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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  Dog - 2001 Cadillac Eldorado
  By Ji m Bolton - October 26 - 7:45 pm

  I love everything about this car except for its reliability. Mine died with only 1,400 miles on it and needed a tow off the interstate. I should have known then. Over its life, it has had four dead batteries, over $2,000 so far in electrical repairs, and latest is over 7 days in the shop with 24 indicators in the computer. The GM tech center is taking bets on what the problem is. Many parts have been replaced, so far including the computer itself. This is the last Cadillac I will ever own (first one was an 84, remember those engines that blew up?). I have never owned a "foreign" car, but this one has done it. For the first time in 50 years, I am considering a nice Japanese vehicle.

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  Nice Car...If You Have the Bucks - 1990 Cadillac Deville
  By Jack - October 18 - 7:28 pm

  I purchased this car whe it was twelve years old with 100,000 miles on it. It was very comfortable to ride in, its handling was good (for a car this size), and its power was adequate. This was the first year of multport fuel injection bumping the HP from 155 to 180, something the car definately needed. The backseat is HUGE! The power pulldown trunk is a cool feature. The digital dash was nice, as the analog only goes to 85 MPH. Its gas mileage averaged 15 MPG, in combined city/hwy driving. With high gas prices and these cars requiring premium, it wasnt a good mix. Its body has a nice classic shape. The rear-window is limo-like. Its small, and high rear shelf gives the car a more "private-car" look/feel. The A/C controls are oddly placed thhough.

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  Not too Great for a Cadillac - 2005 Cadillac CTS
  By Mike - October 11 - 8:18 pm

  It has been many years since I have had a new vehicle spend so much time in the shop. Almost immediately I had problems with the rear end. They performed a bulletin on it but it was back in the shop a few weeks after with the same problem. Then they replaced the whole rear end. Next it was check engine lights. Then they replaced the gas tank. Next the rear end problem came back. Then came more check engine light problems. And then less intrusive problems started happening like the finish chipping off the most used control knobs, problems with the drivers power seat, problems with the nav system. I was ultimately pretty disappointed in this great looking Cadillac.

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  What a Let Down - 1999 Cadillac Seville
  By Richie - September 27 - 5:26 pm

  I have had this car for about a year and a half. After having it for only two months it started over heating and burning oil like crazy, so I took it to two different Cadillac dealerships and neither of them could tell me what was wrong with it. So I took it to Pep Boys and had them look at it and they told me I had blown head gaskets. Seven months later I had the same problems again so I took it back to Cadillac and they said they had to do an engine decarb. Now Im having electrical problems, my reverse lights don’t work and it is not the light bulbs. I will never buy a Cadillac again.

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  Wouldnt Buy It Again - 2000 Cadillac Catera
  By Linda - September 13 - 8:55 am

  After nearly twenty trips to the dealer for repairs, my Cateras rear windows still wont stay up, and it has constant engine sensor problems...the list goes on. I have been told by other owners as well as several technicians that there are lots of problems with this model. I would NOT recommend to anyone.

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  2003 CTS Tire Noise - 2003 Cadillac CTS
  By Paul - August 31 - 5:41 pm

  Ive had problems with abnormal tire wear and very annoying tire noise. The dealership says theres not a problem. I replaced the original Goodyear tires with new Goodyears because the dealeship said tire noise & abnormal tire wear was due to my not rotating tires every 6,000 miles. The new tires have less than 6,000 miles on them and are already noisy. I think theres an alignment problem that GM needs to address.

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  My Lemon CTS - 2003 Cadillac CTS
  By jefferdmann - August 26 - 10:00 am

  I loved my car at first but between 2000 and 6000 miles it has been in the shop 6 times, the last three for a coolant leak. Cadillac has refused to replace my car insisting that they can repair the cracked head. I have retained a lemon law attorney who assures me I have a very strong case. Bob Lutz seemed to be making a difference with GM and especially Cadillac, unfortunately their quality problems appear to me to be reminisent of the 80s. I am so disapointed. I just turned 40,and I bought my first cadillac. Next time I will go with the BMW or Lexus.

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  Dont Buy - 2005 Cadillac SRX
  By Lee Martin - August 23 - 6:33 am

  The Cadillac SRX is a rattle trap. The moonroof creeks, rattles, and pops. The front rattles over slight bumps. My car went to the dealer for a lube job that only lasted for a month and then tje rattles came back. This vehicle rides like a pickup truck. It does have plenty of power and handles nicely. It is not worth the money.

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  Not All Its Cracked Up to Be. . . - 2007 Cadillac Escalade
  By LW - August 14 - 11:46 pm

  After test driving multiple Escalades over the past month, I have to say that I was completly let down. While the exterior is absolutely stunning, the interior fails to impress. The interior is not of solid construction at all. Opening the center console I felt like I was going to break it, it is very shaky. Overall the quality of the interior of the Cadillac just seemed very cheaply constructed to me. The power of the engine also failed to impress me as well. After driving it on the open interstate and flooring it a couple times, it just failed to impress.

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  Out to Pasture - 1998 Cadillac Catera
  By SadCatera Owner - August 5 - 2:20 pm

  When I got my 2002 Catera it only had 36,000 miles. Lets see, it needed a new valve cover gasket to the tune of $1,100, and oil cooler for $850, a heater control valve for $250, three batteries at $65 each, and a radiator for $450. Now I have a blown head gasket...I am not fixing it any more. This puppy will go to pasture. Avoid this car at all cost. When running right, it was nice...but that wasnt very often.