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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  It returns the favor - 2014 Cadillac SRX
  By Melissa - November 17 - 7:49 am

  Remember the commercial...when you turn your car on, does it return the favor? This one does! Couldnt quite pull off the luxury package so we got the base and I do love it. Loved it from afar from the first time I saw it. My only issue is blind spots...they take a bit to get used to. If I had to do it over, would have for sure gotten the rear camera. Even with the base model, it is quite luxurious. Great interior, easy to use and fun to drive. Great gas mileage around town (over 17) and handles well in the snow and ice. Feels sturdy when driving - we drove a few of the competitors which felt light weight and unstable - this one just felt safer when driving. Interior - the black seemed to be the only model that had "matching" interior. Did not care for one color dash, different color seats, different color carpet...then the wood accents...a little too pimpy for this lady. Went with the black...black seats, dash and carpet and carbon fiber (rather than wood) and that did the trick.

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  Front end clunk when accelerating from a stop. - 2008 Cadillac Escalade
  By Ray gloria - November 16 - 6:04 pm

  I have an 08 escalade thats awd with a 6.2 when putting it in drive and taking off or accelerating from a stop I hear a clunk in the front end. I already replaced the u-joints in the rear but I have not got into the front. This is my first awd vehicle. Also the guy at discount tire said that my front tires look like when I brake they the front tires are fighting directions because of the wear.

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  10/10 would buy again - 1997 Cadillac Eldorado
  By Anon - November 10 - 9:27 pm

  I originally had a 1995 Pontiac Grand Am Gt Coupe with a bad head gasket, power steering pump, radiator and countless other issues. Leaked a quart a week. I traded that car and $500 and got me a 97 Eldorado. Its pearl white with a soft top and girls love it. Real head turner. It was a fixer upper, had a bad alternator and heater core and hoses, gas gage didnt work. I fixed the heater core and alternator for a total of $300. No complaints on performance except sometimes it takes a while to get going after stopping. Has 124k on it, Im second owner and it came from Florida and has no rust at all. Premium gas gets it 16.5 mpg.

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  Typical GM Incompetence - 2007 Cadillac DTS
  By No more GM - November 10 - 8:08 am

  Car has many, many problems, including cooling system probs, power steering pump, suspension problems, brakes are horrible, sunroof leaks, needs rear control arm ($1200 job), & too much more to list. going back to foreign car! For a 55k car new, GM is a joke!

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  The beast - 2005 Cadillac Escalade
  By Trevor - November 8 - 8:50 pm

  We own a car dealership and have had just about everything. But havent came across nothing like the Escalade we love the power luxury and how same we feel in it. We wouldnt be afraid to take it anywhere.

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  Wow - Get One If You Can Find One - 2014 Cadillac ELR
  By BigW - November 6 - 5:34 pm

  Id never bought an electric car before, so I researched the heck out of this thing before I bought it. I probably read every review and watched every video review out there. Then I went out and drove the car. Going in, I expected it to be very much a mixed bag, with some big compromises I might be able to live with given the heavily discounted price. What I found instead was an absolutely stellar car that just didnt fit the conventional narrative and has really slipped through the cracks. Is it a modern sports car? No. But it has plenty of power, nice handling, etc. The disconnect between what some reviewers said and the cars actual performance was breathtaking. In the kind of driving we all do in the real world, it will give you absolutely nothing to complain about. It looks like it ought to be able to take on a Porsche 911 and it isnt that fast, but that is the only way in which the driving dynamics will disappoint you. Is it a eco-warrior statement car? No. No one will actually realize that you are driving something that is better for the environment than a Prius. So people who want to wear that on their sleeves will hate it because it doesnt make an eco-statement. Also, it is far too plush and luxurious to give off that "Im sacrificing for the good of the planet" vibe. Is it a traditional luxury car? Not really. It is much more sporty and nimble than a traditional luxury car. The ride is smooth and well-composed, not floaty at all. However, the interior is all luxury car, and the levels of quiet are better than any luxury car Ive ever seen. What it really is, is a car purpose-built for the real and relatively uninteresting driving we actually do in the real world. You dont need a huge V8 to putter along in commuter traffic. You dont need a bone-crushing suspension that handles well but beats you up every mile when you only see those twisty car commercial roads in car commercials. In the real world, quiet matters. In the real world, power matters but only up to a point. In the real world, handling and ride quality need to be thoughtfully balanced. In the real world, you shouldnt waste gas getting to work, even when it is cheap. The ELR does every one of those things well, all while looking absolutely amazing. Yes, the backseat is tiny. Yes, it should not have sold for $80k initially. But that is about as far as the legitimate criticisms go. With gas prices low, these things are selling for absolutely absurd prices. They are very rare, so finding one can be a challenge. But if you land one, you will end up with an amazing bargain.

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  The American Standard of Luxury not here. - 2013 Cadillac ATS
  By Elaine Mico - November 5 - 11:18 am

  I leased a 2013 Cadillac ATS 4 door Sedan turbo, The car has been nothing but problems from the start. We are talking about the American standard for luxury vehicles, obviously this car is not. I am not going to completely trash the car because it does have some good points such as the handling, acceleration, interior looks as well as an appealing exterior, definitely a great looking vehicle. But the CUE system is inoperable while driving for fear of getting too distracted or frustrated and getting into an accident. The radio is useless its always acquiring the HD signal so it sounds terrible, every once in a while it loses all the pre-set stations. I had front end problems since the begining of my lease, the car is in the shop every few months for different problems, already had about 7 recalls, There is absolutely no pleasure in driving this car. As I write this it is in the shop for noise vibrations on engine and rear. They called me and told me that there were loose screws on engine/door as far as the back vibration is concerned they said that all 4 rims are bent due to the potholes on roads. Now this definitely doesnt sound right, I can understand one rim possibly getting bent/damaged but not all four of them this leads me to believe that there is an apparent design/structural fault or that the materials used are too weak to support the weight of the vehicle. I have owned/leased well over 15 different vehicles during my life and never had a problem where I was told that the rims were bent/damaged. This ATS has been nothing but headaches since we got it and I must say that the dealership has been no help. When I last contacted the owner of the dealership he told me that I should call Cadillac/GMC directly and complain to them so let me get this straight you buy the car and after that they are done with you so now when you have a complaint or problem you have to contact the manufacturer yourself. What is the point in buying from a dealership when they are not there to help you, we may as well be allowed to buy directly from the manufacturer since ultimately they are the ones that you have to deal with. Lastly I must say that my experience with this vehicle has been nothing but frustrating and overall unpleasant, what is the point of having a car that you have absolutely no joy or pleasure in driving. I would be willing to possibly understand having so many problems if the car was used but for a brand new car it does not appear to be reasonable and at this point the car only has 27,000 miles practically still pretty new.

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  Cadillac SRX Review - 2013 Cadillac SRX
  By Kevin Taube - October 26 - 2:23 pm

  We were looking for a late model used CTS sedan when we came across this 2013 SRX Performance model. The car was a lease return and had only 11,300 miles on it. The car is also Certified, meaning we get an extended warranty for no additional cost. The Cadillac salesman was very helpful and came down to meet our offer without making us go through annoying back and forth with a sales manager. Overall, a very good experience. The car is primarily for my wife and met her requirement for AWD and outward visibility. Having a very positive experience with the 3.6 engine in my older CTS, I was pleased to see that this car had the same motor. This motor has proven its performance and reliability for more than 10 years on tens of thousands of GM cars and trucks, including the Chevy Camaro. After more than two months, we are very pleased with the car. We enjoy the XM radio on the CUE system and the back up camera and parking assist features work flawlessly. The car even brakes automatically to prevent backing into a bush (or worse). While it does not afford an overly generous amount of space in the rear cargo area, few SUVs of this size do. The auto power lift gate opens the door well out of head bumping range and is adjustable should you prefer less of a lift height. The front seats are very supportive and appear to be made of quality materials and craftsmanship. The heated power seats will adjust to any reasonable position and provide very good support. The sun roof is very impressive, opening up directly overhead for front passengers and having a fixed roof window for those in the rear. Overall a very comfortable and solid ride car. The performance is the best part of this car. It goes fast and shifts authoritatively. The car will carve turns at speeds twice that of those posted with no noticeable body roll. Steering is taught and braking superb. Acceleration is outstanding for a two ton SUV. It should be noted that the Performance model does require that you give up that softer, quieter Cadillac ride to a noticeable degree. If thats a concern, you should consider one of their world class sedans. We are very happy with this car and would buy it again. If youre concerned about buying a Cadillac, you neednt be. Cadillac has come a long way in ten years and is making great cars. And you will have the added benefit of knowing that you are supporting an American company.

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  Loved it at first, but fatal flaw... - 2014 Cadillac XTS
  By David Wang - October 24 - 7:13 pm

  I recently had this car for an extended rental covering nine days and 1200 miles, so I hope my review holds some weight. When I first got on the road in this Cadillac, I was thoroughly impressed and thought GM has come a long way since the last time I had regular use of another GM vehicle in the late 90s. This Cadillac had good power, good braking, decent handling and road feel. The HID headlights light up everything on the road, but get used to the flashing from oncoming cars thinking you have your high beams on. The 6-speed transmission is good but is no match to an 8-speed ZF transmission. The interior is very nicely appointed, but the infotainment/climate control is extremely cumbersome. Buttons would not register depresses or would be delayed. Adjusting the audio volume with buttons that had a delay couldnt be more annoying. The large LCD screen showed fingerprints all over and there is color banding if viewed thru polarized sunglasses. The hidden compartment behind the controls was too easily opened when inadvertently touched. The Bluetooth connection also intermittently would not play audio from an iPhone and would require an effort to disconnect and reconnect. Which leads me to review the worst design flaw of this vehicle: the "smart" key. The locking algorithm of the car allows the user to lock the key inside the car with no ability to unlock the car. I experienced this when I had the key in my hiking backpack, walked up and opened the trunk where I placed said pack and key inside the trunk and closed the trunk. Doing so, locks the trunk without alarm and does not unlock the trunk and/or doors. No other smartkey equipped car Ive experienced would allow the user to do this, and I cannot believe GM engineers did not think of this all-too-common scenario. Even a 2007 Toyota Prius would unlock the cabin doors if it detects the user closing the hatch with the key inside the hatch. Overall, this was a nice effort by GM in producing a luxury vehicle to compete with the Japanese and German manufacturers, but it still misses in the fine details that make a good car a great car.

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  Turning heads, running fine! - 2013 Cadillac CTS
  By Phil Callighan - October 21 - 3:45 pm

  Very stylish sedan. This is my daily drive. Bought it new and have owned it for over 2 years. Eight-way adjustable leather front seats make the ride very, very comfortable although this is not sink-in comfort seating. Cabin is quiet. Ride is exhilerating. However, living in northern lower Michigan, I did add snow tires to ensure utmost traction in snow on hilly roadways. Mostly drive this in-town so gas mileage hovers around 17 mpg, which is not great, but I believe car was originally tuned to demonstrate acceleration, so I havent been eager to change it. You owe it to yourself to try one out. You may buy it. I did!