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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  PLEASANTLY SURPRISED - 2004 Cadillac Escalade
  By Demetry - March 6 - 2:00 am

  I did not intend to purchase an Escalade. After driving it and thoroughly comparing it with Navigator and Mercedes, I can honestly say it is a the best of the three. The only negative problem I have had has been some rattling, unavailability of rear cargo mat and lack of storage room when the thrid row seats are in place. I would purchase another one.

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  My seventh Caddy - 2002 Cadillac Deville
  By Pensy Richard - March 2 - 2:00 am

  This is a very nice car to drive. Reasonably quiet and good gas mileage. My only negative is that the brakes were lousy. I had to have all 4 rotors replaces by 25000 miles. After that, and a new set of tires, the car ran much smoother and stopped like it should. The local dealer treats me well and takes care of minor warranty issues with no hassle. A good buy.

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  This is a GREAT automobile ! - 2004 Cadillac Deville
  By George A. Rivard - March 2 - 2:00 am

  No one can ever tire of this auto. This is my sixth in a row, and I have no plans to stop buying this same model every year. What a car !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  Nice but beware - 1998 Cadillac Deville
  By Dave Eman - February 29 - 2:00 am

  This is the nicest driving car ever. The motor is more than powerful, and the ride is silent. BUT, General Motors has short warranty periods for a reason. There is a lot that goes wrong in the vehicles midlife, so beware. Check engine lights are common and can be easily cured by a small piece of black tape. If you want a great car for the first 40k miles, this is it. If you want longevity in a car, this isnt it.

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  2000 Cadillac DTS - 2000 Cadillac Deville
  By sbaker - February 29 - 2:00 am

  This vehicle performs very well in all driving conditions. The interior design, however, is not as roomy as previous models of the Deville. The car is very reliable, and has many comfort features. I have had a problem with the rear parking assist and the driver seat heater, both of which are warranty items.

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  STS dangers. - 1997 Cadillac Seville
  By MarkAaron - February 28 - 2:00 am

  The car is sharp, has a lot of power, and handles well. One huge problem! The seals start to go bad in the engine, particularly the oil pan. We have owned ours for a year and we are getting rid of it. It started leaking oil @ 80k miles. @ 90K miles the air compressor went up and our oil pan seal is bad. Without a warranty we would endure an expense of $5000 to fix both. We cleaned the engine very well and are certain the dealership was unaware of the oil pan seal. They gave us a low figure and said the car is notorious for worn seals and gaskets and wholesalers are hesitant to touch them. Could have been a line, but awfully coincidental.

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  CUTE AND SMALL, BUT VERY STYLISH - 2000 Cadillac Catera
  By TANEKKA - February 15 - 2:00 am

  I FOUND INSTANTLY AFTER DRIVINF THIS VEHICLE THAT YOU CANNOT JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER. IT SURPRISED ME HOW ROOMY THE INTERIOR WAS. I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE SLOW, BUT IT HAD AN EXCELLENT TAKE OFF SPEED. IT RODE AS IF I WAS RIDING ON A CLOUD.

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  good car - 2004 Cadillac Escalade
  By cadillac - February 14 - 2:00 am

  its a good car but reliability isnt too good as well as the gas mileage.

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  BEST TRUCK IVE OWNED - 2004 Cadillac Escalade
  By wts4550 - February 14 - 2:00 am

  WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT

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  Love the Northstar, hate the gremlins - 1996 Cadillac Seville
  By Robert King - February 13 - 2:00 am

  Bought this car used in 1999. Have taken trips to California, Colorado and New York. I have enjoyed the cars engine performance and comfortable ride. I have always been impressed that a car that weighs this much can average over 29 mpg at high speed. I have however made many costly trips to the dealer for repair water pump rear suspension air compressor, heater/AC blower motor, O2 sensor, the last and most irritating was in my garage when the security system failed. No cure other than towing to dealer for $400.00 worth of Ignition switch, keys and harness wiring. I love this car but will not be owning another Cadillac.