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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  Corvette with Class - 2005 Cadillac XLR
  By Matt Lucchese - May 27 - 5:55 pm

  The Cadillac XLR is absolutly fantastic! it handles as well as my best friends Chevrolet Corvette, but it isnt as fast. The car looks much better than the vette, and with the luxurious interior, is much more comfortable than it. Having the hardtop convertible is the best feature of the car because youll never have the old rag look.

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  Amazing - 2005 Cadillac CTS
  By eileen - May 26 - 9:28 pm

  Excellent drive and appearance. Ive driven vans/SUVs for over 20 years and was hesitant to purchase a sedan. But Ive found the CTS to have great visibility and a very stable feel on the road. My sister-in-law and neighbor both purchased a CTS over the past two years and they both love it! It was due to their testimony that we even considered test driving one. We went to many dealerships and saw numerous other makes and models, but didnt see anything that compared to the look, drive, and pricing of our CTS. Our backseat passengers stated there was plenty of leg room and their ride was great. Our sound system is good, On-Star and hands free phone is great.

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  Touring Sedan review - 1991 Cadillac Deville
  By Marco Garcia - May 26 - 6:47 pm

  This is a great vehicle overall. The Touring Sedan model was an attempt by GM to compete against the German sedans. In my opinion they did a great job with this car that excels in comfort and amenities, and displays some features not readily available in american cars until many years later, such as folding exterior mirrors, 16 inch wheels and speed-adjustable suspension. The ride is delicious without the suspension being as soft as other large sedans.

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  Very Happy with my SRX - 2005 Cadillac SRX
  By Bill - May 25 - 11:15 pm

  Last December my Mercedes-Benz broke down. I went to this Cadillac dealership to take a look at their Escalade and saw the SRX. After the test drive, I immidiately ordered mine. For the last six months, I did not regret a bit. It drives better than a sedan, more than enough power although mine is a V6, feels save and very comfortable. Best of all, it bears an American name. (Just for those of you that wonder, I was not born here.)

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  What are you waiting for . . . - 1999 Cadillac Seville
  By rob - May 23 - 1:28 am

  If youve never driven one of these beauties, I suggest you do so. They are so awesome, you might never sit on your couch again. I feel like royalty cruising in this machine. The worst part is arriving at your destination.They are one of the best cars for the money. Buy it used and you wont get the beating. These cars are priced to sell when they get turned in. Most of the original owners didnt know how to smoke the tires, so they are barely broken in. My STS loves to go, and you dont even feel like you are moving. Despite the rumors of the faulty engines and bad transmissions, ive never had a problem with either!

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  Great car - 2005 Cadillac STS
  By FLYONS - May 22 - 2:12 am

  Great car, love to drive it. Best car Ive ever driven. Quiet, great ride. I like the handling on back roads. Fuel mileage is good, not great. Love the Bose sound system. The V6 has plenty of power.

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  DHS vs DTS - 2005 Cadillac Deville
  By kingtigermp - May 21 - 1:42 pm

  I turned in a 2002 DHS for the sportier 2005 DTS. The surprise was that the DHS although having less HP was a quicker car. The torque output of the DTS is much less. I should have bought the DHS again. One of my favorite cars ever. The new A/C in the seats is very cool as is the satellite radio. These are great cars and discounted heavily from sticker price.

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  Best Escalade Yet - 2005 Cadillac Escalade
  By BOB - May 21 - 11:28 am

  With the exception of the poor fuel milage (with the most powerfull V8, what do you expect?) this is the most capable luxury SUV on the market today.

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  Comfort Exemplar - 2005 Cadillac SRX
  By SRX-V8 - May 21 - 11:18 am

  After driving a Jeep for several years, the Cadillac is very comfortable and we feel well worth the money spent. The Northstar engine is smooth and from all indications one of the best on the market.

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  STS AWD - 2005 Cadillac STS
  By shawnbi - May 21 - 9:34 am

  I love this car. What a amazing ride. Outstanding technology inside the vehicle for a great experience. Better then BMW and Audi hands down. I still cant believe how awesome this car is. Cadillac has its own unique feel which I applaud them for!