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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  Awesome Power &Luxery - 1996 Cadillac Deville
  By Rikki - September 24 - 2:00 am

  Wow what power and ride is the best on the open road 32 vavle Northstar gets 17 in the city and 26 on the highway average. Best Caddy ever built.

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  Best Automobile Ever - 2002 Cadillac Escalade
  By Steve E. Miller - September 21 - 2:00 am

  Best Automobile Ever and the service has been great. Sound system is out of this world. Great power too.

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  17 Caddy XT5 - 2017 Cadillac XT5
  By J Gould - September 20 - 4:22 am

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  1993 Cadillac Seville - 1993 Cadillac Seville
  By richard blair - September 20 - 2:00 am

  Eleven years of roomy, comfortable, powerful head turning pleasure. Maintainence includes brake pads, oil changes, one radiator hose and one radiator( in the tenth year). Its understandable why MT selected this model as Car of the Year for the second consecutive year in 1993. All this with an annual depreciation cost of about $2,600 per year.

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  I smile when I drive this car - 2005 Cadillac Escalade
  By Cindy62 - September 20 - 2:00 am

  I replaced a 2002 Yukon Denali xl with a 2004 Esclade ESV ( GM pull ahead made me a deal I couldnt refuse). I considered getting another Denali but I heard the suspension on the Esclade was better than the Denali. It truly is even better than my Denali. The car cruises beautifully on the highway for long hauls, it carries my kids and dogs all together. The climate control is great for such a big vehicle. I am very very happy and will hold this one until they come out with the redesign in 2007.

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  SRX v awd - 2004 Cadillac SRX
  By RAFA - September 18 - 2:00 am

  EXELLENT preformace in the road

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  My Escalade - 2004 Cadillac Escalade
  By Jeanine A - September 17 - 2:00 am

  I love my Escalade, but there are several things that I think GM has to improve upon. 1.The Navigation system is complicated, you must be in park for most of the features to work. 2. Get rid of the vennered wood on the dash and use the real stuff,the dash of my husbands BMW is real wood! 3. Different standard rims My car has been in the shop 3 times already and I have not even had it a year: 1. Seat problem, latch was broken so I could not lower the back seat. 2. Vibrating noise upon acccelerated. Still happens 3. At times the engine will not turn over, almost like its flooded. I just got the car back, and its still happening

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  SRX - AKA --- - 2004 Cadillac SRX
  By DEBE - September 16 - 2:00 am

  The SRX is excellent vehicle for my family. My kids love the vehicle so much, they call it the "good car". Although, we know it is an SUV. The SRX has style super ride and handling outstanding performance and great overall functionality. The interior amenities and technology available on the SRX are second to none. What else can I say--- way to Break Through Cadillac.

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  I love it - 2004 Cadillac Escalade
  By Donnie - September 15 - 2:00 am

  This car is awsome!!!!.I wonder what they will come out with next year because if is better than this one oh man itll be wicked awsome!

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  Very fast! - 2004 Cadillac SRX
  By HKFarris - September 14 - 2:00 am

  I love my SRX! It is very fun to drive, mostly because of its speed. It is the prefect size for a family,without being too big. I always receive very positive feedback from my friends about the SRX. They think it is cool and love the styling. I am very pleased with it and would recommend it to anyone. I wish I had the moonroof and the 3rd row seat, unfortunalty, I dont, but it would add to my love of the vehicle!