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 XLR - 2006 Cadillac XLR
  By G G Johnston - December 27 - 4:53 pm

  This is the finest car I have ever owned. The styling and performance are equal to the Mercedes-Benz SL500 but about $25,000 dollars less. It should be recognized by more auto writers as a superb vehicle.

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  Another Satisfied Customer - 2017 Cadillac XT5
  By Ramesh M - December 26 - 6:05 pm

  I was not sure about this SUV initially. Did some research before buying. I never owned a Cadillac before and has always owned a Lexus. I was planning to buy a new Van/SUV for my wife as her Toyota Sienna has done 68000 miles on it. Even though the Sienna is a great van, I did not like the fact that AWD has the Run Flat Tires on them, which gives it a bumpy ride and is expensive replacing the tires as it cannot be repaired otherwise it was a great family vehicle for us. My son has been learning to drive and it was also did not look good for him as he was driving a family van. Since my Sienna was well maintained, I good a good appraisal for it, so we decided to buy new car. Initially we saw Pacifica, which my wife did not like - quality of the vehicle was in question. Then we took a test drive in Cadillac xt5, Very good ride, excellent quality overall. People talk about the Cue not being fast enough, I think the Cue is much better than the system in my 2014 MB ML350. I also noted that the xt5 does not have a CD player - which i dont mind as we never use CDs anymore, as we have learned to use USBs/SD cards. The vehicle has 2 USB port in the front console and 2 for the back seats, I would have expected Cadillac to have SD card reader installed - but not a big deal. The other issue is the cargo space, it could have been little bit bigger, the head clearance for back seat is 2 inches short when compared to Lexus RX - hope Cadillac brings an SUV with little bit more space for the back passengers and cargo. There is no other choice, either you go for xt5, or Escalade which is huge. Over all very happy. Have to wait and see how it holds up to its reputation.

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  Great car - 2006 Cadillac XLR
  By kervin - December 26 - 3:05 pm

  The Cadillac XLR is a much beter car than the Lexus SC430 that I traded in. I love the interior design, it has just the right amount of wood to vinyl to aluminum trim. This cash has much superior technology to the Lexus SC430, HUD, cruise control, FOB, magnetic ride control, and the Northstar engine technology.

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  Our second Escalade, this ones the best! - 2009 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid
  By Vegasb - December 25 - 9:36 pm

  Great SUV, even though it is a Hybrid the power is considerable. When comparing to other vehicles such as the Range Rover and GL550, they just dont match up for the features and the price. My wife uses this vehicle and it is perfect for our family.

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  Love my STS - 2006 Cadillac STS
  By malro - December 23 - 10:51 pm

  After driving Lexus, BMW and Lincoln, I drove my new Cadillac STS and fell in love immediately. The value and the fact that it is American made made my choice for me. The American public in general does not care about driving road courses they care more about driving in traffic and are more used to American roads, not european hills and curves. So who cares about most of the things car magazines care about. Unfortunately some people believe all they read and dont take the time to test drive the competition. I believe if you blindfolded people they couldnt tell the difference between a Cadillac and a Lexus.

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  Cadtastic - 2006 Cadillac DTS
  By VetteGuy - December 21 - 1:41 am

  I am an owner of a 2004 C5 Corvette and rented a 06 DTS while I traveled to Pennsylvania. I cant believe how much I fell in love with this car! It was really hard giving back the keys at the airport and I even looked back one more time before going into the entrance. I must have looked over at the wife 40 times while driving it and I kept saying "oh man, I love this car...we have to get one". Cadillac definitely has a winner on their hands and I hope one ends up in mine. The ride is smooth yet not to sloppy like the land boats of yesteryear. The power is delivered smootly and with total assurance by the hearty V8 engine. We had two HUGE suitcases and other bags and the trunk swallowed them with ease.

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  Drives like it looks - 2004 Cadillac CTS
  By bill e - December 20 - 12:06 am

  The 2004 Cadillac CTS is a blast to drive. Its turning radius and power gives you a sense of dominance. It seems to turn heads with its short but big reputation. The big brother V doesnt hurt. One hundred thirty MPH is the fastest Ive gone, but want to go One hundred forty five. For the price it gives you speed, dynamic handling, some luxury, and a lot of fun.

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  2004 Cadillac SRX - 2004 Cadillac SRX
  By Richard Hart - December 18 - 5:02 pm

  I had a 1999 Mercury SUV that had been in a bad accident. The Cadillac dealer was right next to the Mercury dealer so I told my wife, "lets check out the SRX." We checked out the dealership and this SRX was in the showroom, the exact color I like. I test drove it and bought it the same night. I never looked at another car. Its been great. It has a good ride, good gas milage, and Ive never had a problem with it. I would reccommend it to anyone looking for that kind of vehicle.

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  Cadillac CTS 3.6 Sedan - 2006 Cadillac CTS
  By jack - December 14 - 7:00 pm

  I have had my CTS for two months and I am ecstatic over this car! I tried out the Mercedes C230 and was amazed that the CTS was far superior in all categories...this vehicle has it all! By the way, I am a retired GM dealer, but I have an open mind...I had enough new-car demos in my career that I am not easily impressed by cars, but this CTS is a winner.

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  Very Impressed - 2004 Cadillac SRX
  By Trav Tindal - December 14 - 2:00 am

  I test drove most of the SUVs in this class (BMW, Lexus, etc). But to my surprise, the Cadillac was my choice! I have been very impressed.