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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  An Example of why GM is failing - 2006 Cadillac SRX
  By fdoamerica - April 14 - 8:05 am

  Problems ... shut the door the side mirror dislocates. The drivers door has a 1/2 inch gap between side panels ... where is the quality control? The performance is anemic and the handling heavy with an understear. This is Cadillac, the flagship name of GM?

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  Cadillac SRX - 2006 Cadillac SRX
  By eric - April 13 - 3:15 pm

  I have had 6 different SUVs over the years. For just plain fun this is the tops. I wouldnt want to take it where I took vehicles 30 years ago, but I wouldnt do that to most luxury SUVs. It suits me perfectly.

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  2.5 Quarts of Oil Every 1,500 Miles - 1997 Cadillac Seville
  By edwin hall - April 12 - 7:57 pm

  I love my car, except it has burned oil ever since I got it. Also, the headlights only work when they want to. Everything else works, light-wise. The air conditioner does not work. The front grill underneath the hood is falling down. I dont like how I have to use premium gas either. I get 18-19 miles per gallon. This car has a great stereo.

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  Great Car, Poor Mileage - 2006 Cadillac DTS
  By Martin - April 10 - 10:43 pm

  I love the car. I have had Infinitis (2), Jaguar (1), Volvo (1), Mazda Millenia (4), Dodge and Ford Pickups, Buick, etc etc. The DTS has great room, the ride a little soft, and the design much improved. I had an order in for new Lexus ES 350 but changed my mind when I drove the DTS. The only problem besides the poor gas mileage is what appears to be overspray on windows and other surfaces.. I am going to have my dealer look at it soon.

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  Improving But Still Not There - 2007 Cadillac Escalade
  By Alan Ross - April 10 - 12:15 pm

  Cadillac has done a nice job of restyling the Escalade but unfortunately they have a way to go to beat their Japanese competitors. The outside is beuatiful and the inside looks good but looks can be deceiving. There is almost no storage room in the back, the rear windows only open part way, the sideboard windows not at all. The upgraded stereo is marginal and little things like the cuip holders are still cheap and not what you would expect on a vehicle at this cost. Gas mileage to date is terrible, around 11- 12 miles per gallon in mixed (city/hiway) traffic. There are a number of rattles in the vehicle as well. All things considered, I would have expected more from a vehicle at this price.

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  Best Luxury Performance SUV out there - 2005 Cadillac SRX
  By RPM220 - April 10 - 10:00 am

  Compared the SRX to the X5 and Cayenne it won hands down. Excellent combination of style, versatility, and performance. The ride is a lot smoother than the competition without a handling penalty. The third seat is also somehting else that comes in handy at times that no one else in the class seems to offer. The SRX has plenty of gadgets to keep anyone busy and the Ultraview roof is a must have option. So far the car has been solid and dealership service has been excellent. Also note that the SRX can run on regular fuel which is a nice cost savings at the pump

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  CTS BEAUTY - 2005 Cadillac CTS
  By TEACHER LADY - April 10 - 10:00 am

  THIS CAR IS GREAT. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT. IT HAS STYLE AND IS IN A CLASS ALL ITS OWN

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  Beauty In Drive - 2006 Cadillac SRX
  By Adrienne - April 10 - 1:31 am

  This vehicle has been my one of my favorite drving experiences in a long time. My salesperson was wonderful and during bad weather of the 2006 blizzard in New York I was able to drive through areas other car could not. I felt secure with the information from the computerized road updates and the heavy weight of the SRX. As a women I enjoy driving it and my children love the comfort in the rear seats.

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  I Love My SRX - 2006 Cadillac SRX
  By Steve Tait - April 8 - 1:35 pm

  I purchase a 2006 SRX in March and it is perfect. I just love it. So far I have absolutely no complaints. I have the silver smoke exterior and light gray leather interior. I recieve many compliments while driving around and it is nice they are not ubiquitous. I feel this vehicle is a tremendous value compared to its competition.

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  GMs CTS hits a homerun - 2006 Cadillac CTS
  By JE - April 6 - 3:21 pm

  I took delivery of this car a month ago and Im impressed. Stylish, modern, and powerful. My friends BMW 325 has nothing on my CTS. If you want an entry-level luxury sedan, but dont want to be stuck with an ES 330 or a bulky Avalon, and dont want to pay BMW or Mercedes prices, this is the way to go. This car will take you from hip in South Beach to classic at your corporate headquaters and wont lose its cool. Way to go GM.