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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  Like Riding on Air - 2004 Cadillac Escalade
  By Jim Davis - October 6 - 10:00 am

  I purchased this vehicle for its all wheel drive (we live in the mountains and travel through snow) and its towing capability (8100 pounds). I have had the car for just one week and am very happy with it so far. The surprizing thing about it is that my milage is the same as I had with theToyota Tundra I traded in for it, 15.2 mpg overall.

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  98 Concours White Diamond - 1998 Cadillac Deville
  By JJR - October 6 - 2:00 am

  Love the color & sporty interior with big car room, chrome wheels +, Been in shop 8 times in 6 mos, air cond EVC,Heater core,sensors,starter,dont know if car or My Caddy dealer is the problem? 41,290 miles.

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  Cadillac DeVille - 1998 Cadillac Deville
  By Alane Laatz - October 6 - 2:00 am

  It is a very quiet ride for a used car. I bought it with 54,000 miles. Some problems with the computer system, but it was repaired in a timely matter last week. Fuel economy is good.

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  My escalade - 2003 Cadillac Escalade
  By Dr. Chaudhry - October 6 - 2:00 am

  I like this escalade very muchAt first i wasnt very insterested but my kids thought it was the best After this my attention was also pulled much closer Everything in this car is very good besides the steering feel

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  17 trips to the service department later - 2001 Cadillac Deville
  By frankburns - October 5 - 2:00 am

  this car has been a nightmare since the first trip to the service department (exactly one day after i took delivery). since then it has been back no fewer than 16 more times in two years. 3 computer chips, 2 window switches, 2 recalls, 1 engine clunking noise, 1 sets of brakes, 1 power seat motor, 1 alternator, 1 climate control issue, etc... the only reason i still have this car is that it is worth nothing on trade. nearly $50,000 new and they tell me it is worth barely more than $20,000 now. I tried to buy american luxury, now i see if you want quality, you have to go japanese or german. sorry, detroit!

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  Not a Lexus, but itll do - 2001 Cadillac Deville
  By - October 5 - 2:00 am

  I purchased this vehicle because I was expecting the birth of my first child and I needed a car with room for a baby seat in the back. This one definitely fit the bill. I drove a Lexus SC400 prior to this, so the size took some getting used to, but I must admit that I enjoy the car more than I thought I would. My final choices were this car and the Lexus LS430, and this car won due to finances. Finances not being a factor, I would have opted for the Lexus. Since they were, the title of my review says it all.

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  Another dripping Cadillac - 1997 Cadillac Deville
  By dublinlady - October 4 - 2:00 am

  Cadillacs are supposed to be well-made luxury vehicles. Ive owned 3 and they have all had a fluid leak at less than 50,000 miles on all. My 1992 needed a new transmission at less than 40k miles, and my 1997 had oil leak and needed new water pump at less than 45k miles. 3 batteries in the 1997. Then, the a/c started blowing out the defrost vents. Noisy brakes, hestitating. Then it started stalling out. Car now gone.

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  So what if its a Cadillac-I still like. - 2002 Cadillac Deville
  By RPD - October 4 - 2:00 am

  Other than the image problem as voiced by my teen-agers that I have purchased an "old persons" car, I think it was a great choice. I was looking for a larger, more comfortable alternative to the various SUV options and I think I have found a winner. Some well paid marketing wiz at GM actually fulfilled his(her) goal at sucking in the younger (just a little) generation before their usual buyer group died out-at least as represented by my case. I have no problem with the build quality so far and the interior design looks and feels great to me.

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  Great car - 1998 Cadillac Eldorado
  By - October 3 - 2:00 am

  Fine performance.Quality ride quiet and excellent fuel MPG

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  One of the best for that year! - 1991 Cadillac Seville
  By mjo46 - October 2 - 2:00 am

  Great drive, excellent features.