People mostly think of Cadillac as a luxury SUV maker, as SUVs were the lions share of Cadillac vehicles sold last year. Which is a shame, because it makes some highly regarded sports sedans, which are favorably compared to European sports sedans such as Audi and BMW, in terms of performance, if not quite build quality. Sedans of any type, especially sports sedans, are a rapidly shrinking market as people favor utility over luxury and, especially performance, with all the talk of autonomous vehicles. It wouldn't surprise me if Cadillac eventually placed all its manufacturing know how in the service of, to me, the dreaded SUV.
But as it stands right now, Cadillac’s top of the line is the CTS-V Blackwing. With 668 HP, a 0–60 time of 3.4 seconds and a top speed of over 200 MPH, the Blackwing’s performance is at super car levels, while it retains the luxury and (most) of the refinement Cadillac’s are known for.
Believe it or not, the car is a relative bargain, considering. A 2025 may retail for $150,000, but models just two years old are far more accessible. Saner performance variants can be had in the $30,000 range, which make it a bargain in my book.

It should be noted that Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, reportedly drives a top of the line Blackwing, and he can afford any car.

CT5-V Blackwing.

As someone who had an aversion to American cars for a long time, I can give you my reasons, and I think it meshes overall with other Americans who won't (or didn't at one time) buy anything from GM, Ford or Chrysler..

When I started driving, Japanese cars were all the rage among younger people for various reasons. Mainly because they generally gave you more features for your money (versus domestic) were assembled better, drove better, more reliable/fuel efficient and could be modified relatively cheaply. Through the 90's-early 2k's I drove nothing but Honda/Acura/Toyota with a brief stint in a VW GTI, and never considered anything made by the big 3 domestics. Somewhere around the latter part of the first decade of the 21st century I started to change my views a bit..

First was when my parents bought a 2009 Chevy Malibu, and after driving it was surprised by the solid feel, decent handling/power as well as the quality feeling interior. It wasn't enough to sway me from the imports, but surprising nonetheless.

Second experience was when we were shopping for a car for my wife. Our daughter was nearly 2 at the time, and we needed something with just a bit more space than her Honda Accord. We started looking at small crossovers, and of course we started with Honda and the CRV. We liked it ok, but the interior seemed a bit dated at the time, and there was a fair bit of road noise during our test drive. Our next stop was Toyota and the Rav4, and we came away with many of the same impressions. Then it was on to Nissan and the Murano which was more stylish than the others, but too expensive for what it is. Then a coworker suggested I take a good look at the recently redesigned Chevy Equinox. At first I ignored him and had no intention of going domestic, but as our search dragged on with nothing standing out to us, we found ourselves at a GM dealer looking at the newly redesigned Equinox. (this was mid 2010) First thing that struck me was that I liked the looks of this thing better than the Japanese counterparts, but that wasn't enough just yet. Then we looked at the interior (near fully loaded model) and it was surprisingly stylish and had good leather seats/sunroof etc. The materials didn't feel any better than the Japanese makes, but they also weren't much worse. Then the test drive came and were were surprised by how quiet/smooth the ride was...better than anything we had looked at before. Then after the test drive, I went into my anti-domestic mode and began going over the car with a critical eye, fully expecting the fit/finish to be below import standards, but to my shock....not only were the panels gaps/fit near perfect, but but in some ways better than the Honda/Toyota/Nissan models I had looked at. The paint seemed to be high quality as well. Had GM finally woken up and become competitive for buyers other than the "buy American" crowd? Yes, and the with the deal we were given, we drove out with a Chevy Equinox that day, and still have it, with nothing but minor issues. (I've had Honda's with many more issues)

The final two things that made me decide that my view of American cars is not only outdated, but flat out wrong was when I rented a 2014 Ford Fusion Titanium when flying into Columbus Ohio a couple years back. It looked great on the outside, but I wasn't crazy about the interior or the overly complicated center stack controls, but that's something you would get used to over time. The car felt just as solid as any Japanese car I've driven, and handled as well or better than most of them. The final thing that changed my mind is when my parents recently traded in their Malibu for a 2015 Chevy Impala. GM has a bad habit of rehashing names that might have been attached to crappy cars in the past...but the newest Impala is far from crappy. My dad told me it was the best full size car you can buy for under $40k, and professional reviewers seem to agree, and after driving it myself, I can't imagine that they're wrong.

The bottom line is that when shopping for a new vehicle, you can't always go by the car makers past reputation (Honda quality/reliability has been slipping recently, while domestics are on the rise) or a nameplate which might have been attached to a less than desirable car in the past. (GM is the worst offender, for example the current Buick Regal is actually a German designed Opel Insignia, and has nothing in common with a "Regal" your grandparents might have owned) Find out what kind of vehicle you need, narrow it down to everything that meets that description regardless of maker/nameplate/country of origin....you might be surprised what comes out on top.

Its a long answer to a simple question, but if you look at car sales in the US by US manufacturers, I'd be hard pressed to think that people don't like them, as they sold millions of units domestically last year, and every year.

Some of the whole american car thing is generational, and passed down from generation to generation. The american car industry had a bit of a lost decade in the 80s, when emissions, safety, reliability, fuel consumption, and quality moved ahead of most other things on car buyers radar. The domestic companies were just out of position, with clunky designs, shoddy quality, and tough problems with reliability. The "big 3" were still being run by people that either grew up in the 1950s, or were influenced by those people, when the US manufacturers were the envy of the world.

The japanese manufacturers, along with the germans, started to get their act together, and started to refine their products, as well as import cars that consumed less fuel, and broke less. An entire generation of american buyers was influenced by that decade in the car business, and started to turn to the japanese companies for reliability, as well as the europeans/germans for performance/luxury. It was a seminal moment in the history of the US car industry..... It shook both the managements of the big 3, as well as the laborers who assembled the cars, to their bones, and radically altered the industry in the US forever.

There were shakeups at the executive level at all of the big 3, and eventually, all 3 of them began to get more competitive with design, quality, fuel consumption, and reliability. But an entire generation was lost, as were their childrens generation.... And it was hard for the domestics to bounce back, but they eventually did.

Its important to note that the perception of american cars as lesser, was in many ways confined to the coasts, and less so to the center of country. That's changed to some extent, and now everyone from BMW to Toyota is viewed as a global brand and is consumed all over the US.

Nowadays, I think fewer people care where the car is designed or built, but there are still some that have antiquated beliefs around american cars. They are completely at parity with everyone elses cars. By all measures (ignoring the heavily absurd JD power, and incredibly biased consumer reports), most cars from all companies are pretty much on parity now. Even if you think that JD power is credible (which I personally do not), and you look at their warped data, you'll see that while the media headlines make proclamations about who's cars are good and bad, the actual measurements of either customers perceptions between the top and bottom of even power's horrible surveys is minuscule from a statistical standpoint. But that doesn't stop the dopey mass media from making biased claims using that data, but failing to report what the data actually says.

I've probably owned over 100 cars in the past 30 years, maybe more. I've owned pretty much every brand except Toyota (just never found one I really liked, no other reason), and candidly, the american products are just as reliable and functional as japanese and german brands. I have Nissan, Ford, Audi, VW, Mercedes, and Dodge at the moment, and just traded a Porsche and Aston Martin a few months ago, and honestly, I can't really tell a material difference. Yes they are all different, but they are all pretty nice nowadays, and they have unique personalities, but as far as core reliability, quality, usefulness and meeting the mission for which I bought them, they are all good.

I've had bad experiences with some brands, but they were one offs rather than macro problems (I foolishly had a GMC during the depth of GMs bankruptcy a few years ago..) These days, I view most cars as products, not some pinnacle of amazing-ness, where one company is incredible and the rest are bad, or one country is great and others are less worthy.

Cars elicit a strong emotions with people... there are those that love them (my OCD self), and others who view them as appliances for transportation that should never break. And peoples views are always based on either their experiences and expectations or what others tell them that influence them, be it true or not.

I. History of the ‘Cadillac’? Cadillac was founded on August 22, 1902, in Detroit, Michigan, by William Murphy, Lemuel Bowen, and Henry M. Leland. The company was originally named Cadillac Automobile Company and was acquired by General Motors in 1909. Cadillac has a rich history of producing luxury vehicles, including models like the

V8 Type 51

, introduced in 1915, and the iconic

Eldorado

, which debuted in 1952 and was discontinued in 2002. The company has also introduced various luxury SUV models, such as the

Escalade

, which was first introduced in 1998.

Today, Cadillac continues to produce luxury vehicles, including the CT4 and CT5 sedans, the Escalade SUV, and several electric models like the Celestiq and LYRIQ. (Source: Wikipedia. Com)

II. Answering Your Question: Yes, people still think ‘Cadillac’ is a ‘luxury car.’

5 Free Images

People might choose a Cadillac over other luxury car brands for several reasons:

1> American Heritage: Cadillac is an iconic American luxury brand with a rich history dating back over a century. Some people feel a sense of pride in buying and owning a piece of American automotive history.

2> Luxury and Comfort: Cadillac vehicles are known for their luxurious interiors, comfortable ride quality, and advanced technology features. Buyers who prioritize comfort and a smooth driving experience might prefer a Cadillac.

3> Innovative Features: Cadillac often incorporates cutting-edge technology into its vehicles, such as advanced driver-assistance systems, infotainment options, and connectivity features. Those interested in the latest automotive technology might be drawn to Cadillac.

4> Performance: Cadillac offers a range of performance-oriented vehicles, including the V-Series models, which deliver powerful engines and agile handling. Performance enthusiasts may opt for a Cadillac for its combination of luxury and sportiness.

5> Brand Image: For some buyers, the Cadillac brand carries a certain image of prestige, sophistication, and success. Owning a Cadillac can be a status symbol and a way to demonstrate one’s taste and lifestyle.

6> Value for Money: Compared to some European luxury brands, Cadillac vehicles may offer similar features and performance at a relatively lower price point. Buyers looking for luxury without the hefty price tag might find Cadillac appealing.

7> Customer Service and Support: Cadillac dealerships often provide excellent customer service and support, including maintenance packages, warranty coverage, and personalized assistance. This level of service can be a factor in the decision-making process for some buyers.

Ultimately, the choice between Cadillac and other luxury car brands depends on individual preferences, priorities, and budget considerations.

I think the luxuriousness of it has diminished in the way Volvo has. Cadillac was luxurious and premier during a different era when product and services weren’t that luxurious. People like the more traditional(used as presidential cars even), comfortable Mercedes. Or, they like the more athletic feeling Porsches. Cadillac is sort of neither the most athletic feeling, nor most comfortable & traditional.

With a premium car you have a Ford which is somewhat athletic and somewhat luxurious. But, for a luxury car people pay a lot and prefer a great car to lounge in, or a motorcycle of a car so to speak.

Fast and athletic.

Traditional and comfortable.

Not luxurious, and not sports car like. Sort of like an upscaled Ford.

There’s three reasons:

1. The amount of ads. You might love a song, but you’ll pretty much hate it after literally listening to it a thousand times. Ads have this tendency of being everywhere that create repulsion and blindness to it.
2. The lack of service. Great ads service people, all others try hard to be funny, “creative”, salesy and… well, promotional. An ad that service people doesn’t shouts “buy me, buy me, BUUUY MEEE” but open a conversation in your mind instead that leads to something.
3. They just don’t relate to you. Might be you’re not the target audience, or that you hate the company or just don’t give a sh*t. Ads rely on repetition and volume to create impact to their audience, even needing about 7 sights to actually be seen. Well again, if you’re not the audience, you get annoyed by them, especially when you’re forced to see it.

It has happened to me that I have had to watch a four minute ad for a one minute coding-related video in YouTube without skip. It’s an ad from a company I particularly hate because of their intensely-repeating ads. The ad featured a comedian who didn’t like to code websites and was excited for “discovering” this service.A company about creating websites without coding. It must have been a bug that YouTube didn’t let me skip the ad. Of course, I skipped it by just refreshing the page, but the damn ad followed me everywhere on YouTube for about a month. I really wanted to punch their advertising manager and this comedian in their faces for this!

However, the important thing is that they work, not that they’re particularly liked or applauded.

It’s maybe not always the fact people don’t like them, but you either can’t buy them (unless you rely on unofficial imports) or they don’t make much sense.
Also there are different preferences.
In the US it’s often: “the bigger, the better, the more expensive”.
Here in Germany the actual size of the car does not really mean much in terms of quality.
To some extent you have the same in the US, too. A Cadillac is generally more expensive than a Chevrolet. But there are actual Chevrolets which are bigger in size than Cadillacs.
In Europe the taxes on cars are often based upon the weight of the car or the cui of the engine or its exhaust emissions. On top of that fuel consumption is probably the highest expense for a car here.
So the combination of a “cheap, affordable full size car” is not going to happen here. It might be cheap to buy, but the operating costs are going to hit you badly.
A typical example would be the VW Atlas, which is not sold in Germany.
That thing is simply huge but with a price of roughly 30k € actually a bargain to buy. But having a boat like that going 90 mph on the Autobahn will be bad on fuel, have a high CO2 output = will cost you an arm and a leg in the long run.
Many cars solely built in the US are of that caliber.
A solution until recently was to have cars that size with a Diesel engine, but the offerings of US built cars with Diesel were also rather marginal.
When it comes to smaller cars like the Focus etc. they are pretty much built in various factories around the world near the markets that request them.

There were some cars in Europe offered by Opel and Ford, which could have been marketable in the US (and some of them were actually sold there), but disappeared from the market in Europe:
The Opel Commodore / Senator:

The Opel Kapitän / Diplomat

The Ford Granada:

Not enough status / too cheap for their size.

I can't speak for others but I have owned 2 Cadillacs since 1998. I owned a 98 Cadillac STS. All I ever did to that car was regular maintenance, brakes, tires, flushing the transmission every 50K, flushing the radiator every 75K, and every couple years I changed the power steering fluid, and changed my own oil every 4-5,000 using full synthetic motor oil. Unlike reports of oil leaks. I NEVER EXPERIENCED any problems of those sorts. I traded it in oncevit hit 150,000 miles. I wanted a new car although there was nothing at all wrong with my STS. Once I traded it in, the dealer checked the engines compression and even after 150,000 miles the engine was still FACTORY SPEC.

My next Cadillac was an 09 DTS with the same engine as the 98, pretty much. I got rid of that after 100,000 miles. I had the heated front drivers seat heater die, and I had a problem with the driver side mounted mirror that needed to be tightened. The mechanism was fine, no problems. The lane departure warning thing had died on me outside of the warranty. I had a quote to fix it at a Cadilac dealer fot $500 I never bothered because I thought it was a none essential toy that I shut off the vast majorityvof the time.

Would I buy another Cadillac? Possibly. Unlike the tone of the author of this question I having real world experience with 2 Cadillacs to the tune of a quarter million miles dont have any axe to grind in talking badly about Cadillac. I am just as hsppy in a Chevrolet or Buick appropriately equipped to my liking as I am in any Cadillac. Most Cadillacs, are Cadillacs on the outside but, are Chevy or Buick underneath the body panels. The only difference are the interiors (generally speaking) and a few options here or there to help Cadillac differentiate themselves from the other brands. I have an am currently driving one of these lesser GM brands, that make the equivalent Cadillac car but with (generally speaking) a lower level interior with slightly different available options. I have a 2017 Chevy Equinox V6 AWD right now, which is very very well equipped. It has 301hp and has a lot of power. Its not as powerful on paper as the equivalent Cadillac SRX with 308hp but I am not missing the 7hp difference. If you don't beat the snot out of your car, change the fluids with practical regularity, and ESPECIALLY THE OIL!!!! EVERY 5,000 or so miles. The car should last a long time without too much issue.

Sales of the CT4 and CT5 have been a fraction of Cadillac SUV sales. However, as someone who has bought a CT4 and has been trying, unsuccessfully, to buy a CT5, I can tell you that dealer stock of these cars is remarkably thin. GM has clearly prioritized their SUV models — which likely have higher profits per unit for the company — in choosing what to manufacture with the limited chips, castings, etc. that they have. I know they could sell more sedans than they do, because all the dealers I’ve talked to have a waiting list.

However, how many more *could* they sell?

Sedans in general have become an enthusiast market, not a mainstream one. Over at BMW, Audi, and Mercedes dealers, their SUV models are outselling the sedans.

The older Cadillacs (or all older GM cars) did not have the build quality that I’d expect from cars costing as much as a Cadillac. Their reliability and performance were not good. The worst car I ever owned was a 1971 Buick Electra. Unreliable and poor performing. In the two years I owned it, it was on the tow truck TEN times.

Newer Cadillacs: I don’t like SUV’s which is mostly what manufacturers are making now. I don’t like the style of new Cadillacs and I don’t think the ride quality is as good as it was in the mid-Seventies. To get a good ride, you need a 5,000 pound car with a wide and long wheelbase. Even Cadillacs nowadays promote performance in the ride, and the soft “floaty” ride quality no longer exists. (My Electra did ride really nice…when I could get it started). And once again, reliability and poor engineering are evident.