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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  exceeds my expectation - 2014 Cadillac ATS
  By aries_driver60 - February 24 - 9:19 pm

  I have had the a t s Luxury 4wheel drive 3.6 for nearly 3 weeks now, it is amazingly fast. Very tight and sporty, the steering wheel is a little small compared to the 2006 Lexus 330 i traded for it and a totally different ride, but a great ride just the same a lot of fun to drive. i like the safety of Onstar, assistance systems for parking and backing. The Cue system does not work 100% well with my iPod..but it does work most of the time, by plugging into the usb port which tucked into the storage area in the dash board, which opens by gently swiping your finger on the bottom of the compartment. the downside of the C U E system is of course finger prints.

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  Two ATSs Since Memorial day 2013 - 2013 Cadillac ATS
  By unsatisfied27 - February 21 - 4:22 pm

  I purchased a new 2013 ats on memorial day 2013 , i am on my second one now. the first one i had put 5509 miles on it the first 10 days i owned it. i took it back to the dealership in N.C and had a complaint that the steering wheel would get stuck while driving on the highway, they had the car for two weeks . could not find problem, did some computer updates as recommended from cadillac tech support. it continued to happen after they gave it back to me .finally had it towed back for the same problem. they gave me a new one, put 8700 miles on that one and i have an electrical problem center dash goes black. turns out there is a short in the radio and the ecm unit .

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  Nice ride .Great style - 2010 Cadillac CTS
  By mrsteve1 - February 21 - 3:47 pm

  Awd is a must and the exterior Crystal red is hot .The interior style works well for my 6 foot frame. Ultraview sun roof is very sharp. 3.0 engine is fine for me. Im no race car driver.If you want to race around go for the 3.6..Leather is nice quality and its my kinda car. Reliability is yet to be determined but I opted for the extended GM warranty well worth the 2000 bucks.Takes 87 octane running just under 20 city. Nice heavy car and doors feel like the old days strong and solid!If your looking for a sharp car this is by far it!If you want some real American muscle I would go for the CTS-V...Time will tell how she rolls... but so far I love it!

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  SRX-DISAPOINTED - 2013 Cadillac SRX
  By roy79 - February 20 - 3:32 pm

  I am very disappointed in my SRX. It is uncomfortable, visibility is poor, road noise is high, the transmission shifts rough, and the CUE system is difficult to use in traffic.

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  Bad Eldo - 2000 Cadillac Eldorado
  By fame23 - February 20 - 3:13 pm

  Loved everything about this head turning 2000 ESC, I purchased in 2011 with 71k mi, I put 18k mi on it and all hell broke loose, first it couldnt pass smog, mechanic said cat converter $300 still didnt pass another mech said bad sensors $200 , NOPE then i noticed the car started shaking ,mech said motor mounts $500, but the nightmare continues bc smoke stated coming from tailpipes ,later diagnostic test revealed blown head gasket needs new engine and codes that showed something bad in transmission also air shocks leak witch causes rear end to sag ,results Eldo has been parked on curve almost 2yrs.

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  14 years old and still going strong - 2000 Cadillac Deville
  By duraflex - January 11 - 8:02 am

  I have owned a 2000 Cadillac DeVille DHS for about 5 years. When a favorite relative passed it on to me, it was almost 9 years old and had sat unused in a garage for at least 2 years with just 22,000 miles on it. Professional mechanics told me I would likely have all kinds of very expensive problems with it and offered to take it off my hands and pay me $2000. GM was in trouble at the time but I decided to keep the car and take the risk. With the exception of replacing the battery, tires and overhauling the brakes - they were wrong about every other dire prediction. In 5 years, Ive spent about $5000 in repairs and maintenance on the car. Its been worth every dollar.

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  One year review - 2013 Cadillac XTS
  By tommyycar - January 10 - 3:11 pm

  I love to drive this car. It is just the right size to give comfort while being small enough to be able to maneuver. The vehicle is great. The CUE electronics are horrible, however. Why is it that some engineer decided that a sleek touch pad appearance trumped function? I have learned, after difficulty with the touch, that the system (like an Ipad) does not respond well to fingertip touch but instead needed a finger pad touch. Okay on an Ipad, but awkward at best while driving. Certain things, like climate control and radio controls, just are easier with knobs. Also, voice recognition is terrible. I was told the noise canceling system interferes.

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  Excellent Machine - 2013 Cadillac XTS
  By alexblackhawke - January 9 - 9:13 am

  Purchased new in Ohio while on vacation and drove back to Las Vegas. Averaged 28 MPG for the entire trip and was impressed with the long range comfort and handling. It wont burn off the 20" tires but lots more available acceleration than what was needed. All of the interior appointments are top quality and once you get used to the electronics, easy to adjust through the CUE system. After three months, had glove box closure issue and the dealer just replaced the entire mechanical and electronic component to repair.

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  My 20 yr old cadillac eldorado - 1994 Cadillac Eldorado
  By susieanne - January 7 - 10:05 am

  I love my 1994 cadillac eldorado touring coupe I have owned it for 10 years...Its a beautiful car and noone can believe how old it is...It has around 155000 miles on it...I have had to replace the air conditioner r compressor and some othe miner things But is is so sharp looking...I also have louder mufflers on it then the orginal and when you shower down on it it sounds like a little race car...It sounds great. My kids say Mom when are you getting a new car and Im thinking all the time my car is probably a better car than their new ones...still love it..,

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  Long-term Evaluation - 2007 Cadillac SRX
  By calang1 - December 30 - 6:35 am

  Weve owned this 2007 SRX AWD V-6 about 4-years. It now has 90K miles. The car has been very reliable, and weve only ever paid for routine maintenance. There are a few problems you should be aware of. (1) The engine consumes several qts. of oil between changes. (2) The build integrity is fair-poor, as evidenced by numerous squeaks and rattles. (3) The passenger foot-well is extremely narrow, and uncomfortable. (4) Fuel mileage is much lower than advertised. We experience 15/20.