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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  Disappointment - 1997 Cadillac Catera
  By alicep - October 8 - 8:29 pm

  I loved the Cateras ride. It is a fast, good handling car. I also liked the special Cadillac features like outside temp and auto headlights, etc. Unfortunately, parts, labor, and maintenance are expensive because the car was made in Germany. I had the car for a year and just couldnt stand fixing it anymore and traded it in for a simple Ford.

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  2006 STS - 2006 Cadillac STS
  By Aurora5000 - October 5 - 11:18 am

  This is a great full-size car at a midsize price. It has a nimble road feel and a powerful V8 engine. I like its clean lines on the outside and lots of leather and wood trim in the inside. It gives others an impression of quality and luxury. Attention was given to reducing road noise. Its ride is somewhere between the CTS (stiff) and DeVille (soft).

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  1992 Cadillac Brougham Review - 1992 Cadillac Brougham
  By Robert Steinheimer - October 4 - 1:25 pm

  This car is the most reliabel and comfortable vehicle I have ever owned. It has never failed to start and runs well and always has. It is large and roomy inside and very comfortable, especially on long trips. It is well made and my wife and I have always felt very safe in this vehicle. While it is not an economical car, it has gotten a surprisingly good average mpg the entire time weve owned it and we bought it brand new at the dealership.

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  Sweet ride, but can be better - 2007 Cadillac Escalade EXT
  By Rob - September 29 - 11:13 pm

  This is my second EXT and I think this truck looks and rides great. I kinda liked the "body armor" that the 05 had but Ill get used to it. As far as mileage, you dont buy a truck like this for economy. Still, Cadillac needs to stop cutting corners and go all out, we will buy it even if it cost more.

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  2005 Platinum Escalade ESV - 2005 Cadillac Escalade
  By Nancy Doyle - September 26 - 12:42 pm

  This truck is beautiful to look at. It has lots of little annoying problems though, which shouldnt happen in a vehichle of this caliber. Mine has had had blown sensors, problems with Bose stereo, and the rear DVD system is not properly interfaced with the stereo system making the radio blast when the DVD is turned off. Cadillac not responsive to fixing problems. I also have problems getting loaner vehichles when in for service.

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  Changes Need to be Made - 2006 Cadillac SRX
  By Bob Swope - September 23 - 6:44 pm

  The Cadillac SRX is an enjoyable vehicle to drive in town and on the road. Its road noise is much less than other vehicles we have ridden in. The gas mileage is not as good as our previous DeVilles got though.

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  Fun and Style - 2005 Cadillac CTS
  By P.L. Williams - September 23 - 5:43 am

  The 2005 Cadillac CTS has the power in its V6 engine to accelerate when needed. Its handling is very smooth and seems reliable. Its a joy to drive. It is extremely sporty for the price.

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  Mixed Emotions - 2006 Cadillac CTS
  By Chris DeWeese - September 22 - 7:07 pm

  My CTS handles like a dream and has plenty of power. 0-60 it is great, when in "sport" mode. I can take corners that are posted 35 mph at 55 mph. I have the 3.6L with the 5 speed auto and it is plenty fast. I have two beefs, though. The XM radio has static, which I thought was impossible on satellite radio, and apparently all CTSs with the single CD player do, too. The response from the dealer/GM to fix it was underwhelming to say the least. It still hisses. The battery was replaced under warranty today because it died twice and I had to jump it. Yep, the car has 7,000 miles on it and the battery died.

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  Caddy Fun - 1997 Cadillac Catera
  By mike - September 18 - 6:39 pm

  My Catera has a quiet ride and Cadillac quality. It would be even better if it had more horsepower, but overall it makes a great graduation gift and after all, it is a Cadillac.

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  Great Car, Love It - 1994 Cadillac Seville
  By howard haas - September 16 - 6:07 pm

  This is my second Cadillac. I have loved the body style of the 94 Seville STS for years and finally bought one. My car is white diamond and man does it look good in that color. The car has great performance and is fun to drive. The only drawback is the cup holders stink, they are too small and too short.