Cadillac Years to Avoid by Model
Cadillac years to avoid: the 2010 SRX (474 complaints), 2009 CTS (167 complaints), 2013 ATS (160 complaints) and 2023 Escalade (119 complaints) lead the list. All 7 Cadillac models we track have at least one avoid-rated year; the cleanest records include the 2010 Escalade and 2010 Escalade ESV. Based on 6,267 NHTSA owner complaints, rated model year by model year.
Source: NHTSA owner complaints, recall campaigns & service bulletins · Updated 2026-11-07 · By CarWhere Research · Methodology
Cadillac years to avoid, model by model
| Model | Years to avoid | Best years | NHTSA complaints |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cadillac Escalade | 20082015201620172021202220232024 | 201020122013201420182019 | 1,060 (2008–2025) |
| Cadillac Escalade ESV | 202120222023 | 2010201220182019 | 955 (2008–2025) |
| Cadillac CTS | 2008200920112014 | 2017 | 855 (2008–2025) |
| Cadillac SRX | 20102011 | 20082009 | 2,801 (2008–2025) |
| Cadillac ATS | 20132014 | — | 380 (2013–2025) |
| Cadillac XTS | 20132014 | 20162017 | 216 (2013–2025) |
| Cadillac XT5 | 201720182020 | 20162025 | 0 (2015–2026) |
Verdicts are each model’s own, rated against that model’s history (see the methodology); counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
The worst year for each Cadillac model
2010 Cadillac SRX: 474 NHTSA owner complaints · all avoid-rated years: 2010 and 2011 · Full SRX breakdown →
2009 Cadillac CTS: 167 NHTSA owner complaints · all avoid-rated years: 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2014 · Full CTS breakdown →
2013 Cadillac ATS: 160 NHTSA owner complaints · all avoid-rated years: 2013 and 2014 · Full ATS breakdown →
2023 Cadillac Escalade: 119 NHTSA owner complaints · all avoid-rated years: 2008, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 · Full Escalade breakdown →
2013 Cadillac XTS: 103 NHTSA owner complaints · all avoid-rated years: 2013 and 2014 · Full XTS breakdown →
2023 Cadillac Escalade ESV: 70 NHTSA owner complaints · all avoid-rated years: 2021, 2022 and 2023 · Full Escalade ESV breakdown →
2017 Cadillac XT5: 0 NHTSA owner complaints · all avoid-rated years: 2017, 2018 and 2020 · Full XT5 breakdown →
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Frequently asked questions
What Cadillac years should you avoid?
By model: Escalade 2008, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024; Escalade ESV 2021, 2022 and 2023; CTS 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2014; SRX 2010 and 2011; ATS 2013 and 2014; XTS 2013 and 2014; XT5 2017, 2018 and 2020. Each verdict matches that model's own years-to-avoid page, built from NHTSA owner-complaint and recall records.
What are the best Cadillac years to buy?
The cleanest federal records by model: Escalade 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2018 and 2019; Escalade ESV 2010, 2012, 2018 and 2019; CTS 2017; SRX 2008 and 2009; XTS 2016 and 2017; XT5 2016 and 2025.
Which Cadillac model has the most years to avoid?
The Cadillac Escalade, with 8 avoid-rated model years (2008, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024) across 18 years on record (2008–2025).
How are Cadillac years to avoid rated?
Each model year's NHTSA owner complaints are weighted for severity, converted to a rate per year on the road, compared with the rest of that model's own history and adjusted for recalls. Models not yet scored that way are ranked by combined NHTSA complaint and manufacturer service-bulletin volume. Full method at /research/years-to-avoid/methodology.
Where does the Cadillac data come from?
Federal records: 6,267 NHTSA owner complaints across 7 Cadillac models, plus NHTSA recall campaigns and manufacturer service bulletins filed with NHTSA. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.