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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  WORST CAR EVER BUILT - 2004 Cadillac SRX
  By romojondro - June 3 - 4:22 pm

  I have never owned a car with more problems than this. At 80k miles with a clean title this car started to fall apart. It leaked water in the passenger side, would turn off on the free way, had abs issues, needed a new starter, blown shocks, two bad headlights, water pump fell out of the car, veered off in directions it felt like at high speed, had electrical problems galore, cd player malfunctioned constantly. Dashboard cracked, defective airbags and over all a commuters nightmare/ death trap.

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  STUCK WITH A LEMON - 2013 Cadillac ATS
  By rzuff77 - April 6 - 11:37 pm

  This car has been a lemon since about 5k miles and very disappointed with my purchase. Around 10k miles performance was awful 0-60 in about 15 seconds and I kept taking it back and finally they decided to replace the turbo at 15k miles. Still has the same problem but also shift rough and has a hesitation issue no one at the dealer can replicate. I currently own 5 GM vehicles but it maybe time to thin out my stable or at least dump GM. The dealership has been downright rude and awful and 800 Cadillac service is joke. Never calls you back and wastes your time.

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  Stay Away - 2007 Cadillac SRX
  By dme2 - January 17 - 4:06 pm

  Purchased this car used, as we never buy brand new. Have owned and Eacalade ESV, Mercedes M Class, Audi A4, etc prior. Never have I had a car that I hated more than this. Poor gas mileage, slow to accelerate, oil always low, panoramic roof broke twice, lost just goes on and on. Constant mechanical issues. Took to dealer a few months ago because steering gave out. Gave me a list of things wrong including the entire power steering system. Every last bit of that was shot. Unacceptable for a car with 100K on i and a car I properly maintained. These problems added up to the tune of $6,000. That was last straw. Traded it, got nothing for it, but so happy to be rid of it. Went with a Lexus RX 350

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  BAD Steering and BAD Tires - 2013 Cadillac ATS
  By tp013 - December 10 - 1:54 pm

  I bought my cadillac in March of 2013, 25,000 miles later I am now putting my third set of tires on. I have had nothing but problems with this care from the steering locking up, stalling up an hill I also on acceleration get a banging noise from under the hood. the glove compartment and trunk not closing to an annoying rattling sound coming from the steering wheel and speaker in back seat. This car is not worth buying and would not recommend it to anyone. Everytime it was brought back to the dealer nothing is wrong with it

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  Dont get this even if its free!!! - 1998 Cadillac Catera
  By tallbragg - October 27 - 9:52 am

  I currently own this car. It was given to us after my parents bought it for $3000 from someone in 1 1/2 ago with 52000 miles on it. They replaced the $500 water pump within a month. Everything seemed fine, so they dumped it on us. Two months later $1600 to replace engine seals. Lights were staying on and wore down the battery, new tires because they wear on inside (belts were completely showing even though outside of tire had plenty of tread), sunroof stopped working, heated seats stopped, transmission issues, trunk lock, door locks stick... It now has 60,000 with very moderate driving. The money, time, and stress of this car is not worth it.

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  ATS on wheels...please read - 2014 Cadillac ATS
  By caddi2 - August 26 - 11:46 am

  On 10618283 NTHSA,Called the dealership who sold us the run flat tires), tweeted GM. No one at this point has been the least bit interested in what I had I to say. After my crash, on August 11, 2014, I have found several other ATS owners that experience the same exact issue..I am the only one to suffer injuries, crash and totaled my car. What is GM or the tire manufacture or these Safety Org. waiting for someone to die. I almost lost my life my 16 daughter was in the car with me...my husband almost lost his wife and daughter, and my son almost lost his mother and sister. As I stated before please help me shed some light on this issue. If this were your loved o

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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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  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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  1996 Deville Issues - 1996 Cadillac Deville
  By newportbill - September 13 - 9:14 pm

  Inherited this vehicle from my in-laws and have spent the last few months getting in working order. Oil leaks that are cost-prohibitive to repair along with occasional over-heating (despite flushing of cooling system). Also, only about 10-12 MPG in city despite several fuel system treatments. Finally, electronic fuel display that jumps up and down several gallons within minutes.

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  CTS Lemon - 2006 Cadillac CTS
  By cadictsawful - April 16 - 4:32 pm

  I loved my CTS when I got it in 2006 because it was so beautiful. It never had a lot of power and the "traction control" would come on each time I pulled out from a stop. I could live with that. I started having issues around the 2nd year... most of which was covered. Now I am at year 7 and I have had nothing but issues for 2 years. I have had to put several thousand dollars in for repairs. Rear differential broke TWICE, Air bag issue, Wipers dont work, catalytic converter, misfires all the time, purge valve, spark plugs, and the list goes on. I still owe 4K because it was a lease at first. Shouldnt a Caddy last at least a decade or 120000 miles? Very sad and disappointing.