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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  Cadillac STS - 2005 Cadillac STS
  By Fernando - June 25 - 12:37 am

  I really like this car, is fun to drive, the style is nice. Delivers performance when needed. The gadgets are amazing, the keyless entry is my favorite, but I also like the Onstar equipped phone and the transmission switch. Is a nice car.

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  Excellent Choice - 2005 Cadillac CTS
  By Anthony - June 24 - 10:37 pm

  Excellent choice. You get a powerful entry level sports car that offers the legendary comfort of a Cadillac, all at a reasonable price. Plus its unique Cadillac lines always cause heads to turn.

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  Great Car - 2005 Cadillac CTS
  By Misty - June 24 - 7:14 pm

  I Love the car.I was looking for a car that was very sporty but not a 2 door sports car. I am 27 & even though it has 4 doors it isnt a family car...

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  2005 CTS - 2005 Cadillac CTS
  By Wesley B. Payne - June 22 - 9:36 am

  CTS is a very solid and potent driver. The handling is firm and responsive. The 3.6 L v6 is snappy and gives confidence. Overall it is a pleasure to drive and has a very sporty feel, yet still provides comfort for long hauls.

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  SRX - 2005 Cadillac SRX
  By TW - June 21 - 6:13 pm

  I researched my next vehicle for over a year. Glad I picked the SRX. It has the 3rd row seat for times we need extra room and has great handling. Never thought Id want a Cadillac but theyre on a roll lately with the new designs. Only have had for a month but were rolling up the miles.

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  My first Cadillac - 2005 Cadillac STS
  By dracula - June 20 - 4:47 pm

  I have always bought Buicks but this year I decided to upgrade to Cadillac. The STS ads got my attention and since I only buy American cars, I was sold. So far so good. I looked at the Lucerne but I did not like the name nor the improvements since I bought my 2000 LeSabre Limited.

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  Great 4 Door Sports luxury car. - 2005 Cadillac CTS
  By Beverly J. Vaughn - June 20 - 1:44 am

  My husband drives CTS all the time. He is 62 and drives the CTS like he is 25. The accelleration is extremely good against similar foreign autos. Although it is a 4 door sports car it does ride well. The 10 way seats allow us to ride very comfortablly while we listen to SUNNY (24) on the satelite radio. Handling is teriffic. Sure wish the V8 wasnt so expensive after all I am 76 years young. Happy Motoring.

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  brand new - 2005 Cadillac SRX
  By john williams - June 19 - 11:06 am

  I compared thsi car with a host of SUVs in the same price/feature range (Lexus, BMW, Volvo, Acura, Mercedes). There was no question once I test drove this car. Handling is a dream! Power in the mountains (colorado) is remarkable and equals the turbo charged Saab 9.5se that my wife drives. Excellent comfort/interior for driver and passengers. Learning the computer and all its features is a bit time consuming and somewhat complicated. visability (rear side views from driver seat) is not great.

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  Feeling Young Again! - 2005 Cadillac XLR
  By Sandy - June 18 - 1:25 pm

  Now that our kids are grown we decided to give up the SUV& purchase a 2-seater. WOW! The new Cadillac XLR we purchased has made life fun again. This car is amazing-fast-comfortable & so much fun to drive. It takes us back to our youth & it sure is fun having everyone stare & asks questions about your new toy.

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  Great Ride - 2005 Cadillac XLR
  By DrZ89 - June 18 - 2:07 am

  I have owned a lot of cars but this is by far the best car Ive owned. It is a great car to put the top down and hit the open road. The car is comfortable to drive and handles like a dream. I can get in and out of the car without feeling like I have to climb or roll. The car gets looks wherever I go. I cant imagine ever selling this car.