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:

• 

  Hate too! but we have to part ways! - 2005 Cadillac CTS
  By hitman_cardino - April 30 - 12:01 pm

  My wife and I bought a new 2005 CTS sport pkg. with all the bells and whistles! At 20k the water pump went out! and needed brakes! Next, everything goes good til the warranty ended at 4 years. Then a clunking sound, couldnt be a month after we got our last free oil change, drive it to a shop, no oil! 1 HID xenon flickered and upgraded both for 200+ now the ballast died 2 weeks later. That will be 150.00 to replace. I need rear differential bushings and front one of two is cracked. 750.00 Hydraulic motor mounds need replacing (1 said no, 1 said yes, getting a 3rd opinion soon). Tht will cost 600.00 I only have 68,000 miles! How about a Honda accord? Im testing one today!

• 

  2010 SRX has problems - 2011 Cadillac SRX
  By jswinpa - April 24 - 11:12 am

  the 2010 SRX (basically the 2011 is the same car) is great looking, gets so-so mpg, is a bit underpowered but OK -- but be warned, I and at least one other SRX owner I met, have had the bad experience of the battery inexplicably draining overnight - and in my case the Cadillac service guys cant find the cause. GM customer service answer to my dilemma: "we cant do anything if the service people cant duplicate the problem!" Do they think I am draining the battery for the fun of taking the car back to the 50s type dealership (three times, and leaving the car for a total of 8 days)? They apparently forgot that Im not only a customer, but one of the taxpayers whose tax $ saved their butts!

• 

  Great Vehicle, Bad Transmission - 2008 Cadillac SRX
  By wrrjr - April 12 - 12:55 pm

  Bought the vehicle used three months ago and love the way it drives on long distances. However with only 56000 the transmission burned out all of the clutches. I had taken it to the dealer but they told me is was a computer issue. It wasnt so the out of town dealer had to completely rebuild the transmission while on vacation. Day after repair we drove it 1100 miles home without a problem. Got 22 mpg on highway at 74 mph. We love the Cadillac.

• 

  Fast Luxurious car, bad on car though - 2005 Cadillac STS
  By remyb - April 9 - 4:51 am

  75,000 miles and no problems yet, steering wheel is cracked though, lots of plastic inside but it looks ok

• 

  2010 - 2011 Cadillac SRX
  By kathy2010 - March 19 - 3:45 pm

  Not nice sounds in the WI weather, when it is colder then 20 degrees, it sounds awful like worn springs of an old jeep, terrible. Experienced car not starting with either remote, seat warmers needed to be repaired, a recall, leather seats that are not durable.

• 

  If your planning on spending $50k look at something European - 2011 Cadillac SRX
  By jbspray_77 - February 27 - 7:02 pm

  Have had this car for 6 months, and recently took it on a 10 hr road trip and ended up falling out of love with it. When we got it we though it was a great value compared to the big three from Germany. The ride is really rough. I suspect this was some sort of effort to make the SRX sporty. It is really tight, and it seemed every little bump could be heard and felt inside it car. The interior is nice, and the price for the content is better than those from Germany. But gas milage is so-so. We average about 25 MPG on the high way, and 15 city. Its overall average isnt much better than my fullsize truck. If youre gonna spend $50k there are better offering for mid-size crossovers.

• 

  Sold on Cadillacs - 2003 Cadillac CTS
  By ctson22s - January 25 - 1:47 pm

  I bought this car with the money that I saved while in highschool. I first had an oldsmobile intrigue and that was a good first car but not anything amazing by any means. My family has always had plain vehicles and my dad wanted to keep it that way. He did not want me to get this car because he said i couldnt afford it for insurance and repairs. I saved up the cash and bought it outright. I love this car!!! I have had to put a thermostat....very expensive...and a coil pack on it. Repairs are very expensive but I have had no other problems and it runs very good! It drives excellent and the bose stereo is nice. I would recommend this car to anyone. I threw on some 22" rims & its still smooth

• 

  One owner car bought with 65K - 2003 Cadillac Deville
  By totsman - January 21 - 9:12 pm

  To anyone with a vibration issue. You need to keep the stock Michelin Symmetrys on the car. Once I put new tires on and went to Sullivan Tire multiple times we did it. 0 to 100 MPH, no vibration. Bad experience with Caddy dealer who had to be told to replace back seat control module twice. I wrote it in the P & S agreement the AC in the back didnt work. 1) Tires (2) Dry boots and a broken axle 3) Broken engine front mount 4) Water pump froze and wiped out all the pully system. (5) Air intake sensor problem 6) Fuel pump float sending unit gone 7) 1-20-11 back in the shop for misfire and fuel 8) Replaced pass. window regulator

• 

  Great value, great service - 2007 Cadillac SRX
  By jbowen52 - January 13 - 10:27 pm

  I bought this used with 45000 miles. It has performed great for me. Smooth ride, great seats, great handling for a tall crossover and a great value. Performance with the V6 is adequate, but it is pulling a heavy vehicle with AWD. Have not needed more yet. I considered the GMC Acadia and clones, but this was less than any of them with similar age and miles despite a higher initial price. Some minor interior issues were resolved quickly by the local dealer under warranty. Mileage runs low 20s highway, not bad with AWD at high speed and high teens around town. Love it so far and would buy another but new one doesnt offer the third row seat, useful with the grandkids.

• 

  First Caddy - 2011 Cadillac CTS
  By richman64 - January 4 - 4:54 pm

  I had read many of the reviews from many sources, and so far my new CTS is living up to them, both good and bad. Its a very quiet and smooth riding car and the styling is awesome, especially in the crystal red color that I have. However, my old $25K, 4 cyl Nissan Altima I just traded in has several things my new CTS lacks: More storage, folding rear seat, much quicker acceleration