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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  great car - 2004 Cadillac CTS
  By angchmp - May 5 - 2:00 am

  love this car. it is fun to drive .it has great pick up ,an awesome bose stereo system. handles like a dream.only con for me is that the interior should be dressed up a little more on the base model. come on this is a CADDY!!!

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  Just one Great Car Made in America - 2004 Cadillac CTS
  By Ralph Torres - May 4 - 2:00 am

  This is one of the most exciting automobiles that I have ever had the pleasure of owning.Ive had a few minor problems,one with the cumputer system and a power window connector loose. This car handles very well a all speeds and I just came up from Fla. to Mass and at an average speed of 75/80 mph I was getting 27.1 mph with the A/C on.I do find the controls confusing as some people have said. I dont care which car you get into today thare all scarey when you look at the electronics.

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  More than I expected. - 2004 Cadillac Escalade
  By BJF - May 3 - 2:00 am

  This is a great car, fun to drive and get many comments from people. Excellent power and handling.

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  XT5 Platinum 2017 AWD - 2018 Cadillac XT5
  By Shot - May 2 - 7:12 pm

  My previous SUV was a Jeep 4wd. After 3 good years the warranty was up and I wanted a sportier SUV. I was looking at the AMG GL43 and the Porsche Macan GTS. Both great vehicles, fast, but expensive. Cadillac was offering 5 years 0 percent interest. So on a whim we went to look at the XT5. We opened the door of the Platinum and my first response was OMG. The interior design, materials,fit and finishes were 5 Star. The Cadillac has a nice exterior design, is very spacious, a large tilting back seat, with lots of storage. The engine and transmission are very smooth. The front seats, instrumentation, NAV, safety features are excellent. And the ride is very smooth especially for long road trips. Yes, this SUV is not as fast or sporty as the two German SUV’s that I was considering. But the XT5 is larger, quieter, well designed and is far less expensive. I drive it in the AWD mode all the time so the handling is acceptable for an SUV. For me, the Cadillac was the way to go. I would recommend this vehicle.

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  ESCALADE-BEST CAR EVER - 2004 Cadillac Escalade
  By t.b. - May 2 - 2:00 am

  THIS CAR IS THE BEST CAR YOU WILL EVER DRIVE.ITS NICE.IT HANDLES WELL.ITS COMFORTABLE.EVERYONE WILL LOVE IT.SO BUY IT.YOU WILL RESPECT YOUR CHOICE.I WOULD SUGGEST WHITE,BUT THATS JUST ME. WONDERFUL CAR!!!!!

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  A real nice surprise - 2004 Cadillac CTS
  By Skuuteroo - April 30 - 2:00 am

  I bought a CTS with the 3.6L engine and automatic. The ride is much quieter and the road imperfections get absorbed very well, but there is a slight sense of disconnect compared to my previous car (2003 Tiburon). However, the car handles (even w/o the Sport pkg) extremely well. Body lean is negligible, and steering is precise. I dont consider the interior to be luxury oriented as much as techncially sumptuous. Its definitely upscale looking and wood belongs in furniture and buildings, not cars. Its great to feel good about owning a "reward" car thats made in the USA. Way to go GM and all you Lansing plant workers! Great job!!

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  Way Improved over my past 2004 EXT - 2007 Cadillac Escalade EXT
  By Theweavman - April 28 - 8:13 pm

  Very quiet and smooth. Nice new features. Lots of power. However, does not feel quite as quick as my 04 EXT, that only had a 4 speed automatic & 345 HP. Acceleration from lower speeds feels like the engines power is not fully making it to the wheels. Acceleration from higher freeway speeds is awsome. This vehicle does so many things well, that it is hard for me to consider driving anything else. Lets see, It has nice overall styling, great power, luxury seating / interior & comforts that match just about any luxury vehicle, plus tremendious utility. Could use an MP3, bluetooth hook-up, and more cubby storage spaces inside.Those minor things aside, a safe practical vehicle for many purposes.

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  First Class and On Top of the World! - 2004 Cadillac Seville
  By hollywood - April 28 - 2:00 am

  I just wonder if Ill ever figure out ALL the features. This thing is unreal!

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  I love my Caddy - 2002 Cadillac Escalade
  By MsJayBird - April 28 - 2:00 am

  I Love this vehicle! Its fun to drive! I drive 30,000 miles a year, my Escalade makes it enjoyable. Its a smooth drive and a beautiful SUV. I live in California and were in the mountains in the winter (lots of snow!) and desert (temperatures range in the 100s constantly) in the summer. My Cadillac always performs no matter where Im at!

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  OmniCare Labs of Champaign, Inc. - 2003 Cadillac CTS
  By Bob Devlin - April 28 - 2:00 am

  Have very much enjoyed this car. I am looking forward to owning the CTS-V. This car is very well styled and the performace is great.