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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  Feeling Young Again! - 2005 Cadillac XLR
  By Sandy - June 18 - 1:25 pm

  Now that our kids are grown we decided to give up the SUV& purchase a 2-seater. WOW! The new Cadillac XLR we purchased has made life fun again. This car is amazing-fast-comfortable & so much fun to drive. It takes us back to our youth & it sure is fun having everyone stare & asks questions about your new toy.

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  Great Ride - 2005 Cadillac XLR
  By DrZ89 - June 18 - 2:07 am

  I have owned a lot of cars but this is by far the best car Ive owned. It is a great car to put the top down and hit the open road. The car is comfortable to drive and handles like a dream. I can get in and out of the car without feeling like I have to climb or roll. The car gets looks wherever I go. I cant imagine ever selling this car.

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  Escalade exceeded my expectations - 2005 Cadillac Escalade
  By Bill Crowe - June 17 - 1:34 am

  I bought this luxury SUV after careful comparison with the competition. Im a big guy and this vehicle has a lot of room. The ride is superb, the interior is whisper quiet, the 345 hp engine leaves nothing to be desired and on top of that, I get 19 mpg on the highway! The attractive interior is well laid out, the seats extremely comfortable, and the XM radio is something that quickly became indispensable. As a professional, my Escalades bold styling makes the right statement to my clients: Success.

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  A gas eater, but Im glad to have it. - 2002 Cadillac Escalade
  By Johntherhat - June 16 - 10:44 pm

  This is the best car Ive ever had. I am 85 years old and have owned probably 20 cars. None have given me the multitude of "Good feelings" this car does. It handles beautifully on the highway and is surprisingly easy to park.

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  Mega Car - 2005 Cadillac CTS
  By Mike - June 16 - 12:31 pm

  Not sure what Edmunds say that this car cant keep up with its competitors. This is an unbelievable automobile. Its fast, handles like nothing else in its bracket, and looks great. Just ask the all the gawkers to look at this car when it passes by. My is car black and black and it looks great. Have 28,000 miles on it with no quality problems, in fact brake wear is fantastic. All in all this is car with no competition.

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  Escalade six months old. - 2005 Cadillac Escalade
  By rouch - June 15 - 1:50 am

  Wonderful to drive but gas milage is not good. Averaged 12.7 for 188 gals used. Best ever 15.7 on road trip. auto climate control not great, prefer the manual type in the Tahoe I drive.

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  Take it back - 2005 Cadillac SRX
  By Scott - June 15 - 1:21 am

  In the 15 months Ive owned this car it has been in the shop over 45 days. The large sunroof rattles. Replaced it and still not good. Im on the 3rd. radio. Still bad. Dead battery problems. The wipers squeak. Dealer cant fix it. There is a burning smell in the car and GM states there is no problem but they suspect the hoses. Amazing. This car is nothing but a rattle trap. Ive had more problems with this car than any other car I have. I have an attorney and am going for the Lemon Law in Michigan.

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  From a Cadillac Technicans Point of Veiw - 2005 Cadillac XLR
  By DRB - June 13 - 10:49 pm

  The 2005 Cadillac XLR has great perforance, with only a slight under steer at 130 mph. With the ground effects the chassis does a nice job sticking you to the road. The slap stick / shifter is pretty cool with the HUD system and the cruise control great. With this system, the XLR matches the speed of the slower car ahead of it until either you switch lanes or the slower car ahead of you speeds up, then your set speed on the cruise control returns to your set speed. How cool is that! The downfall is with the top down ther is very little room in the trunk, no place for those golf clubs to go with the roof down. I have seen a lot of folding top repairs already and miss aligned rear quarter glass misfits. Aftermarket wheels seem to mess up the ride.

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  Company Vehicle - 2005 Cadillac SRX
  By Robert Gingras - June 13 - 9:51 pm

  Overall, vehicle is fun to drive and very functional in all weather conditions. The six-cylinder engine privides ample power and the seating is fine for four adults. ( without the added third seat ) gas mileage averages around 20 mpg. I would consider another SRX when my lease is up on this one.

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  Happy Cadillac customer - 2005 Cadillac SRX
  By duque - June 12 - 6:47 pm

  This truck is extremely comfortable with a long wheel base which absorbs bumps easily. It has convenient controls and cofortable seating. The space is a blessing!