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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  Oh, what could have been... - 1998 Cadillac Seville
  By StephenRG - August 1 - 3:36 pm

  There is no car Ive enjoyed driving as much, fabulous engine and automatic gearbox combination, and I loved the look. And then... I started getting a coolant leak alert shortly after buying it. OK, topped up. Then a/c went out. OK, fixed. Then engine started overheating - hose to radiator had hole worn in by belt (?). OK, fixed. Then overheating again, and after a storm, electrics went out. Head gasket blown - would cost $4000+. Water had got in, pooled underneath cabin, damaged electrics. Cost+++. Rear brakes - spotted in inspection - corroded. So an 11-year old top-of-the-line well-maintained luxury car with 87,000 miles on the clock had to be written off as scrap. DO NOT BUY!

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  Lap of Luxury - 1992 Cadillac Deville
  By DEVILLE-FAN - July 30 - 11:54 pm

  I purchased my 1992 Deville in November of 2008 primarily to be a basic A to B car that I felt would be able to keep me safe during the winter driving months. I only paid $700 dollars for it, and to me it was the deal of the century. It was evident that the car started its life in Florida. The body was in excellent condition, and the interior had worn well for its age. The leather seats were very comfortable. More so than my sofa. The car was as smooth going over the road as an ocean liner, but the downside was that it took turns with all the agility of the Titanic. It was clear what market this car was engineered to satisfy, but even still I did enoy the feeling of riding on air.

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  Black Beauty - 1999 Cadillac Deville
  By Joe - July 30 - 8:21 pm

  Pros: handles well and is a comfortable drive. Holds its shine very well. Very little engine maintenance required. Cons: side mirror too small when merging into traffic (especially in a construction zone). Power windows failed during hot weather. Automatic Antenna motor broke.

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  A beautiful, troublesome woman - 1999 Cadillac Eldorado
  By TravelinMan - July 25 - 5:11 pm

  I always loved the design of the 1992- 2002 Caddy Eldorado, so I bought a clean 99. It ran well for about two years, and then the problems began. Interior things fell apart. The AC stopped working. The battery went low until it was dead - though it was only a few months old. The drivers seat self-adjusted randomly, even when the car was parked. When I started the car, the trunk and gas door popped open. Mechanics were baffled, and theorized a short in the electric system. The repair job was estimated at hundreds of dollars. Friends with Hondas, Nissans, and Toyotas say that their cars run for many years with no problems.

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  bye bye northstar, Ill miss you - 1998 Cadillac Deville
  By Steve - July 23 - 10:56 pm

  Bought with 106,000 miles on it from a dealer. Well optioned with stabilitrac and all the goodies that made it nice to drive. I kept it well maintained. After 5 years of service, engine developed head gasket problems that caused overheating and engine shutdowns. I found that even though the car was still like new the repair would cost more than the car was worth. Loved the car and hated to see it go. Looked at getting a newer one but found that many 4.6L V8 engines have the same problem mine had. My advice is buy young and sell before 150,000 miles to avoid the problem. Would buy another in a heartbeat if no 4.6 liter engine in it. Too pretty to trash so donated to a charity.

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  First American full size SUV - 2007 Cadillac Escalade
  By Lucas - July 23 - 11:37 am

  I sold my 2003 Infiniti Coupe for an 2007 Escalade fully loaded Black on Black with 60k miles for about $32k plus taxes and fees. I rented an 2009 from Hertz in Feb and I just had to have one of my own. This is a weekend car. I am 26yo, engaged and I wanted a car to sit 7 people. I got the extended warranty on it. Gas mileage in NYC driving is roughly 280 miles on 22gal without AC or spirited driving. Wind noise can be heard above 65MPH. At start-ups the rear back on the truck makes loud noise (electrical?) for about 30 seconds. But besides that it is great on the road, uneven pavement, and pot holes. Mine has the 18" chrome wheel but I am looking to upgrade to the stock 22".

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  2001 Catera disaster - 2001 Cadillac Catera
  By Albert Bright - July 22 - 12:24 pm

  2001 Catera, 2nd owner, 8K from local GM dealer bought with only 31K original miles on it. Mechanical nightmare. Two weeks after purchase: all seals went, entire cooling system replaced and engine stripped and rebuilt under warranty. All due to GMs Dex-Cool. It eats the seals. March 09: replaced radiator and water pump, again under warranty, and again due to Dex-Cool. At 45K rear third brake light strip burnt out, not warranteed. Replaced by dealer, part cost 400.00 alone. July 09: back to dealer for coolant leaks, transmission hesitation, and all- around groaning whenever car turns a corner. The Catera is a nightmare. No more GMs in my driveway.

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  A good deal. - 2001 Cadillac Seville
  By lawman - July 19 - 3:58 pm

  I enjoy driving this car. Never owned a Caddy before. I have owned a 2000 Lexus GS300 and this a close runner up so far. The car had been garaged indoors for over 3 years. I bought it used with 23,000 miles on it. So far this well maintained car is a pleasure to own. City mpg is only 11.5. I have not had it on the highway yet.

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  Love the CTS, but forget the 2.8 L engin - 2007 Cadillac CTS
  By NEDSTER - July 6 - 4:12 pm

  I previously owned a 2005 CTS and loved it. Lease was up so I purchased a used 2.8 with low mileage. Exterior and interior appearance is great as well as the comfort ride, however I just hate the 2.8L engine. I will be planning to get another CTS 3.6 as soon as I can.

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  Satisfied . . . mostly! - 2009 Cadillac CTS
  By Travis Rogers - July 1 - 7:53 pm

  I love everything about the car except for the gas mileage which isnt any better than the 2000 Sedan De ville I traded in for it. The storage spaces (doors, glove box, center console, trunk, etc.) are also quite small for the size of car. I got the blue diamond tricoat which is absolutely beautiful. The On-Star and cell phone service is cool and the stereo system is awesome. It handles beautifully and has plenty of smooth power!