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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  2008 CTS Blown Engine/Oil Consumption/GM fails to act - 2008 Cadillac CTS
  By jmdhale - September 18 - 12:51 pm

  I purchased a 2008 Cadillac CTS with 31K which was also the mileage at which the oil had been changed. My wife being the primary driver averages 33 miles a day and is very easy on the vehicle. At 41K the car threw a rod resulting in blown engine. At the advice of GM the car was taken to my local Cadillac for repairs. Although the vehicle only has 41K and the power train warranty is for 100K Covert told me there is nothing they can do as my “power train warranty expired 2 days prior to the break down.” For $10,000 they will put a new engine in for me. GM continues to tell me the warranty is good up to 100K, but states I failed to properly maintain my vehicle. I purchased the car with 31,217 miles on it and have documentation from dealership showing the oil was changed at 31,107 miles. The attached excerpt from my 2008 Cadillac CTS Manual states “you vehicle computer will let you know when to change the engine oil and filter. This is based on engine revolutions and temperature, and not on mileage.” It goes on to say that one may not need to change their oil, but once a year. When Cadillac turned over their review to GM the local Service Manager wrote “that our vehicle was 6977 miles overdue for an oil change.” The dealership went on to tell me that we should have the oil changed every 5k to 6k. Although the manual specifically states mileage is not a determining factor. Also using the 5K to 6K logic and the fact my oil was changed at 31K we would have been due for an oil change at 37K which based on their equation would only be 3K over not the 6977 reported to GM which resulted in denying my claim. Again GM states mileage in not a factor in oil changes. We owned the car just over 8 months and have only put 9,500 miles on the car. The dealership is stating the car ran completely out of oil and it was our fault. How does oil disappear when we have no leaks? This is not possible and I’ve spoken to numerous certified mechanics who stated “cars do not run out of oil in 9,000 miles unless you have a leak or the car has an oil usage issue which is the fault of the maker. Note this vehicle has 37 recall or service notices some related to power train and cooling systems. We never overheated….no check engine light…but GM and dealership flat out said we are “SOL.” After a 2 billion dollar bailout this is what we get?

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  New Xts Driver - 2013 Cadillac XTS
  By nutsaboutcars - September 17 - 1:25 am

  I leased a new xts with the premium trim pkg today in black on black and what a gorgeous car it is

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  Good sports sedan - 2010 Cadillac CTS
  By tdbmd - September 13 - 3:25 pm

  I purchased my 10 CTS 3.6 with AWD about 6 months ago. This is my first sports sedan. The CTS handles great. Ride is firm but not bone jarring. 3.6 liter motor has good acceleration, but you have to rev it a bit to get the most performance from it. Have not had any bad weather yet to test the AWD system. Mileage is about 22 mpg in mixed driving and 26-27 on the hwy at speeds from 65-70 mph. The interior is comfortable and well finished. The seats are comfortable but really best for 4 passengers, 5 is a bit tight. Bose stereo has great sound and I like that you can hook up a iPod to it. Climate system works well in both heating and cooling.

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  Excellent Buying Experience - 2013 Cadillac XTS
  By keithk2 - August 23 - 2:40 pm

  I recently purchased the new Cadillac XTS and was completely thrilled!!, I had been waiting for the release of this vehicle for quite some time now and was glad to see it was finally released. I had been working through one of Cadillac’s finest representatives (Mr. Chris Ferren at Crestview Cadillac), who had been working on this vehicle with me for several months, Chris was very diligent in keeping me posted on the XTS and periodically sent me supportive media to help me make my final decision. Finally, Chris actually brought the vehicle to my residence (can you believe that!) we then finished the paperwork and spent several hours going through the details of the XTS such that I could get completely familiar with all the new gadgets. Chris is an excellent person to work with and I highly recommend him to anyone that is in the market to purchase a new Cadillac, regardless of the make or model, he’ll definitely do a great job for you. Keith Krause

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  good but not great - 1996 Cadillac Deville
  By boweezy57 - August 5 - 8:22 pm

  has good power but driving mostly around suburban area I get around 12-13 mpg. I have 140k miles on it and have a traction control light on for no reason. Also, service transmission because of a bad sensor and its not worth the money to fix because the transmission would have to be dropped out. Otherwise, I love the car.

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  My first Cadillac - 2008 Cadillac STS
  By powerline87 - August 5 - 6:39 pm

  This is my first Cadillac and my first car that was over $1000. Value: I got my car 3-4 years old, because the price drops by $20-25k by then. Performance: 302hp 3.6L DI V6. 52/48 weight dist. AWD. Dual-Wishbone front suspension - It handles better than most smaller cars Ive driven, and even handles about as well as the CTS, despite being bigger and more comfortable. Comfort: I have driven a Lincoln MKZ, a Cadillac CTS and SRX, and a Lexus ES 350, and the STS is the most comfortable out of all of them. It is roomier and its seats just feel more comfortable. Summary: A used 2008-2011 Cadillac STS has a better balance between luxury and performance than any other car in my price range.

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  Audio System Atrocious - 2012 Cadillac CTS
  By bgk99 - August 3 - 1:55 am

  There are lots of things to love about the Cadillac. The incentives are what got me, the design, the handling, the power... However, ALL of that isnt worth the car for one reason and one reason only. The absolutely complete MESS of navigation and especially the phone system. 1) when you get a call, the number appears on the DASH but the CONNECT button is on the NAV SCREEN and it pops up MAYBE 25% of the time. The audio voice will instruct you to hit a button, but when you do... nothing happens and you will lose calls ALL THE TIME. It CANNOT put your iphone contact list into its system (are you kidding?) and the "hands free calling" is worse than the Prius (which was horrific).

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  291,000 and still going strong - 2005 Cadillac CTS
  By twee2 - August 1 - 3:02 pm

  I bought my 2005 CTS brand new in Oakland at the Cadillac dealer on Broadway. (Name changed years ago). I have 291,456 miles on my car and it is still running great for me. Most of the reviews talk about all the oil it drinks, this has not been the case for me. I get my oil changed between 5,ooo-7,000 miles faithfully. I did need to replace the transmission at 110,000 miles ($3500) but other than that it has been just the usual brakes, tires, and oil changes. I have had some minor things go wrong when it got in the 200,000 miles but other than that, this has been the BEST CAR EVER! People cant believe how many miles I have on my car. I keep waiting for something to happen but it hasent.

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  SRX puts the Sport in SUV - 2006 Cadillac SRX
  By thomas2006 - July 19 - 11:58 pm

  Smooth, Fast and fun to drive. I traded in my 2008 Mustang GT and I havent looked back. I would buy another anytime. I drive over 80 miles a day to work and back. I now look forward to the trip. You cant beat the Bose stereo. It is almost a surreal experience.

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  REALLY disappointed with me 10 SRX!!! - 2010 Cadillac SRX
  By ctaylor66062 - July 13 - 8:01 pm

  Ive owned my Cadillac SRX for almost 2 years now. I was drawn to its sexy looks inside and out. Since Ive owned it, it has been in and out of the shop over 10 times for various issues (wont start, side view mirror shaking, chrome trim fell off, electronic issues.) I think the thing that is most annoying about the SRX is the horrible visibility. On numerous occasions I have almost hit cars/pedestrian etc because of the awful visibility front and rear. Also this crossover is extremely small compared to its competitors. I have two kids who ride in boosters... so basically it only seats 4. No 3rd person can fit in the back row. I cant wait to trade this car in!