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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  GOOD - 2004 Cadillac SRX
  By bmadison - December 3 - 2:00 am

  It is a very good car one of me favorites and i had two sts prior

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  Like this car - 2004 Cadillac CTS
  By Nicholas Eckmayer - December 3 - 2:00 am

  This is my third Cadillac and this is my favorit of the 3. Ride and handling our excellent.

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  My Cts experience - 2004 Cadillac CTS
  By L. Perez - December 3 - 2:00 am

  Rides with comfort, good driving view

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  Pearl white dream - 1993 Cadillac Seville
  By D2 - December 2 - 12:21 am

  I love my Caddy. I have owned many. I thought my 84 Seville classic with the tire in the back and the big grille was great except for the dreaded HT4100 motor but my 93 is great. Its a Cali car so no rust, perfect pearl white paint. I love this car. It still flys with a 150,000 miles. I have changed the oil one time with Mobil 1 and filled it with super since day one and shes been good to me. My only complaint is the water pump housing and the taillight that fogs in the rainy season but small prices to pay for 11 years of style and perfomance. Ill take this car to my grave. And yes I own a new DTS and like my 93 more. Maybe its a sentimental but oh well

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  What a Cadillac is supposed to be! - 2008 Cadillac DTS
  By Southern - November 29 - 10:03 pm

  Big, strong and comfortable. Quiet. Economical - using regular gas, long oil intervals and all this with a torquey V8. Really well thought out. No "Idrive" or other difficult to understand user interfaces like the competition offers. Has all the toots and whistles including power lumbar with massage! Side radar that warns if something is in the blind zone. Rear and front parking aids. And a bunch more. Needless to say it is very comparable to more expensive foreign cars, but does some things better. This car just makes you feel good when you drive it.

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  Cadillac is back on Top - 2004 Cadillac SRX
  By Dallas345 - November 29 - 10:00 am

  We just bought our SRX and love it. The ride and performance are incedible. General Motors hit a hime Run with this. Within a week of owning the vehicle, two of our acquaintences have traded in their foreign luxury cars for SRXs

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  BREAKTHROUGH - 2004 Cadillac SRX
  By CHAZ - November 29 - 10:00 am

  HAD A COMPUTER CHIP GO DOWN AND THE DEALERSHIP HAD MUCHO TROUBLE CORRECTING BECAUSE THE MODEL WAS NEW AND THE PROCESS OF REPROGRAMMING WAS DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER VEHICLE THEY HAVE. HAD IT 3 DAYS AND BACK TO THE DEALER FOR 17... RECEIVED CAR CARE (FREE MAINTENANCE) FOR TWO YEARS. V6 GETTING ME 17 MPG..CANT IMAGINE WHAT THAT 345 HP V8 WOULD GET AND I PAID 2.10 AT THE PUMP TODAY... OY...ALSO VEHICLE WAS RECALLED FOR SOME CROSS BETWEEN THE ABS AND STABILITRAK WHICH THE LETTER SAID WOULD CAUSE THE VHICLE TO BRAKE AT 7 FEET FURTHER...THE JURY IS OUT ON RELIABILTY BUT SO FAR THE CAR HAS PROVEN TO BE FUN TO DRIVE AND COMFORTABLE

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  Worst car ever - 2003 Cadillac CTS
  By ms.tree - November 29 - 5:09 am

  Without a doubt the worst car I have ever owned. This car has been down more than up. I bought it certified used and a extended warranty and Ive still come out of my pocket with a couple thousand. I took the car to 5 different Cadillac dealerships before the 5th figured out it was a stearing sensor. I once took it in got 2 blocks from the dealership and it had to be towed back. There have been so many problems I cant remember them all and now the seals have to be replaced the timing belt and cam covers all this at a cost to me around $1800 unbeleiveable.

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  So fun to drive, it should be illegal! - 2006 Cadillac CTS
  By kcindenver - November 29 - 1:03 am

  With sport handling package it corners like its on rails. Handling, braking, acceleration, nimble turning radius, easy to park, great gas mileage. This car really is a blast to drive. Im hooked! Very tight, no rattles, great reliability. Yes, it does turn heads! Im happy to buy American. I love it even more than I expected I would. Recommend a CTS with no reservations.

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  My New Escalade EXT - 2006 Cadillac Escalade EXT
  By MochaJewl - November 28 - 10:00 pm

  I traded my 2000 Lexus RX 300 for an 06 Escalade EXT. Although I considered staying with the Lexus family, I felt that the RX 330 and GX 470 SUVs were way too small and did not offer enough features for the asking price. In the Escalade EXT, I get a bigger, sturdier vehicle, with the same luxuries (if not more), and its so much fun to drive.