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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  2006 Cadillac DTS - 2006 Cadillac DTS
  By John - January 7 - 8:12 am

  The exterior design of my 2006 Cadillac DTS is exceptional. The exterior color options are good as well as interior colors. Its handling is better than the previous DeVille models. The XM satellite radio is tremendous and the heated and cooled seats are exceptional.

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  Firefighter - 2003 Cadillac Escalade EXT
  By JOHN ALMEIDA JR. - January 5 - 9:06 pm

  I have never been in a vehicle that has made me feel so proud. This vehicle exemplifies class. There is no other truck that can make the transition that Cadillac did from luxury to truck.

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  Great Family Vehicle - 2005 Cadillac SRX
  By Jason - January 5 - 6:06 pm

  We love the Cadillac SRX. The sunroof is amazing, dont buy one without it. It drives like a car, but offers most of the convienances of an SUV. The third row seat is great for people that only use it on occassion and the stadium style seating makes the kids feel part of the action vs. being seclueded behind the second row. Still, the thrid row seat is only made for kids. Its gas mileage is acceptable, not as bad as an SUV, but not as good as many cars. The styling is awesome. It is what sets the vehicle apart from others and always turns heads. It has a great stereo, easy to use navigation system and a very quite ride. I have no major compliants. The wide door jams are a bit odd and take some getting use to.

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  Please Sir, May I have another? - 1998 Cadillac Deville
  By cadillacX3 - January 5 - 1:39 pm

  This is my third Cadillac, my second DElegance. My first was an 1985 Eldorado. This one, while excellent to own, has been a little disappointing on gas mileage. My 97 DElegance averaged 30 MPH on the highway and this one is lucky to get 27. All in all, Im pleased and wouldnt hesitate to trust the brand.

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  STS is a Honey - 2006 Cadillac STS
  By Swago Ben - January 3 - 4:05 pm

  Our 2006 Cadillac STS is as much fun to drive as my 2000 Corvette. The V6 engine is plenty peppy and responsive, I am not sorry that I did not opt for the V8.

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  I love my SRX - 2005 Cadillac SRX
  By Ruth Donley - January 3 - 2:10 pm

  This is the fifth Cadillac Ive owned and the first SUV. I love the size and the easy handling of this SUV and will never buy a sedan again. It is so much fun and at age 67 I feel like a kid again when I drive it. I can honestly say its the best vehicle Ive ever owned not only from a practical and useful standpoint but it looks great. When I first bought it so many stopped and asked about it and said it looked great. I love my SRX.

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  Cadillac Got it Right with the CTS - 2006 Cadillac CTS
  By DB - January 2 - 4:16 am

  I recently took delivery of my 2006 Cadillac CTS and have been very very impressed with *ALL* aspects of the vehicle - quality and comfort of the interior - excellent driving characteristics including exceptional road feel and a solid sport sedan feel to the drive - and of course, the exterior styling - which is a head turner. The Bose sound system is an absolute pleasure to listen to and I loved the design of the volume control button on the steering wheel. Overall this is a a sophisticated, well mannered driving machine that is capable of competing with the German and Japanese luxury badges.

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  Rolling in Michigan - 2006 Cadillac Escalade
  By Morning - December 30 - 10:46 am

  The 2006 Cadillac Escalade is a great truck. It has even more features than my DeVille. It is fun to drive and has a beautiful design. I totally enjoy the XM radio and panicked when my trial period neared its end (and I was the one who said that I never listened to the radio while driving...yeah right). OnStar occasionally gets you lost although there is the capability to record the directions. The navigation system is a must. It easily guides you to your destination. The heated seats are great on a cold winters day. I could use a few more inches of leg room for driving though. This truck is surprisingly easy to park, especially with the visual and sound alarms to prevent bumping in the rear. This is a great vehicle. It gets the respect that it deserves.

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  Pleasantly Surprised - 2006 Cadillac CTS
  By barbara stoothoff - December 29 - 11:20 pm

  My previous car was a Jaguar. The Cadillac CTS matches or outperforms the Jaguar in ride, acceleration and handling. The Jag was already in for repair at this point. The Jag interior was a little more stylish though, the CTS is a little plastic even with the wood trim.

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  Miss this car Already - 1999 Cadillac Deville
  By SL of ILLINOIS - December 27 - 9:58 pm

  I loved the design of the Cadillac DeVille since it came out. It is a large sedan and looks like a Cadillac, not some scaled down "whatever" style that theyve come out with since. It provides elegance and comfort for the 50+ crowd - we are the "market" not the kids who cant afford a Caddy anyway. You are losing your market and dont know why? This car caresses the owner and gives max flash for your cash. Isnt that the point? Just bring back fins and no-draft windows and well all be happy. So sorry you dont care anymore, but this one was a WINNER!