Are Cadillacs Reliable? (Cadillac Reliability Guide)
I am a serial entrepreneur and a consumer advocate. When I’m not helping car buyers, I love working on ventures that have a positive impact.
I run a cause marketing agency and serve on the board of Vayu Global Health where we are disrupting the medical industry and preventing the needless deaths of mothers and babies during childbirth.
Cadillacs are one of the oldest car brands in the industry. Their historic tales date back to 1902, during the era of horseless carriages. However, being one of the first automakers to attain global recognition is not enough to guarantee their reliability.
Are Cadillac reliable? Yes. Cadillac is a reliable car brand. They are one of the most reliable cars that General Motors has ever made.
Cadillac earned the JD Power 2002 to 2020 “Quality Award” because of the great cars that they produce. These cars are known for their luxury, sophistication, and high-precision repetition engineering, with great significance for luxury and excellence.
Cadillac is a car brand that stands for style, although users end up battling with high maintenance and an above-average chance of visiting the mechanic for major or minor faults. Cadillacs have an impressive safety rating, fuel economy, and an array of technology.
Here's all you need to know about Cadillac’s reliability and all you must understand before purchasing one.
Table of Contents
Are Cadillacs Reliable?
Yes. Cadillacs are quite reliable cars. According to Consumer Reports, Cadillac holds the fourth position amongst brands that make the best vehicles. This includes their unbeatable record of excellence from 2002 to 2020.
However, like every other car on the market, Cadillac has its failings. RepairPal gives Cadillac a reliability rating of 3.0/5.0, ranking 26th out of 32 car brands. The reliability of Cadillac ranges from its use of turbocharged engines to its exclusive attention to safety and user experience.
Cadillac has upheld a reputation for making high-quality cars. This includes its amazing exteriors and interior designs.
When it comes to reliability, Cadillac beats the market with added advantages of affordability, gas mileage, amazing performance, safety, designs, and durability that come from its choices of materials and implementation processes.
The Cadillac brand is one of the few car brands that already had immersive technology in their cars as early as the mid-twentieth century. This includes features like cruise control, electronic mirrors, and power windows.
While we can’t dispute the reliability of Cadillac, the level of reliability you get depends on the models you choose.
However, Cadillacs are not the type of cars you will want to keep forever. The older models offer an unbeatable record of reliability, but there has been a decline in Cadillac’s reliability standards.
Users have a higher chance of visiting the repair shop and a 17% probability of a major repair. Relatively higher than what is achievable by most brands.
Why Cadillacs Are Considered Fairly Reliable
1. Gas Mileage
Cadillac is new to the game of hybrid cars, but they have awesome gas mileage. The new 2022 Cadillac CT4 sedan, the Cadillac car with the best gas mileage, boasts 34 MPG and 27 MPG highway combined, respectively.
Cadillac’s fuel economy is due to its drivetrain and engineering designs. Cadillac optimizes a three-point camshaft that gives better gas mileage (fuel economy) by transitioning between a performance-oriented and more economical mode to save fuel.
You must understand that a few factors play a negative role in the gas mileage of your Cadillac. If you are sure that you have a good fuel system, the cold weather can also reduce the fuel economy of your Cadillac car, increasing your consumption.
2. Engine and Performance
The Cadillac is a powerhouse of strength, speed, and stability. Like every other GMC car, Cadillac cars have a StabiliTrak system that acts as an electronic stability control system.
The Cadillac engine line-up features V6s, V8s, and turbocharged engines. The engine strength of Cadillac cars delivers a burst of power that ranges from 355hp to a wild 650hp.
Cadillac features a default rear-wheel drive which can be upgraded to all-wheel drive. This includes four, six, ten-speed automatic, or manual transmission options. Cadillac engines incorporate a direct injection technology to ensure quicker speed than most sports cars from other cars.
With the ride quality, power, impressive handling, and quiet and comfy rides, Cadillac cars offer many features that you can rely on.
3. Safety and Technology
Cadillac is not left out in the race for safe cars. The Cadillac brand introduced a Vehicle to Vehicle (V2V) communication technology that allows Cadillac users in different cars and models to communicate with each other. Sounds fun, right?
The technology can handle 1,000 messages per second even at a 1,000ft distance. The beautiful part is that Cadillac harnesses this technology to improve the overall safety of its cars and their users.
A Cadillac car with V2V technology can warn another Cadillac car behind of the dangers ahead that the other car can’t see. These cars can analyze safety information that is outside their parameters or coverage.
Like every other car in the market, Cadillac has an array of technology that has earned it high safety ratings on IIHS and NHTSA in different years.
Cadillac Safety Technology features:
- Adaptive cruise control
- Electronic precision shift buttons
- Lane-change alert with side blind zone alert
- Rear cross-traffic alert
- Forward collision alert
- Following distance indicator
- Buckle to drive
- Side Blind Zone Alert
- Lane-keep assist with lane departure warning
- Rear pedestrian alert
- Super cruise
- Drive mode controls and traction select system
This includes its electric parking brake system, rear crash avoidance braking, reverse automatic braking, front crash avoidance braking, front pedestrian braking, and automatic and enhanced braking. Down to the mirror and camera technology, Cadillac cars offer security features that you can rely on.
Cadillac Reliability: Pros
- Affordable
- Impressive handling
- Great engine power and performance
- Fuel economy
- Spacious
Cadillac Reliability: Cons
- Expensive to repair and maintain
Verdict
Cadillacs are old guys in the automaking industry. They make good and reliable cars, but there are also bad ones. It is important that you study your preferred model to understand what is in it for you.
