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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  Very Happy - 2009 Cadillac CTS
  By traderj - October 14 - 11:37 pm

  Made an unbelievable deal for the base model with GMS pricing (which is still available on the 09 base model), Lease Loyalty Cash, Bonus Cash (for paying cash), Rebates and GM Card rewards. Paid only 64% of MSRP. This is an attractive car inside and out. It is enjoyable to drive. A solid, but not harsh, ride. I am 510 165 lbs. and I think the seats are very comfortable. I could see where someone larger than me would think that the seats might be too narrow. Also rear headroom is limited to 6 adults. Rear visibility is very limited. This is my biggest knock against this car. But many cars I test drove had this same problem. Overall very happy!

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  Not Grandmas Caddy - 2009 Cadillac CTS
  By Melinda - October 14 - 1:05 pm

  I was looking at BMW, Mercedes, and Audi when I settled on the CTS. The quality of the interior and layout is far superior. The car is very sporty too. I get lots of compliments on it. The car doesnt need premium gas which is a huge plus. The voice activated command is nice and works well. Besides my 2005 Corvette, this is the first domestic car Ive purchased in over 20 years. I have high expectations for my CTS and have not been disappointed.

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  Great Ride! I just purchased another - 1998 Cadillac Catera
  By Kevin like the Caddy - October 12 - 10:10 pm

  I have 1998 Catera which was purchased with 74k miles and has preformed flawlessly for 31k (I enjoy this car so much I purchased a 2001 also). All normal maintenance has been preformed by an independent shop (I have never been to a dealer). My mechanic is a trusted professional that checks the Cadillac service bulletins and keeps it on the factory service schedule. He also checks the built in diagnostic tools by connecting a little computer to the car. This seems to be the most important item done to the car. The Cateras operating costs are less than my previous car, a brand new 05Subaru STi, my same mechanic preformed service w/ warranty items to dealer.

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  Phenomenal Ride - 2009 Cadillac CTS
  By Ed Bauzenberger - October 10 - 9:39 am

  Prior to my purchase of this outstanding motor vehicle, I owned a 2003 and then a 2005 Escalade. No vehicle that I have ever purchased even comes close to matching the 2009 CTS! This includes vehicles like Mercedes Benz and Audi. This CTS is absolutely pure fun to drive, gives a feeling of confidence in all driving situations and is extremely beautiful inside and out. People have come up to me and told me that they think that it is one gorgeous automobile.

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  XT5 Luxury - 2018 Cadillac XT5
  By Ray Family - October 8 - 3:10 am

  My previous car was a 2017 Chevy Impala LT with every possible option you could get it was 38k while a premier would be 40k, but after 3 months me and my son couldn’t take it anymore it was the most uncomfortable vehicle I’ve ever had, and I’ve had over 30 so me and my husband went looking for an SUV, we wanted a smaller suv so we looked at several vehicles including a equinox, GMC Terrain and Acadia and a Lexus 300, finally we got to this Cadillac it was the best looking suv I’ve went and looked at and it was very comfortable and all the technology packages and we couldn’t be happier, the XT5 is a very nice mid sized suv, the only thing I don’t like about it is automatic start/stop but it’s one of those things you just got to get over since there putting it on almost all cars suvs and some trucks. But I would highly recommend the XT5

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  Loved it.... - 1999 Cadillac Catera
  By JIm - October 7 - 8:28 pm

  The Cat has reoccurring problems like all cars do. Mass Air Flow, Brake Sensors, etc but the 99 corrected MANY of the problems in comparison to the 97 and 98s. I purchased mine at 21K and had it over 120K miles and never did anything more than routine maintenance. It does go through tires though!

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  A truly excellent car - 2008 Cadillac CTS
  By makfu - October 4 - 9:35 pm

  After 10 months of ownership, I can say this is one of the few cars for which I have felt no regret after purchasing. ItÂ’s stunning to look at, inside and out and with the FE3 package and 6speed manual, it is a true drivers car. Most importantly, it is genuinely a quality piece. The body structure is incredibly solid even with the stiff FE3 suspension setup it feels imperturbable. The interior isnÂ’t just excellent for a car in the mid-40Â’s, it is actually nicer than a number of more expensive cars, with great fit & finish and superb materials. The Nav/Infotainment System is the best I have ever seen or heard. The exterior features Lexus like panel gaps.

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  The Escalade EXT is in a league of its own. - 2007 Cadillac Escalade EXT
  By Just_Mike - October 4 - 12:36 am

  I must say I am very impressed with this truck! Although you can feel the weight behind the truck, the ride comfort and performance are excellent. I love the functionality of having a truck for the occasional tow and the ability to haul the periodic large purchase. I traded my 2004 Silverado LT for the refinement of the Cadillac. Despite the fact that the two vehicles are completely incomparable the only downfall to the Cadillac is that it is too gorgeous to get dirty. The EXT is definitely a head-turner. I think GM has the most market for the high-end truck. However, if the functionality of having a truck didnt prevail, my wife liked the BMW X5s interior over the Escalades.

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  Loved Mine - 1998 Cadillac Eldorado
  By Len - October 3 - 7:19 pm

  I bought this car when I graduated high school in 2005 for $7000 with 70,000 miles, drove it for 3 years and loved it. It was relatively quick for a 7 year old car, handled like a boat, but had a soft cushy ride. It needed a $300 tune up, $400 radiator, $500 brakes, and had electrical problems, but it just kept running, never smoked or broke down. It had a great motor, but was a big heavy car, and I wasnt crazy abot the FWD. I traded it in January 2008 for $3500 with minor electrical problems

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  CTS AWD (A W-icked D-rive) - 2009 Cadillac CTS
  By C B - October 2 - 8:46 pm

  Because Im from the North, that is, it snows here in winter, AWD was a necessity for me. When I was looking for a new ride I tried them all. To be fair, I looked at all AWD cars similarly equipped. So, in searching, I found: IS250 (no guts-204HP, no glory). G35X, too much $$$ when you add the Sport pkg, wasnt impressed much except for the exhaust note. M-B C300-4Matic, too much $$, period! BMW 3or5 X anything, ditto. One minute behind the wheel of the CTS, the choice was clear. Motor Trend Car of the Year, need I say more? When you add the Cadillac Care program and warranty items like a free loaner, free maintenance, etc. End story! Anyone saying bad stuff about this car needs help, fast.