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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  Black Raven CTS - 2005 Cadillac CTS
  By 2005 CTS - July 31 - 4:32 pm

  I have (and do) owned BMWs for years. I am a member of BMWCCA and really appreciate these cars but I was ready for something different. I love this CTS as does my wife who is not a "car person." I have not had any type of problem in these first 9 months. My car is black with all options made plus numerous dealer extras, rear spoiler, back-up light louvers, grill, custom ss exhaust system, cold air intake, complete interior wood and more. Often people stop me to say it is beautiful and ask more about it. I am a car nut and not easy to please but this one has done it. Style is of course a matter of taste but I think this has it all. I have heard some negatives on the interior but do not agree.

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  Cadillac SRX 2016, Thoughts - 2016 Cadillac SRX
  By JTM - July 31 - 10:18 am

  PROS: Engine, Handling, Front Passenger/Driver Room, Technology, Road Holding, and Ride Comfort. CONS: Fuel Economy, Curb Weight, Rear Passenger Room, Visibility, Noise (from Panoramic Window). 2016 Cadillac SRX was heavily discounted during the month of August 2016 and I decided to purchase one. Here are my thoughts after the first 500 miles. The car is pretty nimble for an SUV, actually 0 to 60 in about 7.5 seconds. Brakes feel very spongy, therefore, one needs to press the brake pedal harder than normal for the car to stop. I presume, the car is still "breaking in" so I will monitor the braking issue and update after 3000 miles or so. The huge panoramic window is great, however, at highway speeds, it does get noisy. Have the Cadillac dealer adjust the windows to reduce the noise. Fuel economy is poor (so far). Again, I was told the engine needs to break in for max fuel efficiency. The transmission "jerks" between 1st and 2nd gear, however, this is normal. This SUV tries to balance the "sporty" aspect and the "family hauler" aspect so it does handle "sportier" when you push the vehicle. Moreover, this is ideal for a family of 4 to get around as well. If you have a larger family, Cadillac is working on another SUV between SRX/XT5 and Escalade. It is slated to be released around 2018. The SRX does have great warranty (4yr, 50K (basic) and 6 yr, 70K mi (powertrain)). Also, the first 4 years of maintenance are included with a new vehicle (oil changes, etc). The tires are Michelin Latitude and they ride pretty well. The ride comfort, in general terms, is excellent and the suspension soaks road bumps/imperfections pretty well. I have not had a chance to ride in the snow yet. I will update with the snow performance at a later time. The CUE system is mediocre and some folks may find the small lag time in response from the system frustrating. If on highway, use care when operating CUE as you may need to take your eyes off the road to adjust settings on the CUE system. Music/Entertainment options include: CD, MP3/HDD, XM, Radio. My unit did come with the Navigation/Bose 10 speaker set up. I did not have the Driver Assistance Package so cannot comment​ on it. Reliability: one has to keep in mind that the SRX is at the end of its life, therefore, unlike the XT5, one is buying a proven car which has most of its "kinks" worked out. For example, in 2010, GM decided to use the 2.8 Turbo and the 3.0L V6 on the SRX. The Turbo did not sell well and there was reports of engine trouble since people were using "regular" gas to power the Turbo engine (which is a big no-no in the automotive industry, NEVER use Regular gas in a Turbo engine, no matter what the manual says). The 3.0 V6 was underpowered to move the heavy SRX and was also discontinued. Then GM decided to use their corporate 3.6L V6 and that was the best match for a heavy SUV such as the SRX. Hence, you are getting a proven vehicle in the SRX. The XT5 is on its first year in 2017 and I, for one, do not feel comfortable being the guinea pig for GMs new vehicle line, especially, when I am shelling out 40K + on a new XT5. The SRX seems like a solid choice in the Cadillac lineup as far as reliability is concerned. Now, there are sensors everywhere on this vehicle. So, expect some kind of sensor failure at some point during ownership, however, the engine/transmission combo is a "proven" for this vehicle. By the way, use "regular" gas for the 3.6L V6 engine. Cadillac has been trying hard to "remake" their image. They have moved their HQ from Detroit to New York and has taken on the "Dare Greatly" motto in an effort to set themselves apart from the rest of GMs vehicle lineup. With this in mind, I found the dealership experience to be very pleasant. All I had to do was show up and agree on a price. The sales team did the rest of the work including, calling my insurance to transfer the policy from my trade-in vehicle to the SRX. They did a lot of "leg work" to have me out of the showroom in about 1 to 2 hours. They did offer food and beverages for the Cadillac customers and was very polite and pleasant to deal with. Currently, the Lexus leads the pack in dealership experience, but Cadillac is not too far behind.

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  EXT - 2002 Cadillac Escalade EXT
  By Lindy223 - July 31 - 10:00 am

  The first time I saw that this car was going to be relesed I wanted to get it. I was looking for a new vehicle to that was functional and also had style. I was trying to chose between a suv or a pickup truck. I wanted something that I could put an atv in and also something that I could take at least five people and go on a long trip and we would all be comfortable. The EXT can do all that and more. When towing in the EXT you forget that the trailer is even their. When I went to the dealer and test drove it I knew I had to have it. The seats are like the recliners I have in my living room.

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  SRX survey - 2005 Cadillac SRX
  By Edye Weller - July 30 - 10:25 pm

  This SRX is so easy to drive and handle, also on long road trips and so very comfortable. Loved the memory seats. the lift gate is easy to close and I am 5. The back of the SRX has a plug in for a small refrigerator and we use it when we travel. We also like all the conviences for all the passengers, heat and air, all the storage and cubby holes for thing.

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  Outstanding Vehicle - 2005 Cadillac STS
  By Ed Durante - July 30 - 7:09 pm

  I have only 2,500 miles on this car, but they have been very enjoyable miles. The car is solid, and extremely quiet, except when I have the 15 speaker Bose DVD system cranked up. The power is awsome, and the handling smooth and responsive. This is my fourth consecutive Cadillac in the Seville line. The past vehicles were SLSs and I loved them. I was having mixed emotions turning in my last car which was a 2002 SLS. It only took one test drive of the new STS and I never got into the old car again, and didnt look back. The controls are state of the art and user friendly. From programming the features to using the GPS navigation system. The car is an absolute dream to drive and own.

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  The best so far - 2006 Cadillac STS
  By cinemel - July 30 - 2:42 pm

  This is my favorite STS so far. Its the third one Ive owned. It handles responsively with a European tight suspension, not as mushy as the DeVille.

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  Look at the V6! - 2005 Cadillac STS
  By FrmrBMWguy - July 30 - 11:05 am

  I formerly have driven BMWs for the past decade. The price on the new 7-Series has gotten a little pricey, so I looked at alternatives. For the money, I could not have found a better drive. I tested the V8 for a week then the V6. There is truly NO noticable difference in the performance, and since the majority of my driving is in the city, I would highly recommend the STS V6. Fully optioned it is priced closely to the base V8.

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  2005 Dream Car - 2005 Cadillac Deville
  By 2005 blessing - July 30 - 10:18 am

  My Caddy handles great on the road. It has better gas mileage than my previous Buick Regal. It is very roomy and glides on the bumps. I can accelerate and take the curves. I have made 2 long distance trips. Chicago to Atlanta and Chicago to New Orleans. It was comfortable. The New Orleans trip had 4 adult and one child. It was roomy.

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  A delight to drive and own - 2005 Cadillac CTS
  By dvc - July 28 - 10:34 pm

  This is my fourth Cadillac of this ilk: two Cateras and now two CTS. Obviously I have been highly satisfied with all, despite critics who bemoaned the "unreliability" of the Cateras (not true) and the "lack of information" on the 03 CTS. My experience is that the latest CTS is a great car: fine performance, wonderful design and absolutely no trouble.

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  Need more like this in Europe! - 2005 Cadillac CTS
  By martin - July 28 - 6:49 pm

  Best car I ever had. Last one was a Mercedes, but this one...