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 6cyl Premium AWD - 2014 Cadillac CTS
  By jkorn - January 10 - 8:27 am

  I love this car! every angle unique and turns heads everywhere I go. The handling was the biggest surprise when first driving, its feels light and responsive around corners. Ive had many cars over the years and driven the BMWs, MB and Audi and I think the CTS takes the cake in looks for sure, a close second would be MB in my opinion.

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  I dont know what you guys are talking about. - 2005 Cadillac CTS
  By bigsim - January 7 - 6:52 pm

  Bought my CTS 4.ago and I love it, had a oil leak which was repaired under warranty. It does use a little oil so I keep an eye on it, this is a sports car I dont think a lot of people understand that so you have to be vigilant on upkeep I love this car and would recommend it to anyone ...Again this car is not for the person that doesnt take care of their car all the blown engine problems I bet can be traced back to some kind of abuse.

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  First "American" Car - 2015 Cadillac SRX
  By donb1 - December 12 - 5:25 pm

  My last purchase of a "Big Three" car was in 1985. I have had Toyotas with great results. I have been looking for a SUV to replace my 2011 Avalon. My initial plan was the Lexus RX350. I was taken with the look of the SRX and decided to give it a test drive. I was impressed with most everything in the car. As a kid I always thought Cadillac was a great car. In the ensuing years GM and Cadillac were never in my thoughts when it came to new cars. I was happy to give GM a chance once more. I was able to get a good price esp with a $1500 rebate from Cadillac. The 4 yr warranty and maintenance paid program was a big factor in my decision. I just hope my faith is rewarded with a quality car.

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  BAD Steering and BAD Tires - 2013 Cadillac ATS
  By tp013 - December 10 - 1:54 pm

  I bought my cadillac in March of 2013, 25,000 miles later I am now putting my third set of tires on. I have had nothing but problems with this care from the steering locking up, stalling up an hill I also on acceleration get a banging noise from under the hood. the glove compartment and trunk not closing to an annoying rattling sound coming from the steering wheel and speaker in back seat. This car is not worth buying and would not recommend it to anyone. Everytime it was brought back to the dealer nothing is wrong with it

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  Outstanding SUV - 2004 Cadillac Escalade
  By 6paul11 - December 1 - 9:38 am

  This Escalade is nothing short of an outstanding vehicle. If you are looking for command presence, curb appeal, and attitude that works in all weather conditions, look no further. Pros: -Excellent V8 engine that snarls when you put your foot down and has no trouble smoking most vehicles on the road. -Handles well -Good sound system Cons: -The interior build quality is a real black eye. They dropped the ball on this one. -Some replacement parts are pricey -Electronics build quality is also a little spotty

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  WARNING: Object in Mirror is Faster than it Appears - 1995 Cadillac Fleetwood
  By swiftv4p - November 11 - 2:03 pm

  I am a "Car Guy"/long time 1/4 mile drag racer so hopefully this review wont be too technical for the average reader. After months of searching I located and purchased my 95 FWB with less than 70K miles from its 93 year-old original owner who resides in So Cal. My search was specific, as I know how to read GM option stickers (located under the trunk lid) and interpret RPO option codes. In this case I was looking for Option Code V4P, which this car had and I will discuss in the next section. The car is roomy, comfortable, and an attention-getter. I had owned the car just two hours, and I received multiple compliments. Having owned LT1 cars in the past I know they are dead reliable.

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  Hot Rod Cadillac - The Northstar Allante was the 1st Cadillac V Model - 1993 Cadillac Allante
  By gep10 - November 1 - 10:01 pm

  I was looking for a more comfortable weekend getaway car to replace my 1966 Corvette roadster. I bought a low mileage 1993 Northstar Florida car with a hardtop. This car is fun to drive!! It handles very well, has a comfortable ride and seats, accelerates with authority (matches a 1973 454 Corvette in the quarter mile and has a higher top speed -144 MPH) and gets decent fuel economy (24 -25 MPG highway). The exhaust note is subdued at part throttle and throaty when you get on it. The 295 HP DOHC V8 is torquey and revs aggressively to its 6500 RPM shift points. The trunk is huge, theres a large interior storage area, fine leather, power everything and a nice sounding audio system.

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  The Ultimate Commuter Car - 2014 Cadillac ELR
  By profrob - October 30 - 12:33 am

  The ELR makes my commute so much nicer. It is quiet, it is smooth, it has an amazing sound system, and its economical. Without too much effort, I can make my 40 mile round trip on electric only. This isnt a fun car you want to rip up mountain roads in thats not what its designed to do. Its designed to cart you around town in a quiet, luxurious cocoon that is still responsive and fun to drive. Having the engine backup is vital. Theres no way I could do an EV with less than 100 miles of range without being constantly paranoid that Id run out of juice. The ELR solves that problem. You can milk the batteries for all theyve got, then the motor kicks in to keep you going.

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  Dont get this even if its free!!! - 1998 Cadillac Catera
  By tallbragg - October 27 - 9:52 am

  I currently own this car. It was given to us after my parents bought it for $3000 from someone in 1 1/2 ago with 52000 miles on it. They replaced the $500 water pump within a month. Everything seemed fine, so they dumped it on us. Two months later $1600 to replace engine seals. Lights were staying on and wore down the battery, new tires because they wear on inside (belts were completely showing even though outside of tire had plenty of tread), sunroof stopped working, heated seats stopped, transmission issues, trunk lock, door locks stick... It now has 60,000 with very moderate driving. The money, time, and stress of this car is not worth it.

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  2013 XTS Luxury Edition - 2013 Cadillac XTS
  By gjohn1964 - September 25 - 9:42 am

  This car has a beautiful design inside and out. I have had problems. The car came without wheel locks which led to my rims being stolen 3 months into my lease. On two occasions the rear suspension has dropped, literally bottomed out. The local dealer was kind but not equipped with the training to deal this problem. Third time, they replaced rear compressor which seems to have done the trick. At 24,000 miles, one of the battery cables became completely corroded. Is technology taxing the battery too much? Great car on the road, but leaving someone stranded three times in less than 18 months wont win reliability points. I hope the kinks are out in 2014. Nothing rides like a Cadillac.