turns on a dime, great stability and best of all, my 66" husband fits comfortably....

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  CTS-A Keeper - 2003 Cadillac CTS
  By Rexorg - January 4 - 4:43 am

  Ive owned 26 vehicles, including three fine SHOs. This the best by far. Cadillac has hit a home run with the CTS. The only problem is it will take customers away from its other aging platforms. Problem areas are A pillar size which obstructs side vision and rear vision is limited by rear end height and rear seat headrests. The CTS handles like a dream and the brakes are topnotch.

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  Love my Escalade! - 2005 Cadillac Escalade
  By Karen - January 3 - 6:32 pm

  Weve had our Escalade for four months now and have no complaints. It a beautiful vehicle and handles well. The mileage is what you expect from an SUV. We are having some problems with the hands free phone not understanding us but have not yet looked into getting it fixed. The drivers seat is comfortable and with the memory settings there are no arguments about moving the seat. I am definitely impressed with the quality of our Escalade. Weve had SUVs before and a common problem was an impaired view on turns. This is definitely not a problem with the Escalade.

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  Not My Fathers Cadillac - 2007 Cadillac SRX
  By Caddy - December 31 - 7:05 pm

  This is my first Cadillac. I always thought of it as an older persons vehicle. I have one child who plays hockey and so I felt the SRX was a great size for room and comfort on road trips. I am only getting 15 miles to the gallon, with a V6, but so far that is the only disappointing feature.

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  2004 Cadillac XLR - 2004 Cadillac XLR
  By G Hroma - December 30 - 8:51 pm

  My overall experience with this car has been positive, though I have had some problems with top operation. It is a lot of fun to drive. It turns a lot of heads when on the road.

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  Awesome STS - 2006 Cadillac STS
  By "S" Man - December 30 - 7:58 pm

  I bought this car in November and so far it is great! I love just about everything this car has to offer. The ride is very quiet and the 6-cylinder engine offers a lot of pep - there really is no need for the V8 and the additional cost that goes with it! The interior is top notch and it has all the features you could ask for. I have received a lot of positive comments on this car!

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  Safe Used Car - 2003 Cadillac CTS
  By Steve - December 30 - 2:00 pm

  When looking for a used car for our daughter, we selected a used CTS. Our feeling that it is the best buy for the money. It provides more value than anything new in our budget. It gets 27 mpg on the road. The CTS has a very solid ride, great brakes, and it delivers outstanding performance in sport mode that rivals anything on the road today. We are tall and the higher roof line is important. The trunk is OK, but another couple inches in length here would be better.

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  Nice STS - 2001 Cadillac Seville
  By john - December 30 - 2:52 am

  The 2001 Cadillac Seville STS is a fun car to drive with all the options.

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  2006 DTS w/Performance Package - 2006 Cadillac DTS
  By steve saunders - December 28 - 10:03 pm

  As a former Eldorado owner, the size of the DTS took a while to get used to. With the performance package it handles well for a car of its size and it still rides well. It has the best suspension for this car - Ive driven both styles. The interior is typical Cadillac high quality. The downside of the interior is the cup holders. They are too shallow to really really hold cups or bottles, especially during turns or braking. I had issues with the original dealership and Cadillac introduced me to another dealer for any required maintenance or warranty work. Cadillac has excellent customer relations. I like the OnStar system. My next car will be an STS-V.