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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  Now and Then - 2005 Cadillac Escalade
  By KENNETH DUNCAN - February 4 - 1:12 am

  Well the first Cadillac I owned was a 1979 Seville (new). It had some problems with the fuel margel (computer) under the hood, where it would stop sending fuel to the injectors. Then I bought a 1999 Cadillac Escalade (new) had very few problems except that OnStar kills the battery about every 18 months and that it is not very good on gasoline. Well this 2005 Escalade is very stylish, has lots of power, is comfortable, and not that bad on gas. Its gas mileage could be better, but its not nearly as bad as the 1999 Escalade that I owned previously.

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  2005 CTS - 2005 Cadillac CTS
  By TGR - February 4 - 12:19 am

  My 2005 Cadillac CTS is a pleasure to drive. I drove it 3,800 miles in three weeks and had a blast. Its performance for a 255 hp V6 is great. The best part are the perks associated with Cadillac ownership. The Mid-Missouri dealership treats us like family. I will purchase again.

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  BMW Killer - 2008 Cadillac CTS
  By BMW Killer - February 3 - 2:56 am

  Fully optioned: AWD, black with black, DI 300hp engine. MSRP is $48,090. Which btw u cannot properly configure on Edmunds as the options they list differ somewhat then what Caddy actually will do. Without question the car draws attention. Ride is smooth & very tight though w/18" wheels expect to get plenty of road feel; which is a new experience with Caddy. I extensively test drove the BMW 5 & 3 series and this car matches them in >95% of handling characteristics. A- Trans is like silk. Extremely minor flaw in fit, but it would only be noticed by perfectionists :). Rides very quiet, except on hard accel where you hear it growl. Motortrend said motor is rough at idle, but mine is smooth

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  2006 DTS Luxury III - 2006 Cadillac DTS
  By Ricky Magers - February 3 - 2:08 am

  This behemoth gives the the feeling the passengers must have had on the Titanic as it floated aimlessly on the water highway prior to colliding with an iceberg. What is the problem with GM? They cannot get it right. The looks are ok, but all the accessories are screwed up. Upon exit the tilt wheel will not retreat and tilt upward fully, and when you unlock the doors it returns to driving position, so much for memory. This thing sucks gas like a Cadillac dealer trying to get your money. Wish I had bought the Lexus or Mercedes-Benz. Cadillacs are notorious for poor resale values and now I am stuck with the gas guzzling great white behemoth from GM. Oh, I forgot to mention that the fuel door is accessible to anyone.

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  Awesome Vehicle - 2001 Cadillac Eldorado
  By Rita Balenger - February 1 - 10:30 pm

  This car is truly awesome. The ride and feel are fantastic. Ive owned two other Eldorados (90 and 95) and this one outperforms the others, hands down. After owning one, I knew I had to have another one. It will definately get out of its way. It is very peppy and a true joy to drive. I love my car.

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  Worth the Wait - 2006 Cadillac SRX
  By steve - February 1 - 7:12 pm

  I ordered my 06 SRX in May. It was built at the end of July, got lost four two months and arrived at dealer in October. Mine has the cashmere interior running all the way to instrument panel and top pad / dashboard. The dashboard and instrument panel are a darker cashmere, but this is so much better than black or gray which Cadillac has forced on us over the past 10 yrs. There is no glare on lighter dashboards. Also, lets have some interior colors. This is my wife"s SUV and we both love it. It is very well built and stylish in and out. The infared looks sharp. Only complaint is the wiper stalk on right side of steering colum sticks out too far and is easily hit when your moving hand from center stalk to the steering wheel.

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  My DTS - 2005 Cadillac Deville
  By Richard Geiger - February 1 - 1:45 pm

  This is my third Cadillac in a row. I have had others in the past. I am very happy to own and drive this car.

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  3.6L CTS - 2006 Cadillac CTS
  By SDiddy - February 1 - 3:52 am

  My Cadillac CTS 3.6L is really fun to drive. It handles awesome, its one of the nicest looking cars on the road, and the performance is top notch. The voice activated features seem unnecessary, but are fun to use. The memory seating is also really nice.

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  Satisfied Customer - 2004 Cadillac Escalade
  By JoBun - February 1 - 2:00 am

  Could not be happier or more satisfied with the new Escalade. Its everything one could want in a vehicle and more. My Wife and I are extremely pleased with the new vehicle.

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  joshs review - 2004 Cadillac Escalade
  By josh socks - February 1 - 2:00 am

  i absolutely love this wehicle it has been thebest suv i have ever owned my last suv was arange rover and i sold it for the escalade and i dont regret one bit