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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  Never Again!! - 1996 Cadillac Seville
  By MoveOn - May 1 - 3:23 am

  I have always loved Cadillacs...until I bought one. This car has been an electrical nightmare! Bought a very clean low mileage Seville STS...I have the ABS, Traction Control, and Check Engine lights on. It needs oil every 1,000 miles, new struts,new bushings, a new oxygen sensor, ABS module...ehh I could go on but you get the idea. Oh and the car only has 58k miles. Toyota here I come!

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  Make sure you dont mind the AutoStart feature - 2016 Cadillac CTS
  By Danny - April 27 - 7:00 am

  The Auto Stop/Start is terrible. It may not bother everyone (I cannot fathom how people don’t mind this), but it is annoying and distracting every time you stop the car. The car shakes and jiggles at every stop sign and stop light. My passengers are incredulous when they’re first taken for a spin. It is not only annoying, but also distracting. Your mind goes to it every single time you stop. You can turn this off every time you start the car, but it is not possible to turn this feature off permanently. Almost all the 2016 Caddys have Auto Stop/Start (I think the XTS is the only one that doesn’t) and they take the fun and relaxation out of driving. Make sure you thoroughly test drive them before buying. When test driving, make sure you do some city/urban driving and turn the A/C off (it doesn’t kick in when the A/C is chugging at a decent rate). Like I said, it won’t bother everyone, but will bother many. Enough so that GM put out a couple bulletins on the subject. These are for the ATS and CTS, but I would think it applies to all 2016s with Auto Stop/Start. Check out #15-NA-033 “Normal Characteristic – Slight Bump, Jerk or Rough Engine Startup [Oct 15, 2015]”. It says “Condition: some customers may comment that there is a slight bump, jerk or rough engine startup during an AutoStart event”. Then it says, “Correction: This is a normal condition”. I guess they said it was unusual, then had to correct it and say it is a normal condition!!! Directive #16-NA-071: Diagnostic Tips for Stop/Start and Auto Stop Operation [Mar 4, 2016] says, “Condition: Vehicle does not engage in Auto Stop mode and Vehicle automatically restarts during an AutoStop event”. It goes on to say, “It is imperative that the customer be well informed about the unique features and operational characteristics of their vehicle equipped with Stop/Start. For the sales team to be fully prepared, they should use the Getting to Know Your Vehicle guide as an outline when presenting the vehicle to the customer”. Cadillac knows this is a terrible and they are not notifying their customers. Other cons: the run-flats are a poor ride; they’re loud and you can feel everything. The 2016 CTS models don’t come with a spare and instead have run-flats. The tactile sliders/”buttons” are over-engineered. Just give me a knob for the radio volume; ditto for the A/C fan speed. Also, a little more difficult to get out of than previous CTS. Pros: trunk is larger than previous CTS; nice and roomy. The panel that comes up in the dash is a cool storage area (and lockable). Cool feature that lets you program the radio so you are notified when your favorite band is on XM. Bluetooth with phone is loud and clear.

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  Look hard before you buy - 2005 Cadillac CTS
  By Ray - April 12 - 6:53 pm

  Just picked up my cadillac CTS and already in the shop having rear differential replaced. Owned a BMW 5 series previously and kick myself for going back to a GM. The whining out of the rear end started with only 200 miles on the car, so much for QUALITY. I now know why people stick with premium imports.

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  Change the name to "Gremlin" - 1999 Cadillac Catera
  By Kenr - April 11 - 6:34 pm

  Well, first, the transmission in my Cadillac Catera has been fixed three times and still doesnt work right. It starts out sometimes in a high gear and wont shift or do anything. Also, the a/c unit has been replaced twice and now the car just wont start sometimes and the repair shop cant get it to act up to diagnose the problem. Now it occasionally will start but run rough. The worst thing about the Catera is its depreciation. I paid $17,000 for it and now its worth only $6,000, if you dont trade it in.

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  My 10th Cadillac - 2005 Cadillac STS
  By 2005 Cadillac STS - March 22 - 12:12 am

  I have been through them all and find this car to be the most disappointing of all. I miss the auto brake release, the fuel tank release, the easy to close trunk etc etc..guess I am spoiled..but I do love the XM radio.. I had a problem with the keyless entry system but hopefully they have figured it out. Bring back the real Seville.

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  Sad Eldo - 1994 Cadillac Eldorado
  By Richard Donovan - March 18 - 7:45 pm

  My 1994 Cadillac Eldorado could have been a classic, but like a typical American made product, Ive had nothing but problems with this car. The engine leaks oil. I never could really use it the way I had hoped. such as on long trips across country in comfort. It was always on the verge of breaking down. My Eldorado was very poorly built and had lousy fit and finish. No more Cadillacs for me.

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  Should have waited another year - 2003 Cadillac CTS
  By sad Cts - March 13 - 2:00 am

  This car has been nothing but trouble. Its first defect was on the trip home from the dealer. The stabilty systems yaw sensor went right away. Next the sunroof, the A/C system leaked into the cabin and flooded the floors. The seat tracks rusted, the wires got wet, the oil cooler leaked coolant. 17 days total out of service so far and there are more problems, too many to list!

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  My dream car - 1998 Cadillac Deville
  By Jim - February 4 - 5:37 pm

  When I retired I bought my dream car, 1998 Cadillac DeVille. What a nightmare it has turned out to be. I aquired the car with 43,000 miles on it. At 47,900 miles I replaced the battery for $133.76 and a battery cable for $129.38 parts and $272.00 labor. At 49,600 miles I replaced the spark plugs for $84.40 parts and $205.49 labor as well as the AC compressor for $669.30 parts and $401.49 labor. At 61,000 miles I replaced the HVAC blower motor for $348.60 parts and $81.48 labor. This labor cost was low since I refused to use a Cadillac dealer. Cadillac OEM parts costs and Cadillac dealer labor cost are extremely expensive. I will be selling my dream car since I refuse to be victimized anymore.

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  Nothing but problems - 2004 Cadillac SRX
  By krob - February 1 - 3:19 am

  I loved this car when I bought it, but very shortly after came to hate it. Door well width too wide. Has 8400 miles and has been in shop for 41 days. 4 times for oil leak, 2 times for part of engine cylinders not running, currently has a loud noise in front struts and vibrates through front floor. Terrible gas mileage - 11 mpg in city. Seats arent very comfortable on long trips.

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  Dont Waste Your Money - 1998 Cadillac Catera
  By Nicholas - January 4 - 6:30 pm

  The Cadillac Catera may be one of the worst cars ever made! Although it has a smooth drive and a sleek sexy body, the repairs on this car will drive you to the poor house. Please, dont make the mistake I did by pumping cash into this poorly made car. Go get a dependle Honda, Acura, or Toyota.