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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  Chaos Theory - 2002 Cadillac Seville
  By pezlow - December 10 - 3:19 pm

  I have owned my 2002 STS for three years and love it...sort of. Ill be honest the engine and tranny work great together. Throughout my time owning it I have not had to have the engine or transmission serviced. The interior looks great (it won interior of the year in 1998) especially with the newer nav unit but it does suffer from the GM rattles and cheap plastics. The real problem with this car is its suspension. Tie rods and intermediate shafts seem to be a recurring problem. Having 300HP going to the front wheels puts a lot of strain on those weak legs. I love my car and thank goodness for warranties.

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  Great sporty luxury vehicle - 1995 Cadillac Eldorado
  By ken de bord - December 10 - 2:59 pm

  I am receiving 18.6 mpg in the city and 23 mpg highway. Better gas mileage at 75- 85 mph

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  WOW - 2004 Cadillac SRX
  By STEVE L - December 9 - 2:00 am

  THIS srx is by far the best vehicle purchase I have ever made. I looked at every suv available before decided to buy the srx.

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  2nd time for ext - 2004 Cadillac Escalade EXT
  By jonwike - December 9 - 2:00 am

  this is my 2nd ext after an avalanche and would never go back this is a must have

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  Great when it runs! - 2005 Cadillac CTS
  By Kate - December 8 - 9:14 am

  I have loved my CTS for 4 years, except for minor glitches(when the sun roof kept opening at will. It took several tries to get that fixed! Then just 800 miles out of warranty, the timing chain broke!

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  A Used Car Bargain - 2004 Cadillac Seville
  By Chuck W - December 6 - 7:24 pm

  I drove a 1998 SLS for six years. When it came time to replace it, I found that this last year model was selling at a bargain basement (think low level Hyundai Elantra) price. I am going on two years with it and the only problem I have had was a wind leak in the windshield which the Cadillac dealer fixed under factory warranty. It gets 26-28 MPG on the highway and about 20 around town. I use Pennzoil Synthetic oil and only change it when the onboard computer says to...around every 10,000 miles. I do not have to add oil between changes. Its not as quiet and cushy as my wifes 2006 DTS, but neither is anything else Ive ever driven.

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  Bad Paint - 2008 Cadillac STS
  By Herb - December 6 - 1:56 pm

  Love it, except the paint. The car is black, and I had it waxed immediately, by a professional. The first time I cleaned it myself, I discovered many pock marks on the hood and rear deck. They are in the paint, and wax does not remove them. I am taking it into the dealer to check. The paint is defective, and I hope someone will back it up.

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  Really like this car 6 months later. - 2009 Cadillac CTS
  By Jake Spranerts - December 4 - 9:55 pm

  Straight through the gas spike crisis, this car managed approx 21MPG pretty hard driving. The vehicle tracks incredibly on the highway and might have the best overall feel of any car we purchased including nearly every foreign brand.

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  Cream Puff - 1991 Cadillac Brougham
  By chef - December 3 - 9:16 pm

  Still rides great 18 years later. Almost all parts have been replaced more then once, but they couldnt biuld another car like this if they tried. The chrome, the lines, the ride. This ride is the last year of the true cream puffs.

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  Great - 2004 Cadillac SRX
  By Camie - December 3 - 2:00 am

  No problems, great on open road