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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  2006 STS V6 - 2006 Cadillac STS
  By James B - December 20 - 6:43 pm

  We love this car. It has a smooth quiet ride, handles great, the Bose stereo is a must! The V6 has more than enough power.

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  Mysterious Noise - 2003 Cadillac CTS
  By William Strachan - December 20 - 3:20 pm

  I love my car, however since the first time I drove it above 60 MPH there was an extreme howling noise that appears to come from either the sunroof or somewhere across the dash board. After several test drives especially with hearing challenged mechanic a new differential was installed with no luck. The noise sounds like a cross between a worn bearing or a strong wind across some metal vanes. It gets progressively loud when the outside winds are anywhere from 15 to 20 MPH or my vehicle speed reaches 60 mph and above. Its unbearable when ever I take a trip on the road. I have to turn the music up in order to drown out the sound.Its a shame that mechanics are not troubleshooters.

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  2006 STS Bad Brakes? - 2006 Cadillac STS
  By Garry - December 19 - 10:41 pm

  For 20 months and 18,000 miles I have considered my 2006 STS the best car Ive owned. It is truly great road car, and just plain fun to own. Today I went in for regular maintenance, my dealer informed me that the car required new front pads and rotors, $900! He went as far as to say all CTS and STS have "soft" brakes and I can expect to repeat todays expense every 18,000 to 20,000 miles. My disappointment is profound.

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  Big Is Better - 2007 Cadillac Escalade
  By DOS - December 19 - 9:08 pm

  I just did a test drive on both the 07 Navigator and the 07 Escalade. The BIG difference was the motor and the instrument electronics. The Escalades ride was very nice as was the handling. The seats in the Navigator were a bit better, as was the 3rd row seating but I saw a drop off in the engineers to incorporate the electronics the way Escalade did. I now own the Escalade. The styling was the major factor in my decision. The Navigator was a bit cheaper even with the options packages. Im not buying the Escalade for gas savings, but its nice to know you can use regular gas when its crunch time!

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  An Excellent Car - 1991 Cadillac Deville
  By dgras673 - December 19 - 10:05 am

  I grew up watching my grand dad drive it around, and loved it then. Eventually, he was no longer able to drive, and Ive had it since. Its been amazing, the luxury of this vehicle even after 15 years is amazing. If you have one, take care of it, because not a day goes by it doesnt take care of me.

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  2005 SRX V6 AWD - 2005 Cadillac SRX
  By rhazen541 - December 18 - 4:39 pm

  I had an Acura TSX prior to this and compared to it, honestly I have more fun and driving experience overall in this SRX. Granted I know I do not get the looks that I would get in my Acura, but that is a good thing to kinda blend in, in the way that the SRX performs. I am glad I purchased the vehicle and I am looking forward to seeing the new 2007 model and contemplate on going to the V8 model. I drove the 2006 V8 model and didnt really notice a huge difference in power, except when passing at hwy speeds is the only time noticed a bit more performance, but this is not major as I easily hit high speeds when passing in the V6 model. I hope this helps.

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  2005 Cadillac STS - 2005 Cadillac STS
  By ItalianINNewENGLAND - December 17 - 8:49 pm

  I have to admit, being 30 years-old and buying my 6th Caddy, this one is the nicest by far. Every time I am out, people comment on the sleekness of it and its stately appearance. They do have to fix a couple things on it however (stated below). But overall, its American made and put together cheaply. Its only worth $30,000 at the most.

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  Not What I Expected - 2007 Cadillac Escalade
  By niki - December 17 - 9:22 am

  Well I have been driving an Escalade for seven years now and love it! Ready to try on the new 2007 model, I drove to the dealership to pick it up! Cadillac is well aware of my disappointment, I called them! This is a $65,000 - $70,000 truck and I felt the interior quality was significantly lower than in years past! You can see dramatic cuts they made to make it seem more roomy! The seats are less comfortable and the cup holders, ha! The windows dont power up! The automatic back hatch is awesome though. At least thats an improvement. But bring back my confy seats! I think I want my 2004 Escalade back!

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  Cadillac is the Best - 2005 Cadillac STS
  By large sedan - December 16 - 9:15 am

  My miles have been - 33% city, 33% 300 mile trips, and 33% long trips. Around town I ave between getting 20 to 21 mpg. On the 300 mile trips I ave 24 mpg, and on long trips I avg. 25 mpg. With 36,000 miles and counting I have not had any problems requiring service. This is my second Cadillac, after two Buicks. I will trade it in for another Cadillac at 70,000 to 90,000 miles. My experience with the dealer has been tremendous. They pick up and return my car for service. They offer a ride if I drop off the car for oil changes. When I go for an oil change I make an appointment and wait in a plush waiting room with hot coffee and pastries available for "free."

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  Great Cadillac! - 2001 Cadillac Seville
  By Richard F - December 15 - 10:01 pm

  This car has great handling, acceleration, and appearance. I have had to have the battery, a couple of sensors, and the water pump replaced under warranty.