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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  Cadillac not so great - 1999 Cadillac Seville
  By Hubert L Cox - May 12 - 2:00 am

  Bought the vehicle with 25K on it. Had to have speakers, fog light assembly, fuel pump and driver side interior door pannel replaced all within 6 months. It was still under warranty so there was no cost. At 51K miles, the engine went out and had to be replaced at a cost of $8,000.00. They ran tests and could not determine why the engine blew. At any rate, Cadillac and the dealer refused to help with the replacement cost or any portion of it since it was over the 50K mile limit.

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  Nice ETC - 1995 Cadillac Eldorado
  By Henrik - May 9 - 2:00 am

  Overall I am very satisfied with my ETC

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  Cadillac Fleetwood - 1993 Cadillac Fleetwood
  By Ter3 Hamer - May 8 - 2:00 am

  I am a Canadian who purchased this in the States. Should know in advance that upgrading to Canadian standards will cost you a few thousand. Plus time. Do everything in advance.

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  Way Improved over my past 2004 EXT - 2007 Cadillac Escalade EXT
  By Theweavman - April 28 - 8:13 pm

  Very quiet and smooth. Nice new features. Lots of power. However, does not feel quite as quick as my 04 EXT, that only had a 4 speed automatic & 345 HP. Acceleration from lower speeds feels like the engines power is not fully making it to the wheels. Acceleration from higher freeway speeds is awsome. This vehicle does so many things well, that it is hard for me to consider driving anything else. Lets see, It has nice overall styling, great power, luxury seating / interior & comforts that match just about any luxury vehicle, plus tremendious utility. Could use an MP3, bluetooth hook-up, and more cubby storage spaces inside.Those minor things aside, a safe practical vehicle for many purposes.

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  2004 Cadillac CTS - 2004 Cadillac CTS
  By Dr. Robert Tesch - April 26 - 2:00 am

  A very nice looking car. As a previous cadillac holder, I expected a more luxurious interior with more amenities.Had to purchase the available packages but it appears stripped with a lower price to attract new younger purchasers. Car is small inside but very enjoyable to drive. Not really the best sedan for company in the rear as it is cramped.Nevertheless,very enjoyable in the city and to park.

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  fun to drive, expensive to fix - 1997 Cadillac Catera
  By 2000lainey - April 24 - 2:00 am

  Bought the 97 because of the drive and how it holds the road. Love the sport drive, accelerates and holds it. Like the way it looks but the mechanical reliability is iffy. Timing tensioner broke, $3500 fix. Two years later, a 4 day old belt squeal ended as a $600 repair. Has 85000 miles on it and getting rid of it.

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  Mom hates it - 1998 Cadillac Deville
  By kingofspartan - April 12 - 2:00 am

  The car is plain ugly on the exterior. Quality was not of primary concern when designing this car. I also had a headlamp blow off while driving. It cost about $400 to replace it. The keyless enrty fails about as often as it works. I am impressed with the gas mileage and overall its a fairly comfortable car. It drinks oil badly. The dealer says its to be expected. I say FIX IT.

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  Love big red - 2000 Cadillac Deville
  By Bmitch-el - April 12 - 2:00 am

  I love the car. The Northstar is worth its weight in gold. This car gives you the same luxury of car 10000-30000 more. Regular gas, yes!!!. Comfort, oh hell yes!. The only thing I dont like is all the plastic and the fit and finish. Other than that, this car is off the chain!! Love daddys caddy

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  Catera, A Nice Preowned Vechicle - 1998 Cadillac Catera
  By MikeMann - April 8 - 2:00 am

  I bought a 98 Catera in 2001. I have always like GM cars and I still do. By far the Catera is probably one of the best handling cars in recent years but I would have never bought this vehicle brand new. I think this is an excellent car for say around 16K. The other reason I chose this car is because in sea audis, bmws, and mercedes, the catera was a breath of fresh air in the entry level sports sedan market.

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  BEAUTIFUL SUV...TIGHT ON CARGO SPACE - 2014 Cadillac SRX
  By Steve Rush - April 5 - 9:57 pm

  The 2014 Cadillac SRX Luxury Edition is a fine suv that looks terriffic, handles well, and checks most of the boxes in the "customer satisfaction" department. I have owned mine for 16 months and have had no issues with it mechanically. City driving yields around 15 miles per gallon and highway numbers come in around 18 miles per gallon. These numbers are a bit lower than I had hoped for, but the trade off is a nicely appointed ride with many cool luxury features. I am happy with the performance factor, as this caddy has plenty of zing under the hood to get you going there in a hurry. Cargo space allows for 4 sets of golf clubs, but with some difficulty, as it seems to be a bit lacking in width in that area. By comparison, my 2015 Honda CRV actually has more room for your cargo. My wife isnt a fan of the touch sensitive buttons, but isnt interested in learning either. Overall, an excellent suv, featuring good looks and power, and I would rate the reliability as 5 stars.