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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  dependable and sturdy - 1992 Cadillac Eldorado
  By amii - October 19 - 2:16 pm

  my eldorado is rock solid. i had an accident in it with a f250 and my father got the body of the car fixed and it runs like it was never wrecked. i haave test driven newer cars and cant find much to match the strength of my el dorado. it even has decent gas mileage for a cadillac.

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  Ready to burn!! - 2003 Cadillac CTS
  By taedog77 - October 18 - 3:50 am

  I bought this certified pre-own (34K miles)car as a lease turn in and have been regreting it ever since.After 50k miles the car fell apart Ive spent over $6k in repairs on this piece of junk and it only has 110k miles on it and it is currently broke down now. The brake lines in the rear rusted out with a repair cost of $1100.The oil pump started leaking at 75k miles. Take my advice STAY AWAY from Cadillac they will screw you in the end and to top it off they issue no recalls for this car at all and they know it has major issues! I REALLY HATE THIS CAR it like a bad marriage and I want OUT!!!

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  Disappointed! - 2001 Cadillac Catera
  By Tina - October 18 - 1:32 am

  I bought this car because it was a beauty and had the sporty look I wanted. Thought "Wow! A Cadillac! This should be a great car. Well, its has been nothing but a money eating nightmare. Was so excited to get it paid off and its still killing my pocketbook! Dont want to go back in debt for a car, but I dont know how much more of this lemon I can take. Looks great but unfortunately the mechanic sees it more than I do! Had the transmission replaced 2 years after I bought it, thand God was still under warranty. Now no heat and its getting cold outside.

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  All smiles - 2008 Cadillac XLR
  By Scott Leyva - October 17 - 7:22 pm

  I love my XLR-V and it makes me happy to get behind the wheel. It has had its share of problems including a leaky radiator and a bad supercharger air pump that started making groaning noises. It is definitely high maintenance including light bulb replacement that took the dealership one hour to get to it to replace. Also, one time the top stopped half way and we had to use the key in the bumper to get it closed manually. It never happened again so the car has its own personality. This car is red and draws a crowd wherever I go! Not even my 95 Jaguar XJS, which I traded in, drew this much attention from young and old alike. I just hope it is lower maintenance than the Jaguar!

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  Way To Go GM! - 2010 Cadillac SRX
  By Barry - October 17 - 2:31 pm

  Now this is what a high quality SUV should be like.Quality for a great price!These are selling off the lots faster then pancakes @ ihop! Be real happy if you get one for MSRP?

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  My dream car - 2012 Cadillac CTS
  By Diane - October 16 - 8:59 pm

  Love this car,car of my dreams,finally bought it and now the reasonable thing to do is sell her due to moving to the montana mountains! NowI need a suv.This is a beautiful car and gets a lot of attention.Beautiful black diamond tri coat that sparkles in the sun.BEAUTIFUL!

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  Cadillac Hits One Over the Wall - 2010 Cadillac SRX
  By Black and Gold - October 16 - 7:14 pm

  I shopped around before selecting the SRX. This beats the Lexus RX350 by a long shot. This crossover is premium quality throughout. I couldnt believe how much less this was than a comparably equipped Lexus. The quality, comfortable ride, handling, and all the bells and whistles is hopefully some of what GM will be coming out with soon. This car has restored my confidence in GM- somebody did their homework on this crossover. Even the gas mileage is decent- getting in the mid 20s on the road.

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  i love it - 2004 Cadillac SRX
  By bill smith - October 16 - 10:00 am

  it handles great and it is very powerful the ride is so smooth and the ultra view roof is great interior is very comfy the dual dvds is great

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  cts - 2004 Cadillac CTS
  By technoid - October 16 - 10:00 am

  The overall handling exceeded all expectations, smooth, solid ride, cornering and excellent braking characteristics. I elected to upgrade to the factory 17"wheels and go with the sport suspension package in lieu of larger aftermarket custom wheels and tires, good choice... The "edgy" sharp line exterior looks state-of-the-art.

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  Cadillac CTS the bargain meal? - 2003 Cadillac CTS
  By legato4u - October 16 - 10:00 am

  I am finding that the vehicle consumes an extraordinary amount of gasoline on routine trips. I find myself at the gas pump twice a week.