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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  Some questions - 2003 Cadillac CTS
  By CTS2003 - December 8 - 10:00 am

  Transmission changed awfully quick. Leaking caused under driver seat to stay wet.

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  Nine Years and Counting - 1997 Cadillac Eldorado
  By Joe - December 7 - 2:58 pm

  I bought this car new with only seven miles on it. Today it has 176,000 miles. I have replaced the AC compressor twice, one power steering pump, two alternators, and the head gaskets. The blown head gasket was my fault for trying to drive to next exit ignoring the warning system a radiator hose had burst. The piston rings were replaced and the heads rebuilt when the dealer replaced the head gasket. It cost $4,000 to repair and the car had 116,000 miles. All in all the car has been reliable. The car doesnt smoke, but does drink a quart of oil every two weeks. If Cadillac came out with a design I liked, I would probably buy another. The Northstar engine is a marvel.

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  rRad Noise - 2007 Cadillac Escalade
  By homer - December 7 - 8:16 am

  I like the car a lot, except that the wind and road noise are really bad. A friend I took on a long road trip said his two year old Tahoe is much quieter. Sad, but I have to agree with him. The dealer adjusted the doors once but it didnt help. Is there a fix out there?

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  Almost Perfect! - 2005 Cadillac STS
  By stephen leonhard - December 4 - 2:20 pm

  This cars seats are downright uncomfortable after three hours. The interior is cheap looking and hard surfaces abound. The glove box barely holds the owners manual. Altogether too much tire and road noise enters cabin. It requires 150 pounds of sand bags in trunk to get modest winter traction. Having said this, this car has great handling. The steering and brakes are excellent.

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  The 2005 Cadillac SRX is My Favorite Vehicle - 2005 Cadillac SRX
  By EG - November 30 - 2:03 am

  The 2005 Cadillac SRX is a wonderfully comfortable vehicle to drive. The 6-cyclinder engine could be a little peppier, espectially when getting onto highways. I found the steering to be tight and excellent.

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  Great Old Caddy with Power - 1991 Cadillac Seville
  By Scooter - November 21 - 1:44 pm

  I bought this car to take the place of my 2002 STS because I got tired of the repairs. I must say this has been an impressive car. Other than not having the looks of the newer STS models, it runs very strong, rides like a dream, and has been fairly trouble free. I had to have the load level system fixed, but other than that, what a great car to travel in.

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  Excellant Car - 1993 Cadillac Deville
  By Steve - November 21 - 12:44 pm

  I bought this car three years ago with 169,000 miles. I was impressed that it was so quiet and felt very tight. It has no squeaks or rattles. I now have 219,000 miles and its still tight. I have done minimum maintenance, just tires, brakes, and a new set of plugs. The interior is very comfortable with its living room type leather seats. The sound system is great. I recently updated with a CD player. The speakers still sound wonderful. I have always changed the oil every 3,000 miles or if I use synthetic every 6,000 - 7,000 miles. This Caddy is even good in the snow with its front wheel drive. I hope to get to 300,000 miles out of it and I believe I will.

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  The Slade - 2003 Cadillac Escalade
  By Rex - November 21 - 7:50 am

  This is a great vehicle. It sounds like a muscle car when started. The only thing that I dont like is where the heated seat warmer button is. This is because every time I lock the door or open the window, I accidentally hit the stupid heated seat button, and the next thing I know, my butt is on fire (or it feels like it). This is very frustrating. Other than that, the truck is very reliable and has very good performance. It also turns heads. I love the halogen lights as well. Overall this is a great vehicle!

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  2 D Boat - 2005 Cadillac Escalade
  By Deanna Curley - November 19 - 11:07 am

  We have had Cadillacs before. We also had an Acura that broke down a lot. Our Cadillacs have never broken down and have always worked properly. Our Escalade handles like a sports car and is very dependable on snow and ice. I love this truck.

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  My First Caddy - 2007 Cadillac Escalade
  By Mark - November 15 - 4:32 pm

  This is my first American-made vehicle in 15 years...and lovin my new Escalade. It has a wonderful ride and most of the features that I wanted (no Bluetooth -- come on GM!). The exterior styling is fantastic...just the right amount of chrome. The interior is much improved, its wonderful for an American-made SUV. GM still has plenty to learn from Lexus, BMW and Infiniti.