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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  Eat your hearts out Euro trash, Caddies - 2003 Cadillac CTS
  By Dr Mike - March 20 - 10:00 am

  The fact that GM is actually using the transmissions that they supply too BMW is amazing in itself. This car is up there with the Lexus GS300, BMW 530i, Mercedes E320 at a price $11,000 to 18,000 dollars cheaper. Preformance and size are identicle, this is a no brainer. However if you have money you would rather throw away than donate to worthy cause, instead of a dealer.

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  Loved my car since dy 1 - no problems - 2003 Cadillac CTS
  By stockcar33 - March 20 - 10:00 am

  Since day one, our CTS has been a blast. Plus, we have never received the compliments on other lux cars that we have on this.

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  Awesome remake of this vehicle - 2005 Cadillac STS
  By tark - March 19 - 8:06 pm

  I am so pleased with the remake of this car. It is a huge improvement over the previous models. This is the most fun car I have ever driven and I rent vehicles weekly in my travels. Highly recommended.

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  Great ride - 2005 Cadillac SRX
  By DK - March 19 - 8:45 am

  Highly recommend this vehicle. Handles superbly, fast as a rocket with the V8, great interior room for a tall driver.

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  We love this auto - 2005 Cadillac SRX
  By Melitas Forster - March 18 - 10:17 pm

  We were fortunate to get a certified used SRX, loaded, it is so beautiful in every way. Great ride with the AWD and handles beautifully. Love it.

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  Sad Eldo - 1994 Cadillac Eldorado
  By Richard Donovan - March 18 - 7:45 pm

  My 1994 Cadillac Eldorado could have been a classic, but like a typical American made product, Ive had nothing but problems with this car. The engine leaks oil. I never could really use it the way I had hoped. such as on long trips across country in comfort. It was always on the verge of breaking down. My Eldorado was very poorly built and had lousy fit and finish. No more Cadillacs for me.

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  Good to go - 2005 Cadillac CTS
  By andy matt - March 18 - 2:52 pm

  The 2005 Cadillac CTS is pleasing for the driver who has a long commute, but when out on the open road likes to have a comfortable ride with acceptable performance. It has lots of room in the trunk. Its front seats are comfortable and have enough adjustments. I dont know about back seats, I dont use them. Its steering is taut, brake feel is good and handling is better than the average mid size sedan. The engine response is peppy and the transmission is one of the smoothest Ive driven. The drive by wire response sometimes feels a little wierd but feeds in what you want most of the time. This is a great car, but there already has been a recall to reset the ECM apparently on all 2004 and many 2005 models.

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  Luxury, handling, performance.... - 2005 Cadillac Deville
  By Tots - March 18 - 12:31 pm

  When I purchased my 2005 Cadillac DeVille I wasnt sure if I was making the correct decision, but after having it for the past two years it has been a blast. The car has had no problems. Cadillac has really caught up to other luxury brands in terms of style, functionality, speed, performace, and luxury....way to go

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  2005 Cadillac CTS - 2005 Cadillac CTS
  By happy caddy - March 18 - 10:36 am

  Once I decided to purchase a Cadillac CTS, it was a very easy task. I picked the color with the sport and luxury package. What more could I want, besides a CTS-V of course? Well, was I surprised, once the snow melted off the roads, this is just a great car to drive. What fun is is to see eyes looking at my Cadillac zoom by. There are a few things that I think Cadillac could improve on though. I like hand brakes, I cant even see the parking brake petal when driving. Also, I know that this is minor but couldnt GM find room to put the date somewhere on the navigation systems screen. Overall Im HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY with my CTS. I cant wait for 2007 model with all wheel drive.

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  Awesome! - 2005 Cadillac SRX
  By The Contessa - March 16 - 10:00 am

  I test drove several high-end SUVs - this handled the best for the price. Very comfortable inside and out without being overly ostentatious. Ive had Volvos and Porsches and the Cadillac dealership makes you feel like you should when buying a luxury automobile.