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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  Luxury and proformance. - 1995 Cadillac Eldorado
  By Kytec - October 9 - 12:02 pm

  Very sporty, easy to pass just about anything on the highway. There is quite a bit of torque steer when you gun it from a dead stop, but in accelerating into a turn, or from a rolling start it holds up quite well. The interior is leather everything, a higher quality id say than even the newer CTS models which use cheap plastics. It does guzzle gas, and runs premium, but with cruise control on over the highway it will average 26 mpg, astonishing for such a large car. Although it is large, heavy and not exceptionally low to the ground, it corners with very little body roll, feels stanced and planted well. Its as comfortable at 140 as it is at 65, tho youll be getting 5mpg or less.

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  Cadillac Deville - 2003 Cadillac Deville
  By mike - October 8 - 3:15 am

  I been a Lincoln owner for over twenty years and finally bought a Cadillac. So far the ride and fuel economy and comfort is about the best you can get in a full size luxury car. I am disappointed in the quailty workmanship cheap plastic on dash and cheap looking leather for the seats and rattles never had nothing like that with the Lincolns I owned. Only had it a month now and no problems yet so cant speak on reliability hopefully it will be better then the others I have heard about. Its strickly a highway cruiser you dont hear the rattles. It handles poorly even for a luxury car it should handle better but i spend all my time with it on the highway so I am happy with the car so far.

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  battery and ECM - 2005 Cadillac SRX
  By Paul - October 7 - 10:37 am

  The car drives great. Only had one problem a blown fuse. I learned an expensive lesson. If you have the 3.6 V6 do not take the battery lose unless you wait one hour to reconnect. If connected to soon it can either lock the ECM (engine control modual) or worse fry it. In either case the car will not crank and the key can not be removed from the ignition. Now my wife says we should have bought a Lexus.

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  2007 SRX V6 Utility package - 2007 Cadillac SRX
  By AColl - October 6 - 4:36 pm

  Good looks and convienient, very useful, cargo space or 3rd seat, kids love it, too small for adults but this is a crossover anyway, not a minivan. front looks outdated, it should have been more like 07 cts, just a minor facelift could have been a tremendous benefit. Full of anoying electrical glitches, sunroof backs up when rear windoes are closing, cant be fixed, seat belt jammed and replaced twice. Dont buy this car w/o a warranty. Very good handling and performance for its size but slow compare to 2010 RSX. Electric rear seats are a slow, it should have been manual (like acura- MDX). Need better care to built and fix minor problems. Poor mileage. I would buy another one if improved.

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  The most comfy car - 2004 Cadillac Escalade EXT
  By Lyndsiee - October 4 - 2:00 am

  It is unbeliveably comfterble! I mean iv`e had other cars like a mercades and it was had to shift. I got spinners on mine W/ 26 in rims HIGHLY RECCOMENDED by me Black looks awesome it brings out the detail really well so dose white

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  worth it? - 2010 Cadillac SRX
  By Lou - September 29 - 1:53 pm

  i just saw the chevy equinox and i couldnt believe that the dashboard, steering wheel and all are the same with different badges. the caddy is a rebadged equinox with a peppier engine. i wish i went for the lexus rh350.

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  wish i had my 2000 deville back - 2008 Cadillac DTS
  By dan beth - September 24 - 7:55 pm

  i was the proud owner of a 2000 deville and just loved the car! my wife decided to upgrade & we bought the 2008 dts. i think the new one is not as quiet or smooth as the 2000, also it has that same whining noise at approx 15 to 30 mph i read about in another review, also it gets somewhat sluggish at 45 mph, no idea why it does that. the 2000 had much softer & comfortable seats, anyway my wife loves the car but im very disappointed, no way should it be 51000 dollars on the window!

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  Will buy again - 2006 Cadillac DTS
  By GARYSL - September 21 - 7:23 pm

  I bought my DTS Performance with much trepidation after years of Toyotas and Volvos. After almost 4 years with the exception of the brakes and gas mileage I couldnt be happier. Other than a very minor complaints this car has been exceptional! I have read many complaints about the factory tires and after 37,000. miles mine are just fine with regular rotation and correct pressures I believe they will easily reach 60k. Ill be very happy if they greatly improve gas mileage and add a 6 speed transmission. Its my sincere hope that comfort is not sacrificed for handling as I find the DTS handles extremely well with the various electronic handling augments.

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  Good but..... - 2008 Cadillac CTS
  By Waste - September 19 - 12:51 am

  I have a fully loaded 08, the back deck where the speakers are rattles terribly, along with bad back struts that rattle louder than the deck. people that ride with me think I have a bunch of empty paint cans in the trunk rolling around! Everything squeaks from the sunroof to the chairs. Plus the service hours are terrible at the dealer.

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  Wish I had bought a Lexus - 2008 Cadillac CTS
  By Alan - September 18 - 7:53 pm

  The CTS has many fine qualities - ride, stability, sound system, interior design. But the lack of certain features many of which are found on less expensive cars such a fog lights and a back-up camera, along with poor gas mileage (20% less than my 2003 CTS), and 7 days in the repair shop in the first 90 days of ownership tell me I should have bought a Lexus.