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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  Plush ride, needs service every 4 month - 2002 Cadillac Deville
  By Uwe & Wendy - June 22 - 6:11 pm

  We got the car in April 2008 with 60k miles. My wife has a 70 miles commute every day, so we are putting a lot of milage on the vehicel. Plush ride, very comfortable. However, every 4 months or so there had been issues - mostly with the electronic. Every visit in the shop is at least $700. No wonder that you can by those used ones so dirt cheap - you need to invest $3,000 or more every year just to keep them running! Gas milage is about 19 MPG on premium gas (the poster who reported 30+ miles is clearly smoking something!) with a mix of city & highway.

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  A Very Very Nice Car - 2009 Cadillac CTS
  By Bob - June 21 - 3:51 pm

  I have had my car now for almost a month and people are always telling nice car. It handles like a dream and very comfortable. I traded in a 2003 CTS which was a nice car but this 2009 CTS is a much better car, it looks so rich looking, more room in the front and the back. I love having the AWD, in New England you need it. All and All the CTS is a great car.

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  Oil burner - 2005 Cadillac CTS
  By dawna - June 19 - 6:53 pm

  after having the car for 2 years, it started burning oil. I have taken it to 3 different dealers and because the warranty was almost up. Nobody cared to help get the warrenty company to pay for any repairs as they all told me there was nothing wrong even though I was going thru almost 5 quarts of oil every 3000 miles. other than that I love the car although the airbag sensor and the passenger seat went out right after the warranty was up.

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  Top dealer - 2017 Cadillac XT5
  By Mike Valenti - June 19 - 2:26 pm

  My review of 2017 Cadillac XT5, I came out of a 2013 Lincoln MKX which isn’t exactly a dog. The plus sides of Cadillac XT5 it is quieter almost a eerie quiet. The ride is better, Cadillac has always had that baby buggy ride much softer than the Lincoln. XT5 electric power is the best very smooth with a short turning radius. Possibly one of the best new feathers is the new eight speed automatic transmission Smooth as glass, at eighty miles per hour tach is reading 1950 RPM about 200 less than the Lincoln MKX. Overall Cadillac has a home run on it’s hands, fast smooth and quiet and lets face it knock dead styling. Now go get one.

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  Love THis Car - 1999 Cadillac Seville
  By David - June 18 - 4:40 pm

  My SLS is the first luxury car Ive owned. It has 109,000 miles on it.This car is quick, responsive and performs very well. Ive had it for about 9 months and love driving it. Since I bought it I have only had to take care of mminor maintainance. Since moving to Colorado I notice that it starts running much warmer when going up steep grades. The Temp control unit for the heat and a/c has recently gone out and the trunk leaks. I get great gas mileage with this car and have gotten it as high as 26 mpg avg.

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  HUGE Disappointment - 2009 Cadillac CTS
  By Jim P - June 17 - 5:18 pm

  First it was a harmonic imbalance that was so bad it caused me to be nauseous when I drove the vehicle. This took months to correct. Then it was a rattle in the drivers’ sun visor and it needed to be ordered and replaced. Then it was seriously squealing brakes that need to be replaced with about 10,000 miles on the car. Then it was a rattle so bad in the rear it sounded like to roof was falling at times. And still I have the rattle in the dash area that is so annoying I actually hate driving my car. Driving a new car at the price point of +$40k should be a WONDERFUL experience. This car is pure JUNK! No wonder your going belly up! You deserve it.

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  03 CTS - 2003 Cadillac CTS
  By travel guy - June 16 - 10:00 am

  Gave up a leased BMW and had my mind made up to buy a G35 sedan until I went to the NY Auto show and saw the V series CTS which attracted me to the car. This caused me to test drive it in additon to the G35 and liked it much more because of its luxury. More comparable to a BMW 525 in terms of size, but a much better value.

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  The Cadillac Deville - 1996 Cadillac Deville
  By Caddy man - June 16 - 1:08 am

  When I purchased this vehicle, I expected only the best, considering it was a Cadillac, and I had heard nothing but good about the brand. I was not disappointed. Other than regular maintenance, I have had absolutely no trouble with my Cadillac, and I just love it. The Deville runs clean, very quiet, and smooth. It will start rigth up, even in -15F weather! The Northstar is fabulous. The responsive and agressive acceleration can likely blow the doors off of anything on the road. Gas mileage is exceptional for a car this size. The interior is superb. There is legroom abound inside the Deville. In all, the Deville is an excellent car all-around. I wouldnt trade it for anything else.

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  I would buy another one - 2005 Cadillac STS
  By MyfirstCaddy - June 15 - 6:39 pm

  I bought my used with 45k on it, I love the way the car drives and handles, I put a set of 22 inch wheels on it,that makes it very unique, I love the way my car looks. I wish it had a bigger trunk and more space in the glove box. I did had some problems with the car making some noise coming from the ac vents, it sounded like someone was passing gas (upps) other than that, I love my car, I wish I had bought the V8 AWD

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  Best Luxury car for the money - 2004 Cadillac Deville
  By Jason A - June 15 - 3:52 pm

  I bought this Car about 6 to 7 months ago when the gas prices were around $ 3.50 to 4 bucks a gallon. So not alot of people wanted this car because it doesnt get the best gas mileage. All I have owned is cadillacs, I love them. They dont hold there value well but you can pick them up at a good price if you really look around. I paid $7,000 total for mine with taxes. at the time its high book value was $11,500. The car does have a little over 100,000 miles but you cant tell by looking at it. For a big car that weighs alot this car will get up and fly, the ride is of course very comfortable. For the money you cant go wrong if you want a big, fast, and luxurious car, That is fun to drive.