The 1980s were challenging times for many leading car manufacturers, and Cadillac was no exception. Known for its luxury and high-quality vehicles, Cadillac faced significant criticism, particularly for the Cadillac Cimarron introduced in 1982. At that time, Cadillac was still under the ownership of General Motors (GM), which was experiencing a major decline for various reasons.

The Cadillac Cimarron is often blamed for nearly bringing both Cadillac and GM to their knees due to its extremely negative reception. The car shared many of the pitfalls seen in other models listed as some of the worst, with poor design and construction at the forefront. To many drivers, it appeared that Cadillac had not invested the necessary effort to produce a quality vehicle, a perception that became a recurring theme for GM throughout the 1970s and 1980s.