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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  Front End - 2002 Cadillac Seville
  By M.Giangrande - October 15 - 6:30 pm

  In recent months the front end of my car has a shimmey. I changed the two front axles and bearing, no better. Bought 4 new tires, no change. The car at 62 MPH has a shimmey its driving me crazy. . I loved the car though!

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  Beautiful but Unreliable - 2006 Cadillac STS
  By John Bantsolas - October 15 - 7:50 am

  Ive owned the car 6 months (bought it used with 30,000 miles - now have 36,000 miles on it) drives beautifully but have had 3 major repairs (fortunately still under warranty): engine oil lead (had to disassemble and replace gasket), a/c (needed new compressor), and most recently, coolant leak (needed new water pump). These are repairs I would not expect before 100,000 miles.

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  Query about stalling problem - 1993 Cadillac Deville
  By Gene Milligan - October 14 - 6:58 pm

  Love my Caddy and intend to drive it until I kick off however, it has a stalling problem. When driving, the engine stops. It re-starts again, but eventually dies for extended time before starting again (hour..). I have had it in 3 shops and still have the problem. Has anyone solved this problem? I have met one other owner who had the same problem.

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  My second CTS - 2009 Cadillac CTS
  By Jenn - October 13 - 7:44 pm

  This new CTS made it even less painful to get rid of my old (2006) CTS. This car is pure pleasure for me. I love everything about it except the fact that it feels so smooth while I am driving it that I dont realize that I am going so fast. I loved my old one but this one stands out by far! Would suggest this car for anyone who is looking for a luxury thrill. The only thing this car doesnt do is make me coffee but it has a button for that and will direct me to the nearest Starbucks.

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  Drive it for Yourself then Decide - 2010 Cadillac SRX
  By Charlie - October 13 - 4:16 pm

  If I would have listened to certain car magazines I would have never looked at this vehicle. They said that it was drastically under powered. On the contrary this vehicle, although not a speed demon, has plenty of power and rides like a dream. The build quality is excellent and it doesnt follow the crowd with its styling. Every day I have someone come up to me saying that they love the style of my car. Great choice.

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  A Gtreat New Design - 2010 Cadillac SRX
  By charlie - October 12 - 8:18 pm

  I waited about a year for the new design to come out on the SRX and it was well worth the wait. The new design competes well with other SUVs of this price range. I think this is the SUV for those of us who want the luxury of an Escalade, but dont really need to drive a behemouth. The SRX is everything I expected and waited for and more.....

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  Just NICE - 2010 Cadillac SRX
  By mejs2 - October 12 - 5:03 pm

  I was considering buying the chev traverse but thought it was too big. Once my wife and I saw and drove the SRX we were sold. The ride is cadillac all the way. Traded in a CTS that was nice but this is much better.

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  The nod goes to Cadillac - 2016 Cadillac ATS
  By Walt - October 11 - 8:51 pm

  I traded in a BMW 320 for the Cadillac ATS all wheel drive. The BMW is the segment leader and has been for many years for a good reason BUT, the Cadillac is better. It is more comfortable, much quieter, quicker and a pure joy to drive. It doesnt sound as sporty or feel as sporty, but it is overall an excellent car. It is, after all, a Cadillac. After 22,000 miles I still feel the same about the ATS, it’s a great car.

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  Bang for your buck - 2010 Cadillac SRX
  By Tiffany - October 9 - 7:36 pm

  Have had my SRX for about a week, such a smooth ride feels like Im flying. Engine is powerful enough, especially since it handles more like an SUV than a car. Test drove the Lexus 350-boring and expensive compared to the SRX. One problem, the tire lug-bolt cover popped off somehow and Ive already had to get it replaced. Overall Im satisfied with my purchase.

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  My 1990 Cadillac Deville - 1990 Cadillac Deville
  By Tommy - October 9 - 2:18 pm

  One sweet car. I average 25.8 miles to the gallon. Preventative maintenance is key. I clean my injectors and throttle once every six weeks. I simply remove the air filter and spray about half a can of throttle or fuel injector cleaner inside while the engine is running. My car idles flat/no misses. I spray inside the PCV valve, also. Brand new ACDelco throttles are available on ebay for $99.00. Relace motor mounts to restore engine performance. Keep the EGR valve clean or replace and only used distill water for coolant changes. I have 145,000 miles on mine and it performs and rides great. Ensure all vacuum hoses are leak free and on tight. This car will last 250,000 miles easy.