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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  Luxury and Class - 2011 Cadillac CTS
  By jeffrey kurtz - October 30 - 2:00 am

  Fun to drive ! Got black ice, shines like a diamond , turns lots of heads ! Drives like a dream ! So much more luxury than BMW!

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  Nice car - 2010 Cadillac SRX
  By pghguy517 - October 26 - 2:00 am

  I love the car! Looks and rides great, well built. The dealership that I bought it from was the only disappointment. No experience with their repair shop, but their sales staff was the worst. The Lincoln dealer staff next door was much better.

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  What A Lemon - 2001 Cadillac Catera
  By Eileen - October 25 - 2:00 am

  This is by far the worst vehicle I have ever owned and Ive owned many. The engine blew at 77,000 miles and needed a total rebuild. Then the rear went, as did the radiator, and the battery. The radio goes on and off at will, the oil light does the same. The rear windows, if you make the mistake of lowering them, will come back up when they feel like it - sometimes it takes days. As of today, I have been riding around with a garbage bag covering my window and its been down for 3 days! The rear lights, including the blinkers, also work when they want to. The electronics in this vehicle are a joke. What a piece of junk.

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  Snowplow Caddy - 1999 Cadillac Deville
  By Caino - October 25 - 2:00 am

  I drive 80 miles round trip daily to work. I live in northern Maine, 2 hours north of Bangor, me. Ive had to plow my way out of my driveway, and out of 2 other roads (2 miles) before I got to main road, at 3:30am. Sometimes i had to plow the main road for miles before it was plowed going through 1 to 2 ft. Drifts. That car never faltered once! I driven through countless blizzards! That car is the most reliable car Ive ever driven. The front wheel drive along with the heavy v8 northstar engine gave the car unbelievable traction. I never worried about being stuck in snow or heavy slush. It was safe consistent and dependable. If I hit a moose it would land on the hood and not on me. Car is bigger than moose!

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  Beware - 2007 Cadillac SRX
  By Belinda Bennett - October 25 - 2:00 am

  I leased this car in March of 2007 new. I have had nothing but trouble since. The car stopped on me twice, transmission problems and had to be towed each time. Rear end problems twice, tire problems all of the time, and a tire gauge that never stops flashing. When I asked about getting rid of the car I was told everything that was wrong could be fixed and nothing could be done about it. I am afraid to go out of town in this car. Seven weeks ago (Aug. or Sept.2010)the bearings on the passenger side were replaced. I would not recommend this vehicle to anyone. The car is beautiful in looks but not fit to be placed in the Cadillac class. I am glad the lease is almost over. Never again.

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  Almost a perfect 10 - 2011 Cadillac SRX
  By Almost Perfect - October 23 - 2:00 am

  I traded a 2007 DTS in for this SRX to hold me until the new XTS arrives next year. Im not a Crossover person, but this is a really nice change. Fit and finish is perfect, and the optional Crystal Red I ordered is a real eye catcher. Seats are too firm, but I can live with it. The engine leaves a lot to be desired, but its fair. Rides like a luxury should, but very noisy when you need to pass, or merge on the freeway from the underpowered engine. Poor fuel mileage with about 165 tops in city driving. At 6 theres plenty of leg room, and some to spare. Difficult to program different things i.e. radio etc.

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  Love my SRX! - 2010 Cadillac SRX
  By ctaylor66062 - October 21 - 2:00 am

  I have owned my SRX Luxury model for about 2 months and I love it! I love the way it drives and looks. I cant wait to get in my car and drive it every day! I have people ask me all the time what kind of car it is. Its definitely a head turner especially since mine is red!

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  Love this car! - 2011 Cadillac SRX
  By Ed - October 21 - 2:00 am

  After reading the Editors review for both the 2010 and the 2011 I was ready to scratch the SRX from my test drive models, despite the fact that I liked the styling of the SRX. I owned previous Cadillacs that had problems with quality. Cadillac had some difficult years, i.e., the four-six- eight cylinder year and the year they offered the diesel engine. However, after reading positive consumer reviews for both the 2010 and 2011 models I took a test drive. I was pleasantly surprised. So much surprised that I purchased the 2011 SRX luxury model. Thanks owners for your reviews, you were right on the money.

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  Car in Shop 1 week - 2011 Cadillac SRX
  By patty gill - October 21 - 2:00 am

  Shortly after purchasing this auto I noticed that any cup you put in the cup holder would tip and spill. Packages roll all over the back. The cargo net lays flat and you tuck your purchases under the net. What an inconvenience.The auto has been in the shop for 1 week today. The top rails were damaged upon arrival. So were the next 3 sets. Still waiting. Not user friendly interior. This has been such a big disappointment. I had Lexus autos for the last ten years and thought Buy American. What a mistake. Dealer was hard to get hold of for any info.

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  A Luxury Hot Rod - 1996 Cadillac Eldorado
  By ssspump - October 18 - 2:00 am

  This car is awesome!! Mine is the Metallic Maroon with the Tan leather. With the Cadillac chrome wheels, it is definitely an eye catcher. The Northstar engine purrs like a kitten, the brakes are very confident building, and the ride is great. I really cant find much negative to say about the car, but for a car that is 14 plus years old, I will put it up against many of the later products, foreign or domestic. For the investment, it is one of the smartest that I can think of.