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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  I Love My CTS - 2005 Cadillac CTS
  By BBC - December 29 - 2:42 pm

  I love my CTS! I have driven many other types of vehicles and makes (including BMW) and this is my favorite car yet! I have no complaints at this point I did have to replace my tires sooner than in previous vehicles (due to fun driving excursions). I live in the south so I have no problems with snow and/or ice. It does handle well in the rain. This is my first Cadillac and I am already planning to purchase a new CTS this coming year!

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  22 Year Old Son Gone Nuts Over My CTS! - 2009 Cadillac CTS
  By Jacques T - December 27 - 10:00 pm

  Need we say more. First time ever my son showing off our Caddy! Quiet and quick acceleration, pretty impressive! My God how come the CEOs are begging Washington for the money? This car is real good for us. Would not surprise me if this car saves GM alone. Zero complaints.

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  Great car - but not flawless - 2008 Cadillac CTS
  By Steve - December 27 - 1:57 pm

  My 2008 CTS AWD is now 15 months old and still drives great but Im starting to see some of the old GM aging. Ive recently had my car in for some quirky problems and have noticed wear in the interior components including gaps between components. I think this is also contributing to noticeable interior wind noise. All-in-all the car still drives great and has handled excellent on snowy roads this winter.

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  Fun to drive - 2003 Cadillac CTS
  By the phantom - December 27 - 2:00 am

  This is a fun car to drive. Cadillac is trying to appeal to a younger consumer and it should work with this car. The engine has more get up and go then I expected but it still has the Cadillac ride. The exterior styling turns heads. I love the sunroof and in dash CD changer. This is a great American car.

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  Great Vehicle - 2009 Cadillac CTS
  By GoBeta - December 26 - 7:56 pm

  Just bought this vehicle after extensive research, including BMW 335i, 535i, Infiniti M35/45, among others. This vehicle was the best value from a features & performance per dollar standpoint. The BMWs had a slight edge on drive experience and handling, but not enough to warrant the higher price and sacrifice on all other features. The technology inside the CTS is incredible, with only a few annoying exceptions (see below). I am very happy with this car and look forward to driving it every day. It has great curb appeal and is a vehicle that makes you feel great when driving it. If you like music, then youll esp love it. Between the ipod interface, 40G hard drive, and XM, you cant ever run out.

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  We have had an SRX for 2 1/2 years now - 2006 Cadillac SRX
  By Mark - Idaho - December 26 - 12:20 pm

  We purchased our SRX in 06 and it had 3,500 miles on it. Great car and we have really enjoyed it. We have had problems with the skyroof, it has been back to the shop 2 times thus far in addition tires can be pricy as the front and back are different sizes. We are going to get a 2008 SRX with AWD but are not concerned with the skyroof this time nor the third seat. The 3rd seat sounds great but it is hard to get to and sits to close to the rear of the car for safety reasons. We would recommend this car.

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  Stay away from GM Products - 1998 Cadillac Catera
  By please buy my catera - December 25 - 4:26 pm

  Consumers Reports has described this as a car as one to avoid. And now the subsequent CTS model is beginning to show the same reliability shortcomings. Ive owned Honda and Toyotas in the past, and the difference in reliability is a stark contrast. Unless you have unlimited funds and patience, Id suggest you avoid this car at all cost. This car is a perfect example of why GM is on the verge of bankrupcy, and why its best that the American taxpayer should not be responsible for bailing them out!

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  My American Car Buying Days Are Over - 2007 Cadillac Escalade
  By macnamara532 - December 24 - 9:44 am

  I have tried to support the American car manufacturer, but I cant anymore. I have had everything from havng to replace the console, because it was rattling so much, too the cheap plastic Door handles that cut my wifes hand. The molding around the windows is falling apart. Then the recalls, the last one because the unit that heated the windshield wiper fluid had heated up while not in use, and apparently had started fires. These are just the proverbial tip of the iceberg, many other things have gone wrong, but I am getting depressed even more by continuing on. Needless to say, I love General Motors, but until they improve quality, I will no longer be a loyal buyer.

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  Deville not bad - 1999 Cadillac Deville
  By JDW - December 23 - 2:47 pm

  Owned since new, mostly normal maintanence, brakes,tires, tuneup. Little warranty issues since new. Expensive dealer repairs were fuel pump at 135K and Air suspension compressor at 115K. Uses a quart of oil every 200-600 miles, more so as it got older.

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  Allantes after 15 years - 1993 Cadillac Allante
  By Bill - December 21 - 8:00 pm

  I read all the reviews on these cars and dont understand why the wrong people buy them. These cars are in the same price range as the 500SL class and are not treated like them. The SLs are stored in heated garages and treated to the best of care by very high priced service personnel. Allante owners seem to want to treat these beautiful cars as a daily driver and neglect the proper service and care. If you think it is expensive to have the Northstar worked on check what the repairs cost on the 560SL. I now have my 4th Allante and will have 1 more if I can find one of the 1993 yellow ones. Best buy for the money anywhere.