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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  Great Car - 1996 Cadillac Seville
  By Arthur - October 31 - 2:35 pm

  I paid over $45,000 for this car brand new so I hoped that it would be worth it and it was. There are so many features it is amazing and they all work well. The Northstar engine still runs like it is new with 139,000 miles on it. I have been very fortunate and not had any problems with the oil burning.

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  First time truck owner - 2007 Cadillac SRX
  By HB Gourley - October 30 - 12:02 pm

  I picked up my new 07 SRX on 10/28/06 and it is a very nice ride. I ordered one with the 5.1 surround sound and DVD player. The ride is controlled and very quiet with power to spare. The 6-speed automatic transmission seems to be better on gas than my 06 XLR with same 320 horses and the five speed automatic.

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  Great Handling! Great Ride! - 2006 Cadillac SRX
  By Rick t. - October 29 - 1:08 am

  The more we drive this Cadillac, the more we like it. It really handles well. I cant stress this enough. It is a tight, nimble vehicle. Its acceleration is very acceptable for a V6. The huge sunroof is enjoyable and we find ourselves using it almost all the time. It is easy to park and not as bulky feeling like full size SUVs. Its gas mileage has been 22-23 mpg highway and 16 around town. We do drive fast and live in a hilly area of So Cal.

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  Psychological lift at the end of the day - 2006 Cadillac SRX
  By Young at Heart - October 28 - 9:20 am

  This car is so fun to drive: it erases the memory of minor setbacks during the work day. My choice has satisfied my objectives of getting a fun to drive, cool, unique, AWD vehicle with heated seats. This car is easy to maintain and safe. To think I might have settled for a less inspired Japanese crossover. Thanks Cadillac!

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  Best Ever - 2007 Cadillac Escalade
  By jean - October 27 - 6:19 pm

  This is the sixteenth new Cadillac we have bought and the best one ever. It makes you feel safe. Its easy to drive, to park, has navigation, OnStar, and all around audio is fantastic. I plan to keep this car a long time.

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  Keeps getting better with age... - 1995 Cadillac Fleetwood
  By Cadillac Mike - October 26 - 9:36 pm

  Ive had this car for nearly seven years and it is holding up very well, no leaks or corrosion, and aside from the usual items that one would expect to wear out at 180,000 miles. It hasnt had any repair surprises either. This is the last of the big rear wheel drive Cadillacs and it tows my boat effortlessly. I replace the fuel gauge sending unit and it now reads accurately. I still cant figure a way to get rid of the digital dash though. The leather seats are not showing any wear. The misses likes this car for long trips. Her boss calls it the presidential limousine, which is appropriate since the 1995-2000 presidential limos were based on this car.

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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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  4 Year 99 DeVille Owner - 1999 Cadillac Deville
  By garageman - October 26 - 11:04 am

  The high pressure power steering hose began to leak at ~77,000 miles. Also, the plastic dash top vent is warping due to heat damage from the sun. This has been a great all weather Colorado car. Each time (four to my recollection) I was pulled over for a driving infraction the officer had issued only warnings...never a ticket! All of the gadgets work perfectly. My wife complained that she slid about in the passenger seat. Also, I ran out of gas twice because the digital gas gauge begins to accelerate usage feedback the closer it gets from two gallons left in the tank.

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  Tires - 2005 Cadillac STS
  By J.Stiles - October 26 - 9:57 am

  At 10,000 miles my STS developed a thumping noise, which was especially noisy at low speed. Our dealer diagnosed this as a tire problem and replaced (free of charge) our front tires. The noise dissipated to almost nothing, it is but still noticeable in the rear tires. I was a little surprised that the dealer charged us for a full alignment on the new tires.

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  Great Car - 2006 Cadillac DTS
  By mcdphd - October 26 - 9:21 am

  This car is great! I love this car. It has good get up and go. It rides like a dream and is very comfortable inside.