Cadillac Sports Sedans Make a Stand Against European Rivals
Cadillac revamped its sedan roster in 2020, with the CT5 and the compact CT4 aiming to lure buyers away from European sport sedans. Though rivals in the class generally outrank the Caddy sports sedans in interior refinement, Cadillac is making viable progress in the competition with a lower cost of entry and superior warranty.
Both of the Caddy sports sedans feature Cadillac’s classic rear-wheel-drive architecture with optional all-wheel drive on most models. Luxury features standard on the base trim levels of the CT5 and CT4 include 12-way power-adjustable front seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto interfaces and onboard Wi-Fi hotspot. Cadillac also outdoes rivals with a four year 50,000 mile limited warranty. The Caddys also score high on technology and crash test results. Upper trim level 2021 models feature a Super Cruise option— Cadillac’s semi-autonomous self-driving system that allows for hands-free highway driving in certain situations.
The V version of the CT5 set the bar for the 2022 CT5-V Blackwing, which has an upgraded 6.2L supercharged V8 that, thanks to a higher flow air-intake and revised exhaust system, produces 668 horsepower and 659 lb-ft of torque.
With design inspiration from the Cadillac Escala show car, the CT5 is a looker. While it has been criticized for lacking performance in comparison to its rivals in the mid-sized sports sedan segment, we were impressed with the performance-oriented CT5-V that we tested. The 360-hp version of the twin-turbo V-6 had 405 pound-feet of torque and came with adaptive dampers, an electronically controlled limited-slip differential and Brembo front brakes. Launch Control, Magnetic Ride Control, and Performance Traction Management keep the vehicle steady and ready for acceleration by making numerous adjustments in microseconds. Loaded up with $14,655 in options, our CT5-V model was $63,455.
The CT4 earns superior marks for its handling and ride that balances comfort with strong sport sedan fundamentals. Our CT4-500T test car was fitted with a 2.7-liter turbocharged engine with RWD generating 310 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque through a 10-speed automatic transmission. Options included the Driver Assist Package adding adaptive cruise control, enhanced automatic emergency braking and reverse automatic braking and the Driver Awareness Plus package for following distance indicator, auto high beam, lane change alert, lane keep assist and rear cross traffic alert. The total price with the safety options plus nav and Bose premium audio that comes bundled with wireless charging, plus a climate package with heated and ventilated passenger seats was $47,365.
What’s next? The 2022 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing (pictured) and CT4-V Blackwing represent the pinnacle of Cadillac performance and craftsmanship, leveraging championship-winning racing heritage to create the most track-capable Cadillacs ever, while continuing to set new standards for luxury and comfort. Rare for sponrt sedans today, both will come standard with a six-speed TREMEC manual transmission. A ten-speed automatic transmission will also be available.
