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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  Fabulous Car in All Aspects - 1996 Cadillac Seville
  By Kent Bennet - January 23 - 3:09 pm

  Back in 96 I paid $52,000 for this car brand new with all the options and it has been worth every penny. The ride is very smooth and there is hardly any road noise. I really like the exterior styling and the chrome wheels looked nice as well. The interior was possibly my favorite part of the car, heated seats and the Bose system was awesome. The fuel economy was maybe my least favorite part, but the mileage was decent for a V8. The only problems was premature brake wear and a slight burning of oil. I had to add a quart every 3,000 miles. Other than that I had no problems with this car. I hope the new STS I bought will be just as good as this STS Seville. It had 181,000 miles and still ran very well.

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  A Very Comfortable Drive - 2007 Cadillac SRX
  By Steve - January 21 - 8:10 am

  This is the most comfortable vehicle I have ever owned and the visibility is great. The interior upgrade for this year is very evident. Im only getting about 16 mpg but the model is the AWD version so I expect it to be less. Early on it leaked oil due to a faulty galley plug, which was replaced under warranty. Two rear fender well pieces became delaminated/discolored and had to be replaced under warranty, but I dont think the color (Gold Mist) was matched properly. Im taking it to an independent body shop for a second opinion. If I am wrong, that will be the end of it. If not, it will be going back to the dealership.

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  OVER PRICED EQUINOX - 2016 Cadillac SRX
  By Thomas Mulligan - January 20 - 2:27 pm

  Ive owned this 2016 Cadillac SRX for one week and its stopped running while my wife was 150 miles away from home. I spent upwards of 40k for a car that malfunctioned with less than 300 miles on it. I dont know what the dealership (Barton Birks Chevrolet in Newburgh NY ) did to prep this car for delivery but obviously something got missed? This is not the outcome I expected after trading in a Honda CRV that never needed anything other than oil changes and tires. The dealership where the car was towed advised that the code read "throttle body assembly". This car just came out of the factory!!! I bought a new car so I could trust that when my family was away from home that the car we bought would keep them safe. Perhaps this is why they push the extended warranty at purchase.

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  great - 2004 Cadillac CTS
  By jennifer holland - January 20 - 10:00 am

  i got my car in 2002 it is great

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  Fun Machine - 2007 Cadillac SRX
  By HMH - January 19 - 1:29 pm

  With the V8 Northstar engine, this is a fun vehicle to drive. It has all the performance that one could ask for.

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  Pleasent Suprise - 2006 Cadillac SRX
  By john - January 17 - 5:46 pm

  I spent 95% of my time looking at other cars and the final 5% looking at / researching the Cadillac SRX and wow was I surprised. Its kind of like finding that great restaurant / hotel / vacation spot and not wanting to tell anyone about it to keep it "exclusive."

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  1992 Cadillac Fleetwood Sedan - 1992 Cadillac Fleetwood
  By Harry J Singman - January 16 - 12:14 am

  This car is very comfortable to drive and has excellent acceleration and handling abilities. It is very passenger friendly, roomy, and safe feeling. Its fuel economy is terrible, and premium fuel is absolutely required, but this is not an economy car so some trade-offs are expected. Its frequency of repairs is about average, but some parts are very expensive, excessively so, I think. Overall, this car provides a pleasant driving and owning experience.

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  Last of Its Breed - 2001 Cadillac Eldorado
  By James M. Hare - January 13 - 1:08 pm

  My 01 Eldorado ETC has been a dream. It is absolutely perfect in every way. I have had ZERO maintenance or reliability issues with it. It only needs oil and gas. Its smooth, quiet, comfortable, fast, safe, and a joy to drive. The Eldorado is the pinnacle of the 2-door luxury sport coupes as far as Im concerned. The interior is comfortable, quiet, roomy (for its style), and well built. The engine is a marvel of technology and delivers amazing power and yet very good gas mileage.

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  Thin Plastic Seems to be in Style - 2007 Cadillac Escalade
  By Kriller - January 13 - 4:48 am

  I havent sold my 04 Escalade yet and I cant wait to get rid of my 07 model so that I can sit comfortably again. How could GM switch the comfy seats for these cardboard-ones? I got tired after driving for an hour, bumping around on roads I used to think were smooth, having my thoughts drowned in the engine, road, wind, and interior-noise! The Cashmere interior is too bright and will look old in six months.. It still has no flat folding 3rd row seats. And it still has no telescoping steering wheel.. Even though the styling is generally improved (mostly in the exterior front, the back looks like any GMC-truck) the over-sleekness of the interior came with a price - loss of personality. The engine sounds impressive, but lacks the power to impress. Overall this truck has a cheep feeling.

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  Cadillac hits a home run with the SRX! - 2007 Cadillac SRX
  By Jeff - January 12 - 9:28 pm

  This vehicle is absolutely the best vehicle I have ever ridden in. Its fit and finish quality is first class. The interior is very classy with the hand stitched leather dashboard and the real wood accents. The ride, comfort, quietness, handling, and acceleration are all first rate. The exterior styling is very distinctive and American. It has lots of storage space. The SRX includes all the amenities that one would expect from a premium car company.