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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  STS Brakes and Front End - 2005 Cadillac STS
  By gojo2 - March 15 - 5:13 pm

  Our 2005 Cadillac STS is not as reliable as the Lexus weve owned. Weve had problems with the brakes and the front end. The dealer and Cadillac are not as friendly to customers as they claim.

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  All American Cadillac - 1990 Cadillac Brougham
  By Garry - March 15 - 6:55 am

  I purchased it used and have enjoyed it from day one. Its very smooth and comfortable even at 17 years old. The only major repair that I had to make was the conversion of the A/C to R134. It is tough on gasoline, but my car payment is $0, so who cares. Its built like a tank, rides like silk and feels safe as a house. Say what you will, Id buy this boat over a Honda/Toyota twice over. This one is still "The Standard of the World".

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  I Love My DTS - 2000 Cadillac Deville
  By LuvsmyDTS - March 12 - 9:16 am

  This car has a great ride, great performance, and very comfortable seating. I love the steering wheel controls for the radio, gotta have that. This car has two personalities, if you drive conservatively youll get really good gas mileage, I average about 20.5 miles per gallon this way (city & hwy combined). However, if you want to drive fast, it will do that too, without hesitation. It will go like a scalded dog, but the gas mileage will drop to about 16 mpg. Its highway mileage is superb, about 23 mpg.

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  Problem with Battery Recharger - 2006 Cadillac DTS
  By wnelson - March 9 - 8:32 am

  My vehicle is 14 months old (5,350 miles) and when driven, its a dream. However, one day after 11 months of driving, it would not start in mid-town NY. It was then "repaired" by a dealer. One and a half months later, the same thing happened. Again, it was repaired (it took 5 days) by the same dealer. Last night, after midnight (less than 3 months from "Repair Job #2), it wouldnt start again. The motor didnt even turn over. Then, 40 minutes later, it started up! This lack of reliability is insane and is the reason that Im getting rid of an otherwise great looking/driving automobile.

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  Slightly used XTS Platium, but new to me. - 2016 Cadillac XTS
  By Wade Anderson - March 5 - 6:45 am

  There is more headroom than the new CT6, especially in the rear. This car should be one foot longer for more rear seat leg room, bigger rear doors and more trunk storage. Also add 5 gallons to the gas tank for fewer fill-ups.

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  Luxury Car - 1998 Cadillac Deville
  By Troy Ericksen - March 5 - 2:09 am

  This was my first luxury car. It had phenomenal acceleration, which was shocking considering how heavy the car is. It was as fast as my old GTO. It had plenty of interior room and was very comfortable. It also had an enormous trunk. It ran like a Swiss watch. It did get poor gas mileage and it only runs on premium fuel. It also is expensive to insure. As you would expect, its not a very nimble car. I purchased it new from a dealer in north central Arkansas. I was very happy with the car, but the tactics of dealership defied rational description.

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  Catera - 2000 Cadillac Catera
  By James - February 26 - 5:39 pm

  It is fast. The motor has a powerful noise to it. It never broke down on me. Its a small car and it has a sporty look.

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  2000 Seville SLS - 2000 Cadillac Seville
  By smithlaw87 - February 22 - 4:51 pm

  From the day that I purchased this car, I knew that I would like it. It drives well, and although I had early problems with it, lately it has performed very well and I have had only minor problems with it. I think the style is great, the sound system is excellent, and the comfort is off the charts. It rides very smoothly up to about 65 miles an hour, but I believe that there is a problem with the springs on all of the 2000 models where it becomes noticeably shaky until about 80 mph. The size isnt what I was hoping it to be. Its very roomy, dont get me wrong, but now that I think about it, it is a little bit big for my needs. The gas mileage isnt so great, but that isnt too important to me.

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  My DTS - 2007 Cadillac DTS
  By BenKelba - February 21 - 11:23 am

  This car rides and handles much better than I expected. For its size, comfort, and economical operations I cannot think of a better choice. I use the car to transport customers on trips between 10 miles to over 100 miles. I always hear comments like "how come they dont sell more of these." I am never ashamed to use this vehicle with my clients.

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  To Caddy or Not to Caddy - 2001 Cadillac Deville
  By koole - February 19 - 9:27 am

  The DeVille is a great looking car. It has abundant features. I wish it had cooled seats like 04 and newer models though. It also has a nice clean interior setup, everything is easily within drivers reach.