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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  Love My CTS - 2003 Cadillac CTS
  By Jazzmon - May 2 - 2:56 pm

  My overall impression is very good and consider it a great value for the money. It does handle like a dream. Brakes are excellent. Best car Ive ever driven in the rain, solid feel. High intensity headlights are great. Fuel economy 20 city, 28 highway is a pleasant suprise, especially at todays prices. I would like more horsepower but find the 220hp engine acceptible. Would seriously consider another when the time comes.

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  Depends on where you come from - 2007 Cadillac CTS
  By journey0321 - April 30 - 3:46 pm

  The 2.8L V6 is OK. XM Radio, OnStar great. Imrovement from leatherette to full leather small. 3.6 marginally faster. Greatfirst car. Way cooler than Camry/Accord

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  Home Run for Cadillac! - 2007 Cadillac CTS
  By jparra12 - April 14 - 10:41 am

  Great ride, tight suspension, Cadillac brand, whats not to like. Performance is there, quality built and I love the black mesh grille and 18 in wheels.

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  Good Bye Lincoln (For Now) - 2005 Cadillac CTS
  By JJL - April 12 - 5:12 am

  I purchased my 2005 CTS V6 3.6L Hi Feature several months ago. I still cant stop looking at it. The design is very eye catching and has practical aerodynamic application. The interior is designed well. The control panel is easy to get to and manipulate. The bucket seats keep me comfortable during my long drives. The navigation system has saved me more than once. The handling is very stiff and sporty. I was surprised at the turn radius. After driving a Lincoln LS for several years, I would have to say that this is a slight step up.

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  RWD CTS is fun! - 2016 Cadillac CTS
  By KK - April 5 - 8:40 pm

  I got the CTS as I didnt want to get an SUV. I wanted something that was fun to drive. I got one with a 2.0T engine as it is plenty powerful for my needs. Mine is a base sedan (RWD only!) with upgraded leather seats, panoramic sun roof and park white color as the options. The car has its quirks, but nothing that you cannot live with. CUE is as good as a touch screen infotainment system gets. Dont believe the negative reviews out there. Use it and find out out yourself. I would definitely recommend it for anyone who wants a fun to drive family sedan that can fit 5 passengers with ease.

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  My Caddy - 1994 Cadillac Deville
  By ARIAS - April 3 - 2:27 am

  My high school gift. I bought the car used with 53,000 miles. Was very happy. It had the power and space, but at 72,000 miles coolant was leaking into the engine. It over heated when the engine was at high RPMs. Found out that coolant leaked through a broken head. There was nothing we can do to fix it. I had to buy another motor in order to keep it running. Now the transmission doesnt shift smoothly. Car shakes when braking. Gives out horrible MPG, avg at 12 MPG.

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  Wow! - 2007 Cadillac DTS
  By vacationer - March 27 - 5:25 pm

  We rented one of these babys in Hawaii. Trust me, this is definitely a car that anyone should show up in to any sort of party or get together. Plenty of power sounds like a muscle car when revved, lots of get up and go, and extremely quiet. Handles decently as well for a car 9 ft. longer than a Lexus LS 460. It is more the experience of driving one (as would be driving something like a Lincoln Town Car) more than actually owning it. If you need seating for 6 and something old and stylin, go for it! Way too overpriced though for some of the idiosyncracies is has just pick up a used one.

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  Everything you need to know but.... - 2005 Cadillac SRX
  By Ron - March 27 - 2:11 pm

  After studying the data available and test driving numerous SUVs, I bought the SRX. And, I havent been disappointed. Put it through its paces on a twisty road and although not up to my C5 Vette standard it was alot of fun. The interior is very roomy and quiet with great visibility.

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  New SRX - 2007 Cadillac SRX
  By tonygxp - March 21 - 5:11 pm

  I love our new AWD V6 SRX. It has the Luxury/Premium seat packages, power pedals, and is Silver with an Ebony interior. It drives great and handles excellently when tossed through the corners. Having driven it near its limits at a C&D ride and drive last year left the feeling that it could be our new vehicle when our Envoy went back. Who can beat the deal, with the great finance rates and rebates I got this one for $500 under invoice with just a phone call. The fact that I bought from the biggest Cadillac dealer in the country might have had something to do with it. I too am hitting mid-15 mpg area in the city, but on the highway straight cruising at 75 mph I was seeing 25-27 mpg, which is not bad for an AWD, 4,300+ lb. vehicle. The hidden compartment above the glove box is terrific.

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  Nice Car, but the Exterior Design Needs Help - 2006 Cadillac DTS
  By stevo - March 18 - 10:03 am

  I started owning Cadillacs in 2000 and loved the exterior design of the DTS models from 2000-2005. I bought a 2006 in anticipation that it would be better, however in my opinion it is worse. It has very shallow cup holders. I have spilled several cups of coffee since owning the car due to this issue. It also is a bit noisy during hard acceleration, but the cruising noise level is fine. It has some torque steer at highway speed when you floor it because it is front wheel drive, which I find annoying. The OnStar system is excellent and the fact that you can use your Verizon cell phone numbers with it is a nice feature.