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By Eric Brandt
Updated April 05, 2024
The Cadillac CT5 is a practical and reasonably affordable small-midsize luxury sedan that can become a true sports sedan when properly equipped. Pricing starts at $38,395.
The Cadillac CT5 is a luxury sedan that you can get as a comfy cruiser at a reasonable price or as a high-performance sports sedan with a supercharged V8 and a manual transmission. Whatever configuration you go with, the CT5 has many standard features for the money, and it’s a more affordable alternative to pricey European rivals with similar equipment and performance. A class-exclusive option we love is the Super Cruise hands-free driving system.
The Cadillac CT5 competes with the more affordable side of midsize luxury cars, including the Acura TLX, Lexus ES, and Genesis G80.
The 2024 Cadillac CT5 starts at $38,395. The Premium Luxury model starts at $42,895, and the Sport trim begins at $44,095. As for the V-Series models, the CT5-V begins at $51,495, and the V8-powered CT5-V Blackwing starts at $93,495.
The CT5 is on the more affordable side of its class. It’s priced similarly to the Acura TLX and Lexus ES, and its starting price is significantly lower than European midsize luxury cars like the BMW 5 Series, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, and Audi A6. A couple of options priced between the CT5 and its German rivals are the Genesis G80 and Jaguar XF.
CT5 Luxury | $38,395 |
CT5 Premium Luxury | $42,895 |
CT5 Sport | $44,095 |
CT5-V | $51,495 |
CT5-V Blackwing | $93,495 |
These are the manufacturer’s suggested retail prices (MSRP) and don’t include the $1,395 factory-to-dealer delivery fee (destination charge).
Before buying a CT5, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to know what you should really pay. Cadillac CT5 resale value is about average for the segment.
The CT5 has a new Midnight Sky Metallic paint option for 2024. The V-Series models get more new paint options: Velocity Red, Cyber Yellow Metallic, Coastal Blue Metallic, and Black Diamond Tricoat. Another update for the V-Series models is a 20th Anniversary grille header decal and a unique cluster wake-up animation commemorating the 20th Anniversary of the first V-Series car, the 2004 Cadillac CTS-V.
The most popular powertrain in the Cadillac CT5 lineup comprises a 237-horsepower turbocharged 4-cylinder engine matched with a 10-speed automatic transmission. That’s enough motivation to get a rear-wheel drive CT5 to 60 mph in 6.6 seconds (6.9 seconds with all-wheel drive), which is about a second slower than the midsize luxury car average but still more merging and passing power than many drivers will ever tap. The CT5 is tuned as a sports sedan, but we’ve found it comfortable enough on the highway, too.
The expansive CT5 lineup also includes a 335-horsepower turbocharged V6, a 360-horsepower version of that same engine, or a beastly 668-horsepower turbo V8 that will rocket the CT5-V Blackwing from 0-60 mph in a mind-scrambling 3.4 seconds. But most buyers stick with the more affordable, more efficient, and plenty powerful base engine, a smart choice with which we can’t argue.
Although the Cadillac CT5 lacks the interior quality of European rivals from the likes of Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz, it has many features for the money. We appreciate the standard infotainment system with a 10-inch screen, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and wireless charging pad. There’s something to be said for the convenience of no wires making for a more luxurious experience.
We’re impressed with the passenger space in the Cadillac CT5. The front seats are spacious and comfortable, like anything in this class. The rear seats boast 37.9 inches of legroom, less than the Genesis G80 but more than the Acura TLX by three inches.
The trunk only has 11.9 cubic feet of volume, which is a little small for a sedan this size. We also found it a little hard to load and unload due to a small opening.
Sporty and upscale at once, we think Cadillac’s visual vocabulary suits the CT5 very well. It’s a bit smaller than most midsize luxury sedans, which helps reinforce an air of agility.
Super Cruise
Optional on all but the base trim, the innovative Super Cruise semi-autonomous driving system allows for hands-free driving on over 400,000 miles of highway in North America. We’ve driven hours-long highway stretches with our hands on the wheel for not more than a couple minutes.
V-Series models
The CT5-V is a dynamic sports sedan with a turbo V6, Magnetic Ride Control, and Brembo brakes. The fire-breathing CT5-V Blackwing packs a 668-horsepower supercharged V8 with a standard manual transmission. These are seriously competitive with more expensive German sports sedans.
Platinum Package
The available Platinum Package for the Premium Luxury trim makes the CT5 a more premium sedan. It adds luxuries like semi-aniline leather seats, massaging front seats, an UltraView panoramic sunroof, a head-up display, and much more.
Cadillac Smart System
This standard safety tech suite bundles convenient features like automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, and automatic high beams.
Driver Assist Package
The Driver Assist Package includes adaptive cruise control, enhanced automatic emergency braking, and reverse automatic braking. It’s standard on the Premium Luxury, Sport, and V-Series trims.
Bose Performance Series audio
If you opt for the Navigation and Bose Premium Audio Package, you’re treated to a Bose Performance Series 15-speaker premium audio system.
The standard and most popular engine in the Cadillac CT5 is a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder making 237 horsepower mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission. It’s upgradeable to a 3.0-liter turbo V6 that makes 335 horsepower in the Premium Luxury trim and 360 horsepower in the V-Series model. The CT5-V is an elite luxury sport sedan with a 668 horsepower 6.2-liter supercharged V8. It has a standard manual transmission and an optional 10-speed automatic.
Rear-wheel drive (RWD) is standard in every trim of the CT5. All-wheel drive (AWD) is optional on all but the CT5-V Blackwing.
From the 2023 model, the base engine returns up to 27 combined mpg with RWD and 25 mpg with AWD. The V6 drops those numbers to 22 mpg with RWD and 21 mpg with AWD. Finally, the CT5-V Blackwing is unsurprisingly inefficient, rated for 16 mpg with the automatic and 15 mpg with the manual. Every CT5 requires premium fuel.
The Cadillac CT5 is backed by a 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty and a 6-year/70,000-mile powertrain warranty. That’s average for a basic warranty, but the powertrain warranty is better than what most luxury brands offer. Cadillac also includes one free maintenance visit.
Our Expert Ratings come from hours of both driving and number crunching to make sure that you choose the best car for you. We comprehensively experience and analyze every new SUV, car, truck, or minivan for sale in the U.S. and compare it to its competitors. When all that dust settles, we have our ratings.
We require new ratings every time an all-new vehicle or a new generation of an existing vehicle comes out. Additionally, we reassess those ratings when a new-generation vehicle receives a mid-cycle refresh — basically, sprucing up a car in the middle of its product cycle (typically, around the 2-3 years mark) with a minor facelift, often with updates to features and technology.
Rather than pulling random numbers out of the air or off some meaningless checklist, KBB’s editors rank a vehicle to where it belongs in its class. Before any car earns its KBB rating, it must prove itself to be better (or worse) than the other cars it’s competing against as it tries to get you to spend your money buying or leasing.
Our editors drive and live with a given vehicle. We ask all the right questions about the interior, the exterior, the engine and powertrain, the ride and handling, the features, the comfort, and of course, about the price. Does it serve the purpose for which it was built? (Whether that purpose is commuting efficiently to and from work in the city, keeping your family safe, making you feel like you’ve made it to the top — or that you’re on your way — or making you feel like you’ve finally found just the right partner for your lifestyle.)
We take each vehicle we test through the mundane — parking, lane-changing, backing up, cargo space and loading — as well as the essential — acceleration, braking, handling, interior quiet and comfort, build quality, materials quality, reliability.
Curb Weight | 3659 lbs. | ||
---|---|---|---|
Fuel Capacity | 17.4 gallons | ||
Front Head Room | 39.0 inches | ||
Front Leg Room | 42.4 inches | ||
Max Seating Capacity | 5 | ||
Overall Length | 193.8 inches | ||
Front Shoulder Room | 56.7 inches | ||
Trunk or Cargo Capacity | 11.9 cu.ft. | ||
Turning Diameter | 39.0 feet | ||
Wheel Base | 116.0 inches | ||
Width with mirrors | 80.3 inches |
Alloy Wheels | Available | ||
---|---|---|---|
Moon Roof/Sun Roof | Available | ||
Number of Doors | 4 doors | ||
Panorama Moon Roof | Available | ||
LED Headlights | Available | ||
Rear Spoiler | Available |
City | 23 mpg | ||
---|---|---|---|
Highway | 33 mpg | ||
Combined | 27 mpg |
Drivetrain | RWD | ||
---|---|---|---|
Transmission Type | Automatic | ||
10 speed | Available | ||
Recommended Fuel | Premium | ||
Parking Assist System | Available |
Horsepower | 237 @ 5000 RPM | ||
---|---|---|---|
Torque | 258 @ 1500 rpm | ||
Engine | 4-Cyl, Turbo, 2.0 Liter |
Basic | 4 years / 50000 miles | ||
---|---|---|---|
Powertrain | 6 years / 70000 miles | ||
Corrosion | 4 years / 50000 miles |
Driver Awareness package
This is standard in every new CT5 luxury midsize sedan. It includes Lane Change Alert, Side Blind Zone Alert, and Rear Cross Traffic Alert. These are usually known collectively as blind-spot monitoring.
Safety Alert Seat
The driver’s seat will vibrate if the car’s sensors and cameras pick up on the likelihood of an impending collision. The left part of the seat vibrates if the hazard is coming from the left, and vice versa with the right side. If it’s coming from straight on (behind or in front), then both sides are activated. This is also standard across the 2023 CT5 range.
Driver Assist package
This package brings adaptive cruise control (not Super Cruise — that’s a separate feature), enhanced automatic emergency braking, and reverse automatic braking. It’s not offered with the entry-level Luxury trim, but comes as standard elsewhere — except for the CT5-V Blackwing with the manual transmission.
New 2024 Cadillac CT5 | New 2024 Honda Accord Hybrid | New 2024 Hyundai Sonata | New 2024 MAZDA MAZDA3 | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Price | $39,790 | $35,970 | $36,100 | $36,615 | |
KBB.com Rating | 3.9 | 4.8 | 4.4 | 4.1 | |
Consumer Rating | 5.0 | 4.7 | 4.3 | 4.2 | |
Fuel Economy | City 23/Hwy 33/Comb 27 MPG | City 46/Hwy 41/Comb 44 MPG | City 23/Hwy 32/Comb 27 MPG | City 23/Hwy 32/Comb 27 MPG | |
Fuel Type | Gas | Hybrid | Gas | Gas | |
Safety Rating | 5.0 | N/A | N/A | 5.0 | |
Seating Capacity | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | |
Basic Warranty | 4 years or 50000 miles | 3 years or 36000 miles | 5 years or 60000 miles | 3 years or 36000 miles | |
Horsepower | 237 @ 5000 RPM | 203 @ 5000 RPM | 290 @ 5800 RPM | 227 @ 5000 RPM | |
Engine | 4-Cyl, Turbo, 2.0 Liter | 4-Cyl, Hybrid, i-VTEC, 2.0 Liter | 4-Cyl, Turbo, GDI, 2.5 Liter | 4-Cyl, SKYACTIV-G, Turbo, 2.5 Liter | |
Drivetrain | RWD | FWD | FWD | AWD |
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