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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  My favorite cadillac - 1995 Cadillac Seville
  By cadillacman03 - May 30 - 2:00 am

  Very good car. I bought it for my teenage son. He loves it.

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  My Best car ever - 1999 Cadillac Catera
  By usfgrad - May 28 - 2:00 am

  Bought this one used (8Kmiles)for 21K in 2000. What a bargain. Dang shame they stopped making em. You know its about the most affordable large German car out there.

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  The 98 Cadillace Catera is a great car! - 1998 Cadillac Catera
  By gsemaj - May 28 - 2:00 am

  The car yields a solid ride with a big car feel. It has a usefully tight radius of turn and always feels under control. It does well with regular fuel, with a feeling of plentiful power. Cruising at highway speeds is deceptive, easily achieving high speeds. The cruise control is accurate, easy to use, and very worthwhile at all speeds

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  Eats brakes!!! - 1998 Cadillac Deville
  By DeLuxe Machine - May 28 - 2:00 am

  This car is absolutely awesome! Great ride, great balance of power vs. gas mileage (for a car this big). I would recommend this car to anyone needing something this big. As far as details are concerned, Caddy has thought of almost everything!

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  about my car - 2004 Cadillac CTS
  By blackierose@aol.com - May 25 - 2:00 am

  i have owned 3 cadillacs now. the cts is a very stylish and i am proud to drive it. i have so many people asking me about it and telling me how great it looks. i have 2 friends that bought one and they love it too.

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  Excellent Car, minor problems - 1999 Cadillac Seville
  By RobertSa - May 23 - 2:00 am

  Love the car, well made, handles great. For a V8 has good MPG.

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  defective a/c units - 1998 Cadillac Deville
  By cj soelman - May 23 - 2:00 am

  had 95 deville al a/c camponents rplcd 70000 own now 98 deville a/c went out comp shredded causing condenser drier etc to be replaced 1200 dol in both cases 62ooomi rotors rides good got room nxt vehicle rear wheel drive.replace starter must remove intake manifold not a do it yourself car

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  My dads Cadi - 1991 Cadillac Deville
  By Daniel Robles - May 22 - 2:00 am

  The 91 Cadillac Sedan DeVille was the car that my dad got brand new, and that he gave to me when I turned 16. The car was incredible, til I was able to get my own car Even today, the poor ol Cadi is used as our back up car at home and still has a smooth incredible ride, and its almost 12 years old!

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  Elegant Yet Sporty - 1998 Cadillac Seville
  By Mastiff - May 22 - 2:00 am

  This is a departure from the traditional Cadillac look and feel. It drives and accelerates smoothly and comfortably without being dull or sluggish. The 300hp Northstar engine is a gem.

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  03 CTS - 2003 Cadillac CTS
  By alnebular - May 22 - 2:00 am

  So far, the car is great. A nice blend of performance and luxury. Two words describe this car... "powerful" and "smooth"