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:

• 

  MY LEMON?I - 2005 Cadillac SRX
  By BUD MASTERSON - August 12 - 10:00 am

  I HAVE HAD THIS VEHICLE(MY 4TH SUV)FOR JUST OVER A MONTH. AT 23 MILES, THE FRONT ROTORS HAD TO BE RECUT, THE LEFT FRONT STRUT REPLACED-NEVER EVEN HIT A BUMP. IN THE SHOP FOR 4 DAYS. BEFORE 1600 MILES, THE LEFT FRONT SPRING? HAD TO BE REPLACED-THE VEHICLE WAS LEANING(6 INCHES MORE RR WHEEL SPACE)FAR TO THE LEFT. ALSO HAD A CONTINUING BAD FRONT END SQUEEK. SLAP SHIFT TRANNY MUCH OF THE TIME WONT GO INTO STICK MODE FROM AUTO MODE WHILE DRIVING- ANOTHER 4 DAYS IN THE SHOP. THE DEALER WAS ALWAYS TERRIFIC-BUT WHY DOES A BRAND NEW CADDY HAVE SO MANY PROBLEMS ALREADY-VERY SCARRY. HOPEFULLY ITS FUTURE IS BETTER

• 

  STS better than a BMW - 2005 Cadillac STS
  By Gordon Lewis - August 12 - 10:00 am

  Previuosly owned a BMW 528 sedan - Cadillac STS is by far as much if not more automobile for the buck & with just as much bang when it comes to handling, performance & comfort.

• 

  Better Than I Ever Thought! - 2009 Cadillac CTS
  By Cooldude - August 11 - 10:56 pm

  When I decided to buy a car, I wanted to stay domestic. I did look at the foreign models, but the only thing that stood out for me was BMW. I have owned GM before and have been overall impressed with their designs and comfort. What originally lured me in was the promise of excellence in design and my parents being Cadillac owners, but I was sold at first test drive. Love the car, love everything about it!! Im afraid that between the customer service from Corporate Cadillac and the quality of the vehicle, I am now a Cadillac owner for life! Oh...FYI... I have read reviews about road noise... three words: sport-tuned- suspension... go back to that Lexus if you dont like it!

• 

  Best Luxury SUV - 2007 Cadillac Escalade
  By NG - August 10 - 6:32 pm

  I recently bought my first Cadillac. I traded in my Mercedes for the Escalade and i couldnt be happier. We bought a 07 with 17,000 miles on it. It is Fantastic! Living in Minnesota where the winters are the longest season it makes sense to have a SUV such as this one. The only thing i wish it had was a MP3 jack for my IPOD. Other than that it has everything you could want in a SUV. I would definitely recommend this vehicle to anybody living in extreme climates who desire that luxury car feel!

• 

  Truly a beautiful boulevard cruiser! - 2006 Cadillac XLR
  By 06 XLR - August 9 - 2:13 pm

  The XLR has stunning looks inside and out. So many features. Love the retractable hardtop. With the top up, you have no idea you are in a roadster! It is so quiet. No problems with the car so far . Purchased on 7-8- 09 with 7295 miles. It is quite different from our 07 Corvette. We considered a 2010 Camaro...love the exterior looks, but inside was a disappointment (seats, dash, short windshield). Back to the XLR..CD player has awesome sound...love the cooled seats. Think this will be a collectible car. Got this like new 06 for about half of the original list. My wife says the car is "cool"!

• 

  My first Cadillac - 2009 Cadillac CTS
  By Ltdc - August 8 - 11:27 am

  I must say that so far it has been a mostly pleasant experience. I have the red CTS and it does draw it share of raves from family and strangers. One draw back I noticed immediately was the width of the A pillars in conjunction with the side view mirrors makes for a sizable blind spot. Backing the car up is a bit of a guessing game since you cant see the rear deck. You cant count on the computer to give accurate gas mileage readings. On the instant readout the mileage jumps all over the place including into the 40 + mpg range. The average MPG was showing 30.2 at 65 MPH without the AC on. If it was really getting that kind of mileage I think it would have been show on the EPA estimate.

• 

  Worst Cadillac - EVER! - 2001 Cadillac Catera
  By Albert - August 7 - 2:49 pm

  This car is a reliability disaster - a breakdown waiting to happen - it can be downright dangerous. A Cadillac-ized Opel isnt worth a dime. In less than two years 12K worth of warranty work. When the warranty is up this car is toast.

• 

  Check out the Rest, Then Go for the SRX - 2006 Cadillac SRX
  By Dad w/Kids - August 7 - 6:45 am

  Ive put over 60,000 miles on my V6 AWD SRX, and have enjoyed the superior comfort, drive handling, and performance in adverse weather conditions. This cross-over just feels safe in all conditions, a comfort when hauling kids and on long trips. Im a great fan of station wagons, but find the SRX to drive even better with superb luxury. Great in snow, mud and on slippery roads. Cadillac bested my first choice, the Acura MDX, with its better looks, regular gas, and sporty handling.

• 

  XTS - 2016 Cadillac XTS
  By Anthony Lupino - August 6 - 2:26 pm

  This car is the best car that I have owned. The car rides quietly, runs great and looks great. Did I say that it produced in North America not Asia. Service just down the road with plenty of GM dealers to take care of every need. The quality of the car for the cost is excellent you will not be disappointed with the xts take a look. Ive had the car for one year and it had proven to be excellent on the road in upstate New Yorks winter wonderland. With snows on all four wheels it will go through almost any snowy conditions.

• 

  Great Ride - 2009 Cadillac SRX
  By t.stiefel - August 5 - 12:11 pm

  I have never really been a Cadillac man before. I have always liked Ford over GM, but after test driving the SRX and Volvo XC90, there was only one choice. The SRX has a better fell to it. You can take it through corners and it will not scream at you, it asks for more.