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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  This car rips! - 1994 Cadillac Eldorado
  By dreez108 - May 4 - 9:50 am

  My 1994 Cadillac Eldorado is my first car, and im proud to own such a reliable and fun car. When i bought it at $900, it had 97,780 miles on it, and it ran like it was brand new. For a car thats 20 years old, i only need to fix a computer that runs the heaters, new rear tires, and exhaust leaks. Either though its FWD, it has its benefits, it wont get stuck in the snow. And the power delivery is incredible for what it is. This this hauls ass! The tires spin at half throttle and will burn the tire right off. The comfort of driving this machine is great too. blue leather bucket seats. (at least mine is) Handling is surprisingly great for a heavy fwd sedan. The fastest its gone is 157mph. FAST

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  Love My 2014 SRX - 2014 Cadillac SRX
  By cuizas - April 13 - 2:51 pm

  Really enjoy my 2014 SRX Luxury, especially like the safety features with side sensors and front and back. Takes a little getting used to but I have found I am becoming more and more dependent on all these safety features. I had a a fairly new SUV and found on the highway it was not as safe on long trips so traded up to the SRX Luxury, havent regretted my move.... Have owned many luxury cars over the years, including Cadillacs, but this is my new favorite.

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  make date problem - 2009 Cadillac CTS
  By James ODunn - March 17 - 9:10 am

  Depending on whether you got yours early or late in year makes a huge difference, the early months that year of 2010 where horrible and the later month models were better made parts. Labor and design on some parts to me at Cadillac is the problem...

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  Keeper - 2004 Cadillac Deville
  By archielmj - March 13 - 11:30 pm

  Bought this sparkling mint charcoal 04 Deville in 2009 for 45% of what it cost new with 55,000 km on it and had never seen rain. Deep tinted passenger and rear window and put on a Corsa aftermarket exhaust to give it a sexy look and sound. 5 yrs later, ive changed the oil, put on a new set of Michelins and kept it garaged. I love cruising in safety and style and this big ol caddy gives me that. I cant imagine selling it since it wouldnt bring much, and to replace this level of luxury and comfort without laying out large money isnt going to happen. There is something to be said for the looks and manners of this 11 yr old car, and will likely keep it for another 10 years or more.

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  Wanted to love it...but in the end...didnt! - 2008 Cadillac DTS
  By phillip_g - March 12 - 5:58 pm

  I have loved Cadillacs since I was 5 years old and rode with my Granny everywhere in her many Cadillacs over the years. I am not the typical age of the traditional Caddy buyer. I like the size, comfort, and style of large American Cars. Family has always driven Caddys or Lincolns and I carry on that tradition with a great amount of pride. Purchased Certified-Used in early 2011, traded a 2005 Deville DTS that I loved. The 2008 DTS is NOT a sports car nor is it intended to be. I am so very disappointed in its reliability issues not only for the cost but also for sentimental reasons.

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  Very Pleased - 2014 Cadillac SRX
  By lala20 - January 21 - 12:19 pm

  I have driven my SRX for 2 months and am very pleased. This is my first Cadillac, and I am very impressed with this brand. I get above 17 mpg driving in-town. The rear window is smaller than the one in my former, larger SUV, but with the SRXs rear view camera, this has not been problematic.

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  First "American" Car - 2015 Cadillac SRX
  By donb1 - December 12 - 5:25 pm

  My last purchase of a "Big Three" car was in 1985. I have had Toyotas with great results. I have been looking for a SUV to replace my 2011 Avalon. My initial plan was the Lexus RX350. I was taken with the look of the SRX and decided to give it a test drive. I was impressed with most everything in the car. As a kid I always thought Cadillac was a great car. In the ensuing years GM and Cadillac were never in my thoughts when it came to new cars. I was happy to give GM a chance once more. I was able to get a good price esp with a $1500 rebate from Cadillac. The 4 yr warranty and maintenance paid program was a big factor in my decision. I just hope my faith is rewarded with a quality car.

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  WARNING: Object in Mirror is Faster than it Appears - 1995 Cadillac Fleetwood
  By swiftv4p - November 11 - 2:03 pm

  I am a "Car Guy"/long time 1/4 mile drag racer so hopefully this review wont be too technical for the average reader. After months of searching I located and purchased my 95 FWB with less than 70K miles from its 93 year-old original owner who resides in So Cal. My search was specific, as I know how to read GM option stickers (located under the trunk lid) and interpret RPO option codes. In this case I was looking for Option Code V4P, which this car had and I will discuss in the next section. The car is roomy, comfortable, and an attention-getter. I had owned the car just two hours, and I received multiple compliments. Having owned LT1 cars in the past I know they are dead reliable.

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  Hot Rod Cadillac - The Northstar Allante was the 1st Cadillac V Model - 1993 Cadillac Allante
  By gep10 - November 1 - 10:01 pm

  I was looking for a more comfortable weekend getaway car to replace my 1966 Corvette roadster. I bought a low mileage 1993 Northstar Florida car with a hardtop. This car is fun to drive!! It handles very well, has a comfortable ride and seats, accelerates with authority (matches a 1973 454 Corvette in the quarter mile and has a higher top speed -144 MPH) and gets decent fuel economy (24 -25 MPG highway). The exhaust note is subdued at part throttle and throaty when you get on it. The 295 HP DOHC V8 is torquey and revs aggressively to its 6500 RPM shift points. The trunk is huge, theres a large interior storage area, fine leather, power everything and a nice sounding audio system.

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  2013 XTS Luxury Edition - 2013 Cadillac XTS
  By gjohn1964 - September 25 - 9:42 am

  This car has a beautiful design inside and out. I have had problems. The car came without wheel locks which led to my rims being stolen 3 months into my lease. On two occasions the rear suspension has dropped, literally bottomed out. The local dealer was kind but not equipped with the training to deal this problem. Third time, they replaced rear compressor which seems to have done the trick. At 24,000 miles, one of the battery cables became completely corroded. Is technology taxing the battery too much? Great car on the road, but leaving someone stranded three times in less than 18 months wont win reliability points. I hope the kinks are out in 2014. Nothing rides like a Cadillac.