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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  Finally we are able to Rate all 10s! - 2008 Cadillac CTS
  By Bud Starione - May 7 - 2:20 pm

  Detroit wasted so many years giving up the market to overseas! Why? For the money paid out the door including tax, the 08 CTS has to be the best deal we have come across. Test driving the vehicle around the block, and it was a must own. Already have 3400 miles on the car, and we fight off our 19 year old son for the keys!

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  This is a Caddy? - 2008 Cadillac CTS
  By Floored - May 5 - 1:13 pm

  Driving a Caddy (or any GM) never even entered our minds. Wed driven Infiniti, Lexus, and had left. Really liked what wed driven so far. Stopped in to get the payoff on our Hummer trade-in. A black CTS in the showroom had (afater market) 20" chrome wheels and a feature set at least $6 - $10K better than Lexus and BMW. Just to be thorough, we drove it. Amazing ride. Stunning. Im still smiling. Everything everybody is saying. I just kept thinking, "This is a Caddy?" I couldnt beleive it. Only several days later, but Im still giddy. I love this car. Fast, smooth, quiet, responsive, corners on rails. There isnt enough room in this review space. Trust me: drive this car!

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  hard to beat - 1999 Cadillac Deville
  By KCANDERSON - May 1 - 2:00 am

  The northstar engine is like a modified rocket! This car has performance like you would not believe. If you do not like to creep while going onto a highway ramp and waiting for a large gap to appear, this car will get you in traffic and merged in a split second. Enough about the engine, my car is fully digital,telephone, handsfree phone, heated seats/mirrors, great stereo, lumbar, passenger side mirror tilt, rag top, vogue tires and memory package. Easy handling at low and high speeds in turns. Car does not move much with high cross winds. Ample leg room for four 300+ men. I could go on and on, but ill stop here.

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  N/A - 2003 Cadillac Escalade EXT
  By frostyreynolds - April 30 - 2:00 am

  Very comfortable and roomy ride. Cargo/Bed converts very quickly for hauling - great place to keep your golf clubs and towing items locked up safe and sound. Loading up the cargo area made no noticable impact on driving characteristics. Hauls my 6000 lb. boat very well.

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  Outstanding SUV!! - 2002 Cadillac Escalade
  By Shorty - April 27 - 2:00 am

  This is a big SUV, with big power. Weve had it for 5 months and havent had a single problem.

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  95 Caddy DeVille - 1995 Cadillac Deville
  By hilltopper - April 26 - 2:00 am

  Great comfortable car. Ive had it for 7 years and it has performed like a dream.

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  BMW killer - 1991 Cadillac Seville
  By Toming - April 25 - 2:00 am

  This is the only year that the small Seville had the 4.9 liter HO engine. Its a BMW killer -- which in an older Cadillac is a real surprise. It accelerates faster than the 3 series Beemers, and corners extremely agressively -- with its speed sensitive steering and shock rate, the car becomes a demon on the corners when pushed hard. Reliability has been outstanding, although fit and finish in these Cadillacs is only average -- not up to the standards of Lexus or Mercedes. Major components -- engine, transmission, AC -- keep on working. At 161k miles, its still going strong.

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  A Very Under rated Vehicle - 1999 Cadillac Catera
  By CFG - April 24 - 2:00 am

  Just simply a very under rated vehicle. Can compete with the best of the Japanese or European cars in the same price range. Have owned it for three years with no problems at all.

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  Catera - 2000 Cadillac Catera
  By eeyore175 - April 24 - 2:00 am

  The Catera has been a fun car to drive with no problems whatsoever.

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  Hard to beat - 1998 Cadillac Deville
  By Saboteur - April 23 - 2:00 am

  Its all good, if you know why things are the wy they are.