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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  DTS - 2001 Cadillac Deville
  By persona - April 14 - 2:00 am

  Best car I have ever owned, import or domestic.

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  The car that will take you back home - 1990 Cadillac Brougham
  By Roman - April 13 - 2:00 am

  I purchased this vehicle in 1994, All I can say is it served me faithfully. Besides general maintenance and a little rust by the door handles the only thing I replaced was the water pump. Until now the vehicle is still running great!

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  Catera hardship - 2000 Cadillac Catera
  By que psi - April 13 - 2:00 am

  I bought my Catera about a month ago. I had been looking to buy a new one but they stop making them and this was the only one on the lot. Got a great deal on the car and about two weeks later the windsheilds decided it wanted to crack. So they put me in a Deville and I feel in love and traded my Catera the next day.

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  An elegant 2 dr. - 2002 Cadillac Eldorado
  By Ruth E. - April 12 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car because I always liked the design of the Eldorado and seeing that this was its last year. I figured that I better get one now new . I love the styling and ride of my Eldorado.

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  great suv - 2002 Cadillac Escalade
  By robc - April 12 - 2:00 am

  Dont even consider buying ANY import suv until you drive the ESCALADE.This is the most impressive domestic car since the introduction of the Corvette.

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  Owners Manual gibberish - 2005 Cadillac STS
  By Ron Lessley - April 11 - 6:03 am

  The Owners Manual is not user friendly. It took two Tech reps two hours to program the features, so how does GM expect the buyer to utilize the gibberish that passes for a manual. Just to use the CD, reading the manual is useless -you have to sit in the car and press buttons at random to get this feature going. Where is the user guides (photos, VHS) that came with the old STS? When thats all done, the glove compartment is too small to hold any- thing more than a pair of gloves and all the other compartments are too skimpy to be of any use. The time display (clock) is too small unless you like squinting to read the numerals. Apart from poor GM design on important utilities?

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  Lemon Caddy - 2004 Cadillac CTS
  By Vivian Flusche - April 11 - 2:00 am

  I have problems from day one! Brake rotors have had to be replaced, power steering pump replaced, have had an ongoing problem with wet floor mats due to water from the air conditioning leaking into the cabin. The last Caddy I purchesed was a 1981 six cylinder Deville. Junk!!! The CTS is not much better.

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  My CTS!! - 2004 Cadillac CTS
  By Jes Me - April 11 - 2:00 am

  Up until9-30-03 I wasonly driving Lincolns but had kinda gotten over them for they were NOT what i wanted anymore BUT this little CTS is wonderful!!!! it is great on gas,fun to drive,and is very sleek in its looks,Cadillac you have finally done it!!a sporty car like the Seville STS but without the size and the bulk or the big price so Thanks Cadillac!!

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  jay - 2004 Cadillac Escalade
  By jon1 - April 11 - 2:00 am

  I have owned my vehicle for 3 months and am very pleased with it

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  fleetwood - 1995 Cadillac Fleetwood
  By rene - April 9 - 2:00 am

  I realy like the cadillac