2024 Cadillac CT5 Review: Big And Bold Executive Sedan

The 2024 Cadillac CT5 is a bit of an outlier; it's larger than rivals like the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Genesis G70, and BMW 3 Series, all of which are respected in the segment. But despite being daunting in size, its base 237-horsepower turbo-four engine - and even the top-end V6 - leaves the US executive sedan outgunned. However, the benefits of its larger proportions include a good amount of passenger and cargo space. It also has a lower asking price than its foreign competitors. But is size enough of a reason to buy a car when there are options out there with more power and better brand acclaim?

New for 2024

The only changes to the new Cadillac CT5 sedan are cosmetic, with Midnight Sky Metallic expanding the exterior paint palette and a new Onyx Package that sees the body outfitted with black accents and a rear spoiler.

2024 Cadillac CT5 Price: Which One to Buy

Despite its premium appeal, the price of the 2024 Cadillac CT5 is reasonable at $38,395 MSRP. It's a large step up in price to the Premium Luxury at $42,895 with the turbo-four engine or $46,395 with the twin-turbo V6. The top-of-the-range Sport will cost you $44,095, but it doesn't offer a V6 alternative. Each trim can be upgraded with all-wheel drive for $2,000, and you'll also need to add $1,395 for the destination charge.

Unfortunately, all but the Premium Luxury trim come with the somewhat disappointing 2.0-liter base engine, so we'd recommend dishing out a bit extra to get the V6. This is the only model that really lives up to its name with effortless power and a more upscale interior. You can save a little money by sticking with the rear-wheel drivetrain if you don't need extra grip for slick or slippery roads since AWD doesn't do much to improve handling.

Interior and Features

While it is more spacious than many other compact sedans, the CT5 is strapped for headroom, but it comes with a plethora of features.

When it comes to the interior of executive sedans in this segment, European brands have traditionally had the upper hand. Cadillac provides a nice enough cabin, but it's not quite on par with Mercedes-Benz or Volvo, for example. That's not to say the interior of the CT5 doesn't look good, with a very tech-laden but well-integrated central console sporting a landscape-style touchscreen and a number of physical controls below the large rectangular air vents. The best part of the CT5's interior is the additional legroom in the second row, courtesy of its bigger size in comparison to competitors.

Space

Like the majority of executive sedans, the CT5 has a decent amount of interior space, so you can seat up to five passengers in relative comfort. This is also where the American exec has the upper hand on its German rivals, as the second row offers enough legroom for even taller adults to remain comfortable for most trips, though the sportback design means headroom is not as generous. As standard, the front seats are power-adjustable, allowing the driver to easily find a comfortable position that helps ensure great visibility. Getting inside is easy for those in the front, but the low roof means rear passengers might have to slouch a little.

Cargo

Sedans fall far behind SUVs in terms of cargo space, but that doesn't mean they have to be impractical. Someone should probably tell Cadillac, though, as the CT5 only supplies 11.9 cubic feet. This isn't excessively less than the competition, but in a compact sedan, every fraction of a cube counts. If you need more room, the rear seats can be folded down.

Around the cabin, there are a number of locations to store smaller items, such as the glove compartment and sizeable armrest cubby. The door pockets are a bit narrow, though. Cupholders can be found beneath a foldable over in the front and the fold-down middle rear seat.

Materials and Colors

The Luxury and Sport trims come upholstered in Inteluxe leatherette as standard, in Jet Black for both, or optional Sahara Beige in the Luxury. The Sport can be upgraded to the leather that is standard in the Premium Luxury. Again, Jet Black is a choice, but interior colors differ from there. The Premium Luxury offers Sahara Beige and Maple Sugar, while the Sport lets you option Whisper Beige. Alternatively, both trims allow you to upgrade to semi-aniline leather in Sedona Sauvage. Every color scheme comes paired with Jet Black accents and aluminum trim. Only the Premium Luxury lets you choose a leather-trimmed steering wheel, while the Sport offers a microfiber-trimmed option, along with rubber-studded, brushed-metal pedals.

Features and Infotainment

While it may fall short in some areas, the Caddy CT5 has a good number of standard features. These include power-adjustable front seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, keyless entry, remote start, and a ten-inch touchscreen paired with a nine-speaker sound system. Infotainment functions comprise wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth streaming, in-car Wi-Fi, HD Radio, and a wireless charger. The Premium Luxury adds extra directions for the power front seats, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, and ambient interior lighting, while the Sport gets seat cushion-length adjustments. There are numerous options, such as heated and ventilated front seats, navigation, a head-up display, and a 15-speaker Bose sound system.

Performance

If you completely disregard the middling base four-cylinder engine, the CT5 has adequate performance, but it won't leave you breathless.

The Cadillac CT5 offers buyers a choice of two engines. Every model uses a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder as its standard unit, churning out 237 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque for the rear wheels. Only the Premium Luxury allows you to upgrade to a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 that makes 335 hp and 400 lb-ft. Both engines come mated to a ten-speed automatic transmission and buyers can choose to upgrade to an all-wheel drivetrain.

For real performance, you'll want the V6, which allows the Caddy CT5 to accelerate from 0-60 mph in around five seconds, according to independent tests, and it can hit a top speed of 144 mph. With this level of power, the sedan feels semi-luxurious and effortless to drive, but it doesn't handle all that impressively. The steering is accurate and easy to manage, but it's not overly communicative. Still, when you take the vehicle into a corner, it remains poised, so long as you don't take it too hard. If you stick with the base four-pot, you'll have to settle for a far more lifeless driving experience, but you will still get the comfortable suspension that soaks up bumps well. The Sport can be had with a performance suspension that sacrifices too much for too little.

Fuel Efficiency

You'd think the middling power of the turbocharged four-cylinder engine would result in improved gas mileage, but the Cadillac CT5's mpg figures are rather average. With rear-wheel drive, this engine manages 23/33/27 mpg across the city/highway/combined cycles or 22/30/25 mpg with AWD. Meanwhile, the V6 only drops down to 19/27/22 mpg with RWD and 18/26/21 mpg with AWD, which isn't too bad considering how much power you get in return.

All models boast a fuel capacity of 17 gallons, which means the sedan can cover between 357 and 459 miles on a full tank, depending on configuration.

Safety

The NHTSA was extremely impressed by the CT5, giving it rave five-star ratings. The IIHS hasn't tested the car, but it has a long list of features to back the NHTSA's ratings up.

While the IIHS may not have performed a safety review of the Cadillac CT5, the NHTSA has put the vehicle through all of its crash tests and awarded it a perfect five-star rating in each category.

As you'd expect from these scores, the CT5 comes outfitted with all the latest safety equipment. This includes ABS, EBD, stability and traction control, eight airbags, a rearview camera, forward collision alert, automatic emergency braking with front pedestrian detection, lane change alert, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, and rear parking sensors. Once you move past the base trim, you also get front parking sensors, enhanced automatic braking with reverse functionality, and automatic parking assist. Options include an HD surround-view camera, rear pedestrian detection, and semi-autonomous driving systems.

US NHTSA Crash Test Result

Reliability

The Cadillac CT5 boasts an impressive reliability rating of 85 out of 100, according to JD Power, which puts it well above the automotive hoi polloi. Unlike many local rivals, there have only been a few recalls over the past few years, and the most recent issue in 2023 was a carryover from the previous year - namely, running lights that may not deactivate.

The 2024 Cadillac CT5's warranty includes four years/50,000 miles of basic coverage and six years/70,000 miles of coverage for the drivetrain.

Warranty

Design

American automakers know what their buyers want, and the 2024 CT5 has all the bold styling you'd expect. This starts off with an eye-catching studded grille that mirrors the shape of the company logo emblazoned upon it. There are also large air intakes running down the sides of the front fascia and along its width. LED headlights are standard and shaped almost like boomerangs as they slope down from the hood and over the front end, with daytime running lights that also curve down from the hood and pause briefly before continuing down alongside the air intakes. The 18-inch wheels are only replaced with larger 19s on the Sport trim. The roof slopes in sportback fashion with a sharkfin antenna. The taillights are an inverted L-shape, and the rectangular exhaust outlets are integrated into the lower bumper.

Verdict: Is The 2024 Cadillac CT5 A Good car?

Executive sedans are some of the last survivors in the dwindling three-box segment, so competition is extremely fierce. In a market that includes the likes of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and BMW 3 Series, the Caddy just seems to fall short in every area. Of course, this all changes when you switch to the CT5-V and Blackwing variants, but we review those separately. When relegated to the standard four-pot and weaker V6, the regular CT5 just doesn't have what it takes to keep up. Sure, it comes packed with features and value, but it has lackluster performance and some may want a more luxurious interior. Even the more affordable pricing isn't enough to keep it in the running against the Europeans.