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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  Just bought my SECOND SLS! - 1995 Cadillac Seville
  By akvavit - October 23 - 11:18 am

  I fell in love with the Seville the first time I saw on in the mid 1990s. I bought my first, a 1994 SLS in 2002, Blue/Blue, 24k miles, yes 8 years old and 24k miles. Loved the car for 6 years and over 100k miles until it developed a bad engine knock in NWT, Canada. Did not have the funds or service option so I sold it cheap. The only major problem I had with the car was oil leaks, which I have heard is common w/Northstar. Wasted 2-4 grand trying to fix it. Last month I bought my second SLS, a 1995 Green/beige w/carriage top. This one had only 21.4k miles anc cost $5,000. A new Civic at the dealership was $20 grand. No brainer!!

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  Best out there - 2010 Cadillac SRX
  By thetvmn - October 23 - 2:41 am

  I love my 2010 SRX! Not only is it a beautiful car on the outside, but the interior is amazing. The moonroofs are great for fall cruising or just riding around on a starry night. If youre a car person, you might notice that the designers didnt forget Cadillacs heritage. From the subtle "tailfins" to the chrome V on the dash, theres no mistaking it as anything else than the classic American automaker. And as for the bad reviews: With grammar like that, I doubt one would be educated/successful enough to own an SRX unless they bought it off a junk lot in the first place. I highly recommend this car!

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  No problems - 2006 Cadillac SRX
  By bukkyt81 - October 10 - 11:48 am

  I bought the 06 SRX in august of last year and i am happy with my buy. The car is very powerful and fun to drive. i have yet to have an issue with the car except to replace the rear wheel bearings which the warranty covered..

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  Computerized nightmare - 2013 Cadillac XTS
  By jaymedic44 - October 4 - 6:17 am

  We bought the platinum edition, liked the different grille and wheels. As the salesman was showing my wife how to operate all the features all of the sudden the radio went to full volume. The salesman tried to turn it down but as soon as he removed his finger from the button it would return to full volume. They said it needed a software update and took it to the shop. An hour later he returned and proceeded with the demonstration and it did it again, not only did the volume increase on its own you cant turn it off. Well today it is making its 3rd trip back for the same issue plus some other electronic problems such as the seat memory wont work, Bluetooth connection is often lost and so on.

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  Nice car - 2013 Cadillac ATS
  By carlover58 - October 3 - 9:59 pm

  I love the technology and style of car. It does pretty good on gas. Cons if you need a kick for speed 2.0 and higher are best.

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  Quite a nice surprise - 2012 Cadillac CTS
  By big_g - October 1 - 2:58 pm

  I drive about 40k a year so i go through allot of cars. After leaving American cars for German due to my excessive mileage I am glad to be back. I have owned an A6 (too uncomfortable) and a 528i (too unreliable) and came back to GM. Couldnt be happier. The rebates and incentives that I got were amazing and I have to say its nice driving something that not everyone else has on the road (528i). Mine is Opulent Blue and I get the thumbs up all the time.

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  More Than a AWD Station Wagon - 2004 Cadillac SRX
  By guy41 - October 1 - 7:08 am

  I purchased the 2004 SRX to replace a Buick Riviera and a Chevrolet AWD Astro van. It was difficult finding a vehicle with the sporty ride and handling of the Buick that could also perform some of the daily tasks of the Astro. Suprisingly the SRX does it all with style and grace. I like this model more than the new ones for its sporty station wagon style. Even after 102k miles it makes me smile when Im behind the wheel and I would buy another.

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  Big Caddy with Styling - 2013 Cadillac XTS
  By bigwes3 - October 1 - 12:43 am

  Purchased a White Diamond exterior with Carmel/Black interior Premium FWD XTS in July after considering a BMW or Mercedes. After 3,300 miles in it, the more I drive it the more I love it. Outstanding ride quality and interior finish is top notch. So glad Cadillac did not abandon the smooth ride to chase the BMW/Mercedes performance (extremely hard ride) model. This car provides a perfect blend of cushion & performance handling. Big car ride with midsize handling. The spirited V6 provides excellent power while returning great gas mileage. CUE system definitely requires a dedicated learning period to familiarize yourself with the many features.

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  Know Your Car!! - 2005 Cadillac SRX
  By oliviad1214 - September 23 - 2:36 pm

  There seems to be a lot of frustration when it comes to the oil on this car. When you are driving a luxury car you need to keep up with certain things that you wouldnt need to in a Honda. I have my oil checked after every 100+ mile trip and topped off and get my oil change every 3,000 miles. Its a great reliable car with amazing handling. The gas mileage could be better but no complaints, again a high maintenance vehicle. You need to take care of it though, and commit to regular maintenance, if you cant then you shouldnt be buying luxury.

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  At long last, a worthy entry. - 2013 Cadillac ATS
  By ngamoth - September 22 - 1:10 pm

  After successive failures, it appears Cadillac has finally made a small car worth buying. The level of effort involved in the design, creation, and testing of this car are evident upon first driving it - it feels surprisingly well built. Were it not for the plush American cabin, youd swear the VIN began with a telltale W. Performance-wise, the car shines. The adjustable Magnetic Ride Control is brilliantly implemented, and one could wax poetic about the powertrain, braking...but lets face it. This isnt going to the track - its going to make a break in traffic much more enjoyable. Spaciousness wasnt the intended result, so make your buddies drive separately!